An interview with YouTuber Maria Aponi

Maria Aponi talks about LGBT, food & hauls in her YouTube videos. We asked her some questions about sexuality, housing, private environment and fantalk. Check her answers:

You openly deal with your sexuality in your videos and you identify as a lesbian. Are you completely out in your private life and how was that for you?

I think it’s important to first be out in private life before coming up with such crazy ideas like putting videos on the internet. The hard part for me was the inner outing. I stood in my own way for a long time and worked against it, finally decided to come out just four years ago. When you’re in your early thirties, you do not decide an outing “just like that.” I had built up a life, which was not mine. It was not easy, but it was worth it. Whether training, study, job or sexuality, we have the freedom to choose our own path — no matter where it leads to.

Are you also active further your channel, for example on the Christopher Street Day?

There is a regional scene here, in which I am not active, that may be changing in the future. We plan to visit the CSD in Cologne next year.

How does your environment react to your public appearance on the internet? Do you get more support or headwind?

My environment reacts differently, clearly there are people who constantly criticize, but I mainly get positive feedback from the humans I am close with.

Do you keep contact with other YouTubers and are you planning to do videos together?

Something is definitely planned, some funny videos are up to come.

Among your videos are some comments and reactions from people — do you get a lot of fan mails?

It always surprises me that I even get comments. I have no expectations at all, I just want to live out my creativity. Of course this great support motivates me.

What was the worst thing that someone wrote to you and how did you react?

If you are a minority in public life, you already offer a surface for attack. If you can not handle this, you should not put videos on the internet. But nothing has really blown me away yet.

How do you react to homophobia and what do you advise others?

So far, I react with ignorance, it is important to focus on things that are good for me. I would advise others to be self-confident, not to justify themselves and focus on their own happiness.

On your channel, you also share your private life: Thoughts, routines, kisses with your girlfriend and even insights while you’re taking a shower. Do you get negative reactions?

What we reveal on the YouTube channel is a small part of our lives. We put care and heart in the videos and look over every video again and again before we publish it. We always expect negative reactions, but so far nothing really bad happened.

Together with your partner you moved into an apartment. How did you approach the housing search, did you show up as an open lesbian couple?

My partner has always been open. I was more afraid of disadvantages. For the apartment we finally got, our relationship was not discussed at all.

What has changed for you by moving from a room into a shared apartment?

We save gasoline, rental costs and the question: Your place or mine?

How does it work with your own and your shared YouTube channel? Do you have time for both and will you continue to post videos on both channels?

It’s a creative hobby — and we like to make time for that. Cutting and editing videos for me is like meditation. I am glad that my partner is as excited about it as I am. It is also nice to see how the quality steadily improves. Since we are shooting with passion, we will probably never get out of new ideas.

Thank you for the interview — Is there anything else you want to say?

We wish you and all readers happy holidays, a happy New Year and lots of success for 2018.