Annie Segarra (born August 22, 1990),[2] also known as Annie Elainey, is an American YouTuber, artist, and activist for LGBT and disability rights.[3][4] Segarra, who is queer, Latinx, and disabled, advocates for accessibility, body positivity, and media representation of marginalized communities.[5][3][6][7]
| Annie Elainey | |
|---|---|
| Personal information | |
| Born | Annie Segarra August 22, 1990 |
| YouTube information | |
| Channel | |
| Genre | Disability |
| Subscribers | 24,900[1] (2021-02-03) |
| Total views | 1.6M[1] (2021-02-03) |
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.[8][9][10] Segarra was invited to speak at schools about body image issues.[9][10] She[a] launched a YouTube channel and began vlogging, as Annie Elainey, about body image and recovery from an eating disorder.[3]
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.[3][5] Segarra documented her experiences and thoughts about disability on her YouTube channel.[3][11] She has cited Frida Kahlo, another queer Latina suffering from chronic pain, as a source of empowerment.[3][6]
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",[12] modeled after a popular "The Future is Female" shirt from the 1970s.[13]
In 2017, Segarra was featured in the NBCNews.com Latino 20.[14]
In 2019, Segarra was selected to be part of the YouTube NextUp program.[15]
Personal life
Segarra lives in Miami, Florida.[3][16] She has a younger sister, Emily, who is autistic. Segarra regards Emily as her best friend.[3]