Through her YouTube channel, ContraPoints, Natalie Wynn defies simplicity, having developed a following of over one million subscribers by producing long video essays that dissect trending topics and social phenomena, from “Canceling” to “Cringe,” “Incels” to “JK Rowling.” Many of her most popular videos are over an hour long, all filmed, written, edited, and designed by Wynn. In each video, she artistically explores all sides of an argument, treating different perspectives with equal parts seriousness and shade. She is just as critical of herself as she is of Twitter mobs or people in power. Using history, theory, pop culture references, and comedic acting, she helps us understand the nuances of what’s trending. Each video boasts hundreds of thoughtful, paragraph-long responses to topics that normally engender name-calling and shaming with expletives. As a transgender woman, Wynn is vulnerable to attack online and in real life, making her efforts all the more brave and significant. For producing complex, thoughtful, humorous, and artfully filmed videos that engage deliberative debate while showing us that social media does not always have to be toxic, ContraPoints wins a Peabody.
