Love your children no matter what. It sounds obvious, but there are still parents who only love their children conditionally. Unconditional love is the only type of love a parent should have for their kids. That means loving them no matter what.
As a part of our series about leaders who are using their social media platform to make a significant social impact, we had the pleasure of interviewing Chris Stanley.
Chris Stanley, aka “StanChris,” has made a name for himself via his viral on the street interview content geared towards the LGBTQIA+ community.
Drawing inspiration from personal experience growing up mixed with his own humor, Chris has gone viral for his interviews with everyday citizens in various locations around the US as well as internationally. Working towards a goal of hosting his own televised and/or streamed series, Chris covers a wide range of topics in his content including pop culture references, celebrity trivia, preferences within the LGBTQIA+ community, fashion and more. Ultimately through his social media content, Chris hopes to bring not only the LGBTQIA+ community together, but also educate and inform those who are not a part of the community.
Growing up in New Hampshire, Chris came out when he was a sophomore in high school to his friends and family. His family showed full support for Chris, but what was shocking to him was that his high school friends did not take the news as well. Chris also began longboarding in high school and would eventually lead him to entering longboard dance competitions.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?
Of course! It’s actually sort of interesting how this came about for me. So initially I decided to take a gap year instead of going to college, and started looking for ways to make money online. I started social media and gained a bit of momentum then quickly realized it had potential. Then I decided not to go to college (not yet, at least) and to keep pursuing social media.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began this career?
The most interesting thing that has happened to me is probably when Madonna reposted one of my viral videos about her on her Instagram. I didn’t even expect her to see the video let alone repost me!
It has been said that our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
One time with my interviews, I filmed probably 5 really great street interviews. Only to realize my mic had been turned off the entire time. I was so sad because they were great interviews, and also I had given away cash prizes, so I wasted money and time. But I guess I didn’t really because I learned to always triple check my equipment to make sure everything is on.
You have been blessed with success in a career path that can be challenging. Do you have any words of advice for others who may want to embark on this career path, but seem daunted by the prospect of failure?
Be consistent, and don’t give up. Anything is possible with those two factors. I never thought I would be as successful as I am today, I just knew I wanted to be. I kept trying my hardest and working every day toward where I want to be, and I’m still not even there yet. But I have definitely made progress.
Ok super. Let’s now jump to the core focus of our interview. Can you describe to our readers how you are using your platform to make a significant social impact?
I want to make a place for queer people to go where they can feel safe, where they can smile, where they can realize that being gay is okay and we are here to stay. That is my main goal. When I was growing up, there was nowhere for me to find queer media I could relate to–except for online. So of course that is where I turned to: Youtube, Instagram, various websites. It helped me so much during my years of finding myself that I knew I wanted to return the favor for the next generation or any generation for that matter.
Can you tell us a story about a particular individual who was impacted by this cause?
One of my fans reached out to me via email saying how he had been struggling with depression. But after he found my videos, they always made him smile and brightened his day. That is all I could ask for, because I know firsthand how hard depression can be. To have someone say that I was the one who is helping them meant so much to me, and I hope I can continue to help people.
Was there a tipping point that made you decide to focus on this particular area? Can you share a story about that?
I always knew I wanted to focus on LGBTQ+ lifestyle and culture as it was something that was very important to me after I came out. The only place I could find a sense of community was online. I remember going on Youtube and watching John Quinones “What would you do?” series. Every single episode that was related to being LGBTQ+. I binged them all, because it showed that people cared about us, and that I didn’t have to be scared or hide who I was.
Are there three things the community/society/politicians can do to help you address the root of the problem you are trying to solve?
- Love your children no matter what. It sounds obvious, but there are still parents who only love their children conditionally. Unconditional love is the only type of love a parent should have for their kids. That means loving them no matter what.
- Learn more about things you don’t understand instead of being so quick to hate them.
- Try to come together to solve problems instead of letting the media and fake news create division between us.
Why do you think social media in particular has the power to create social change and create a positive impact on humanity?
Social media is amazing. It was never possible to have the world at your fingertips 100 years ago. Now it’s really only one screen-tap or swipe away. It’s so much easier to reach a vast number of people in the world, whereas before it had to be done in person or using letters. Social media allows us to spread messages virtually and reach millions more people than before–even in other countries.
What specific strategies have you been using to promote and advance this cause? Can you recommend any good tips for people who want to follow your lead and use their social platform for a social good?
I often will make videos with my family such as Q&A’s or other fun content which show that my family completely accepts me for who I am. A tip I have for people is to be authentic, and even if you don’t reach a large number of people right away, it’s still worth posting something if it can help even just one person. You probably might even have no idea who they are or where they’re from–but if a video you make can help them, do it.
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why? Please share a story or example for each. ‘
1: It’s going to take a lot of work. I sort of assumed social media was easy, but the truth is it’s not. It’s the same as any other job, and I have had to work very hard to get to where I am today.
2: Keep some things for yourself. Not everything needs to be shown to the world, and it’s good to have things that are just for you.
3: Take breaks. Social media is nonstop, but it’s important to remember to pace yourself and stay consistent, while also rewarding yourself with personal time as well.
4: Evolve. Social media is constantly evolving, and if you aren’t evolving with it, you’re going backwards. It’s important to be flexible and adjust to what is popular/trends, you can reach so many more people that way, while still spreading your message.
5: You won’t be great when you first start, and that’s ok. My content today is a culmination of everything I have learned over the past 5 years since I started social media. You simply can’t learn all the little tricks and skills right away, it takes time. What’s important is to keep trying to get better every day.
You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
That movement would definitely be for LGBTQ+ rights. LGBTQ+ rights are human rights, and it’s an ongoing battle that we are still fighting to this day. I just wish everyone would accept us, we are all human after all.
Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a power lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. 🙂
I think I would go with Mr. Beast. I don’t really watch his content very often, but he definitely has an insane reach on the world with his videos and I would love to pick his brain more than what he has revealed in podcasts about how to reach larger audiences and what his journey has been like.
How can our readers further follow your work online?
Check out my website for all my official social links: https://stan-chris.com/ and my YouTube channel: @Stanchris.
This was very meaningful. Thank you so much!
Social Media Stars Making a Social Impact: Why & How Chris Stanley Is Helping To Change Our World was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.