Kristin Key

Even though Kristin Key’s hilarious viral videos on social media—including the iconic “Lesbian National Anthem”—have over 100 million views from her more than one million dedicated followers, the comedian tellsshe first got into comedy because she was depressed. “I’d had a rough time coming out. I’d lost my church family. My family and I were not getting along, and I went back in the closet to try and salvage what few family and friends I still had. I was in college to become a paramedic, and I was miserable. I tried stand-up when I literally had nothing to lose.” She chose to be a comedian because it brought her joy in the darkest point in her life. Key supports local nonprofits with every tour date, and she says the most fulfilling part of her work is, “I get to create a safe, inclusive space for people. The most rewarding aspect of my work is when people come up to me after the show and tell me how much they needed to laugh.” Key has seven full-length comedy albums, one studio music comedy album, one Dry Bar comedy special, and has appeared on NBC’s Last Comic Standing. Her debut feature-length comedy special, Lesbian Army, is available on Apple TV+, Amazon, and more. Her vision for herself is to become even gayer. She says, “My goal is to use my voice and my platform to showcase queer joy as an act of resistance.” –SS