Annie Segarra
{{Short description|American YouTuber and disability rights activist}}
{{Infobox YouTube personality
| name = Annie Elainey
| birth_name = Annie Segarra
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1990|08|22}}
| channel_handle = theannieelainey
| genre = Disability
| subscribers = 24.9 thousand
| views = 1.6 million
| stats_update = February 3, 2021
}}
Annie Segarra (born August 22, 1990),{{cite web|last1=Segarra|first1=Annie|title=About|website=Annie Segarra|url=https://www.facebook.com/pg/Ann.E.Segarra/about/|via=Facebook|access-date=September 24, 2017}} also known as Annie Elainey, is an American YouTuber, artist, and activist for LGBT and disability rights.{{cite web|author=Carrie|title=Queer Crip Love Fest: Talking with Queer Disabled Latinx Activist Annie Segarra about Family and Connection|url=https://www.autostraddle.com/queer-crip-love-fest-talking-with-queer-disabled-latinx-activist-annie-segarra-about-family-and-connection-363806/|website=Autostraddle|access-date=September 22, 2017|date=December 26, 2016}}{{cite web|last1=Leary|first1=Alaina|title=Activist Spotlight: Annie Segarra – YouTuber, Artist, Activist|url=http://www.rootedinrights.org/activist-spotlight-annie-segarra-youtuber-artist-activist/|website=Rooted in Rights|publisher=Disability Rights Washington|access-date=September 22, 2017|date=August 30, 2017}} Segarra, who is queer, Latinx, and disabled, advocates for accessibility, body positivity, and media representation of marginalized communities.{{cite web|last1=Kienapple|first1=Bronwyn|title=Here's What YouTuber Annie Elainey Wants You to Know About Being Disabled|url=https://www.brit.co/youtuber-annie-elainey-profile/|website=Brit + Co|access-date=September 22, 2017|date=September 1, 2017}}{{cite magazine|last1=Reichard|first1=Raquel|title=Woman Crush(ing the Patriarchy) Wednesday: Annie Elainey Segarra|url=http://www.latina.com/lifestyle/our-issues/wcw-annie-elainey-segarra|access-date=September 22, 2017|magazine=Latina|date=August 24, 2016}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.wlrn.org/post/annie-segarra-being-millennial-disability-and-accessibility-miami|title=Annie Segarra On Being A Millennial With A Disability And Accessibility In Miami|last=Green|first=Nadege|website=www.wlrn.org|date=21 February 2019|language=en|access-date=2019-11-11}}
YouTube career
In 2010, Segarra created a Tumblr account Stop Hating Your Body, which became a popular forum for people to share stories about body image and self-love.{{cite magazine|last1=Jio|first1=Sarah|title=Stop Hating Your Body! That's The Message of This New Web Site|url=https://www.glamour.com/story/stop-hating-your-body-thats-th|access-date=September 22, 2017|magazine=Glamour|date=April 29, 2011}}{{cite web|last1=Salek|first1=Christine|title=Stop Hating Your Body Tumblr: Creator Annie Segarra Discusses Popular Blog|url=https://mic.com/articles/41523/stop-hating-your-body-tumblr-creator-annie-segarra-discusses-popular-blog|website=Mic.com|access-date=September 22, 2017|date=May 14, 2013}}{{cite web|last1=Baker|first1=Katie J.M.|title=Body-Positive Blogs: Helpful Or Hurtful?|url=http://www.refinery29.com/body-positive-blogs-helpful-or-hurtful|website=Refinery29|access-date=September 22, 2017|date=June 30, 2011}} Segarra was invited to speak at schools about body image issues. She{{efn|Segarra uses she/her and they/them pronouns. This article uses feminine pronouns for consistency.}} launched a YouTube channel and began vlogging, as Annie Elainey, about body image and recovery from an eating disorder.
In 2014, Segarra began experiencing pain when walking, and eventually needed a wheelchair to get around. At age 26, she was diagnosed with Ehlers–Danlos syndrome (EDS), a genetic collagen disorder. Segarra documented her experiences and thoughts about disability on her YouTube channel.{{Cite web|url=https://mashable.com/2016/10/29/youtube-disability/|title=These 11 YouTubers with disabilities will make you laugh, think and learn|last=Dupere|first=Katie|website=Mashable|date=29 October 2016|language=en|access-date=2019-11-11}} She has cited Frida Kahlo, another queer Latina suffering from chronic pain, as a source of empowerment.
Segarra felt that the 2017 Women's March lacked visibility and accessibility for disabled people. In response, she created a t-shirt with the text "The Future is Accessible",{{Cite web|url=https://www.bonfire.com/thefutureisaccessible/|title=The Future is Accessible T-Shirt {{!}} Bonfire|website=Bonfire|access-date=2019-02-26}} modeled after a popular "The Future is Female" shirt from the 1970s.{{cite web|title=Interview: Annie Segarra, The Future is Accessible|url=https://blog.bonfire.com/interview-annie-segarra-future-accessible/|website=Bonfire|access-date=September 22, 2017|date=May 30, 2017}}
In 2017, Segarra was featured in the NBCNews.com Latino 20.{{cite news|last=Sesin|first=Carmen|title=#NBCLatino20: Advocate for Inclusion, Annie Segarra|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/nbc-latino-20-annie-segarra-n795976|newspaper=NBCNews.com|date=October 2, 2017|access-date=October 2, 2017}}
In 2019, Segarra was selected to be part of the YouTube NextUp program.{{Cite web|url=https://www.tubefilter.com/2018/09/06/youtube-nextup-latino-black-female-creators/|title=YouTube's Latest NextUp Program To Spotlight Latino, Black, And Female Creators|last=|first=|date=6 September 2018|website=www.tubefilter.com|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180906232156/https://www.tubefilter.com/2018/09/06/youtube-nextup-latino-black-female-creators/ |archive-date=2018-09-06 |access-date=2019-11-11}}
Personal life
Segarra lives in Miami, Florida.{{cite news|last1=Zinn|first1=Dori|title=OUT50 Miami: Annie Segarra – The Disabilities Advocate|url=http://southfloridagaynews.com/Community/out50-miami-annie-segarra-the-disabilities-advocate.html|access-date=September 22, 2017|newspaper=South Florida Gay News|date=March 30, 2017}} She has a younger sister, Emily, who is autistic. Segarra regards Emily as her best friend.
Notes
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References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
- {{YouTube|user=theannieelainey|Annie Elainey}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Segarra, Annie}}
Category:American disability rights activists
Category:LGBTQ Hispanic and Latino American people
Category:American LGBTQ rights activists
Category:American activists with disabilities
Category:People with Ehlers–Danlos syndrome