PCB Exposé: An Interview with Steph Stance

The second interview in this series is with singer/songwriter, outspoken women's rights and gay activist Steph Stance. Her videos are deeply personal from her music, to her life, to her opinions. Steph is always entertaining and fiercely intelligent and it was an honor for me when she accepted my offer for an interview. Now we might not agree on our choice for President, she being an avid Clinton supporter and myself favoring Obama, but one cannot ignore her passion and her unwavering dedication to her values and beliefs.



PCB: Give us an idea of how long you've been doing videos for YouTube and what it is you are putting out there.

Steph: I joined YouTube in January 2006 and posted my first video 18 months ago.

Since then my material has run the gamut from vlogs about everyday life, to political commentary, to comedy and character sketches, to collaborations with other YouTubers. My vlogs about women's and GLBT issues always seem to generate a lot of discussion. I write music, and have done a series of videos in which I sing and play my own songs. I also compose the background music for all my videos.

In a nutshell, you could say that I just follow my creative drive, wherever that takes me.

PCB: What is your ultimate goal for your videos?

Steph: I have several goals, actually. One is to attract like-minded people, people who appreciate humanity regardless of a person's sexual orientation. Through YouTube I've met some interesting, intelligent and caring people from all walks of life. It's good to know that there are other people out there who care about the world we're in.

I also want to use my videos to help others. I get a lot of e-mail from younger people who are confused about their sexuality. They contact me seeking reassurance that they're normal. They're trying to cope with being gay, and they don't get the support they need from their families. I think they see in my videos a woman who is comfortable with who she is, and that is empowering for them.

Another goal I have is to gain greater exposure for my music. Eventually I hope to release an album of my work. That would be the fulfillment of a dream.

PCB: How have you been affected by hateful comments on YouTube?

Steph: Most of the time I get lesbian jokes or digs. Those don't bother me.

But sometimes people leave rather vulgar comments. I have been accused of being a "Feminazi," which I find extremely offensive. When people use words like that, I wonder if they really think about what they're saying. The word "Nazi" to me implies intolerance, oppression and violence. "Feminazi" suggests a desire to eradicate men. I'm not here to kill men. I find that term really out of line.

PCB: Why do you think people are compelled to not only watch your videos but to then post hateful comments?

Steph: I assume that people watch my videos because they find my work or the subjects I tackle to be interesting. As for why people post hateful comments, to understand that is to understand the mentality of so-called "haters" in general. Do any of us know what drives people to behave that way? I think there are a lot of reasons.

One is the anonymity of the Internet. Some people like the thrill of causing turmoil, and they can hide behind an online persona. You never really know who you are dealing with. Some are obviously young and immature, and think it's funny to act like assholes. Any video that gets featured on YouTube is guaranteed to get a slew of hateful comments, regardless of who produced it and what it's about.

I'm sure there are other people who are simply jealous of anyone's YouTube success, however moderate that might be. Along those lines, I did get some flack when I became a YouTube partner. I would never compromise my views or sell out for money, but I do feel that YouTube artists should be compensated for their creative work, as they are in other venues. Some viewers grossly overestimate the amount of money that a typical YouTube partner makes.

Of course, there are others who post hateful comments simply because they know I am a lesbian. People often fear what they do not understand. I hope that I can bridge those gaps with my vlogs. I know already that I have changed some hearts out there. When people get to know me through my videos, they realize that although I am a lesbian, I am a human being first. I am a composer, musician, parent, friend, sibling, daughter, gardener, pet owner, cook, Texan and many other things, just like everyone else. Maybe that is what keeps people watching my videos.
PCB: Why do you think that in 2008 this kind of activity still happens? Is this a example of just how much of an epidemic ignorance really is?

Steph: I hope not. But it seems that hatred is a global illness, with people always finding something to lash out against. The reality is that to some degree, it is part of human nature. I don't think we will ever be able to change that side of people, or their potential for it.

If someone wants to criticize me in a constructive or insightful way, I am open to it. I am always learning from others. But to simply be hateful for the sake of being hateful is a waste of time and energy.

PCB: You're very outspoken politically and especially on the subjects of women's rights. What kinds of backlash do you get from this?

Steph: A few men really attack me by calling me a Feminazi and dismissing me as someone who just wants to be a man. Anyone who's watched a few of my videos knows first of all that I love being a woman. I have no desire to be a man. Secondly, I don't hate men. I have some very good friends who are male. I have a nephew and a brother-in-law who are both wonderful men. What I have a problem with is sexism and patriarchy. Men who understand that distinction don't dislike me or my videos. I feel that thinking people should challenge all forms of prejudice within our society, and that includes not just sexism, but homophobia, racism and the rest. It's time we got past all of that.
PCB: Why do you think people react the way they do to your opinions?

Steph: Probably because they see that I am confident in my views. There's still some distrust in our society toward a woman who is strong and speaks her mind with confidence. Just look at what Hillary Clinton has been put through as a presidential candidate.

Everyone is different, and many people have very strong feelings about certain issues. Some of those issues have created obvious divisions in this country. Instead of using it as an excuse for hate, we should be embracing the diversity of our society, because that's what makes life interesting.

PCB: Do you think there is hope for America to eliminate the hatred that seems to plague us?

Steph: I hope that America can be at the forefront of that kind of transformation. But the reality is that we often lag behind other countries in our acceptance of one another. One need only look at the gay marriage issue to see that.

For more information on Steph Stance visit her websites below:

Steph Stance on YouTube
StephStance on Myspace
Steph Stance official Site

Again, my ultimate goal in this series was to eventually get some interviews with people actually posting hateful comments but I'm not having much luck with that. I'll keep trying. I'm sure someone will bite. I also wanted to speak with B. Scott and Chris Crocker, both of whom have spoken about the hatred on YouTube in the past. Neither of them has chosen to respond to my inquiries. I can only imagine they are too busy to take a few minutes to discuss this in greater detail.