The Gender Gap on YouTube: Key Findings
- An analysis of 38 million active YouTube channels identified the top 50 individual creators by subscribers.
- Among these, only 7 are female — and 4 of those are children, leaving just 3 adult women in the top 50. (1)
(Musicians, brands, and corporations were excluded to focus solely on individual creators.)
Comparison with Other Platforms
The gender gap is uniquely severe on YouTube:
- Instagram: Women make up 54% of the top 50 creators. (2)
- TikTok: Women account for nearly 50% of the top 50 creators. (3)
- YouTube: Women represent just 6% of the top 50 creators. (4)
Why Does This Matter?
- YouTube has over 2.5 billion monthly active users, representing one-third of the global population.
- Users watch 1 billion+ hours of video daily on the world’s second most-visited website (after Google). (5)
- According to a Pew Research study, 95% of American teenagers use YouTube, and 75% visit daily. (6)
- A Lego survey found that 30% of kids want to become YouTubers, making it the most coveted career choice globally. (7)
Contributing Factors to YouTube’s Gender Gap
1. Monetization Disparities
Data shows that female creators, on average, earn less from per-post brand deals compared to their male counterparts. Earning less means having fewer resources to reinvest in their channels, which can impact growth and production quality.
- Female creators earn 85% of what male creators make from brand deals. (8)
- Racial pay gap: Creators of color earn 29% less than white creators. (9)
2. Online Misogyny
Female creators face significantly more negative and sexist comments than their male counterparts, a reality that discourages many from continuing on the platform.
- An Australian study analyzed 450 science YouTube videos and 23,000+ comments. Female hosts received 2x more negative comments, 12x more sexist remarks, 2x more criticism, and 3x more comments on their appearance than male hosts.(10)
3. Algorithm Bias
- Changes to YouTube’s algorithm over the years, prioritizing watch time, may have disproportionately impacted female creators.
- The rise of male-dominated creators (e.g., the “MrBeast Effect”) may be reinforcing gender disparities.
The Role of YouTube in Countering Hate
- A 2022 report by the Center for Countering Digital Hate highlighted YouTube’s issues with enforcing community standards, noting its role in hosting harmful incel content.
- CEO Imran Ahmed stated: “YouTube has been particularly poor at enforcing standards and is slow to respond to reports of problems.” (11)
Why This Research Matters
“Our findings reveal systemic issues affecting women on YouTube, from income disparities to online harassment,” says Shoshana Eilon, COO of ThoughtLeaders.
“We urge YouTube to take meaningful action to create a safer and more supportive environment for women in the creator economy.”
Our Research Sources
- ThoughtLeaders Data Intelligence Platform, September 15, 2024
- Top 50 Most Followed Instagram Business / Creator Accounts, Social Blade, September 15, 2024
- Top 50 Most Followed TikTok Accounts, Social Blade, September 15, 2024
- ThoughtLeaders Data Intelligence Platform, September 15, 2024
- YouTube Statistics 2024 (Demographics, Users by Country & More), November 2024
- Teens, Social Media and Technology 2022
- Kids now dream of being professional YouTubers rather than astronauts, study finds, CNBC.COM, 2019
- IZEA, The State of Influencer Equality, 2023 Report
- MSL Study Reveals Racial Pay Gap in Influencer Marketing, MSL Group, 2021
- Amarasekara, I., & Grant, W. J. (2018). Exploring the YouTube science communication gender gap: A sentiment analysis. Public Understanding of Science, 28(1).
- Center for Countering Digital Hate. (2022). The Incelosphere.
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