In recent days, you have probably become aware of a charismatic yet disruptive emu by the name of Emmanuel, whose desire for TikTok fame cannot be contained. As the breakout star of Knuckle Bump Farms (a small cattle farm in South Florida that appears to exist solely to give animals hilarious human names), Emmanuel has mostly become famous for interrupting farmer Taylor Blake’s videos by pecking at the camera. Blake’s stern warnings of “Emmanuel, don’t do it!” went viral quickly, and viewers were further delighted when we learned that Emmanuel can only be dissuaded from following his path of destruction when referred to by his full name, Emmanuel Todd Lopez.
@knucklebumpfarms He knew I meant business when I whipped out his government name 😩🤣 #emmanueltheemu #emmanueldontdoit #emmanuel #emu #animalsagainsteducation
While Emmanuel’s earnest commitment to waking up each morning and choosing violence has made him a rising star, his exasperated human companion has remained somewhat more of a mystery. A cursory social media search revealed that Taylor Blake was raised on her grandparents’ farm and is now taking a more active role in its operations, describing herself in her Instagram bio as a “Jesus-loving, mildly funny lesbian.” She was also a contestant on seasons 2 and 3 of YouTube reality show The Reality House, and has had a large social media following for quite some time. The farm mainly specializes in breeding miniature cows (which are sold as pets only!), but also houses goats, emus, swans, rheas, turkeys, deer, and other excellent animal friends. Taylor has been using the farm’s TikTok account to make educational content about the various residents of Knuckle Bump farms, and while Emmanuel is the clear standout he has a lot of very cute competition.
The farm’s FAQ says that Blake and her girlfriend are working towards raising their own cattle herd… and it was then that I learned that said girlfriend is in fact Kristian Haggerty, formerly one-half of Bachelor in Paradise’s only queer couple ever. I am a semi-recent convert to the heterosexual horrors of the psychological torture show Bachelor in Paradise, and I remember Kristian and her then-girlfriend Demi Burnett as having been a delight to watch. While being defined by one’s relationship from several years ago is a personal worst nightmare of mine, this was still a pleasant surprise!
According to their social media profiles, Haggerty and Blake have been together not quite three years, and are currently in the process of renovating a three-car garage into an appropriately adorable home, This means they’re both doing a lot of carpentry and interior design work (gay), all while still expanding their brood of very cute animals. They are both passionate about their faith, farming, and taking very lovey Instagram photos in dappled sunlight.
When they’re not chasing large flightless birds around in their overalls, they spend a lot of time being precious together:
Their commitment to finding excellent lighting together is frankly unmatched:
And Kristian is endlessly supportive of Taylor’s very sudden and very intense viral TikTok fame:
The power of your content is unmatched. What I mean by that is it’s hard to find content these days that doesn’t exclude, hurt, have “sides” or cause divide. Your content has brought people from around the globe tg in love & laughter. You are so special babe @hiitaylorblake
— Kristian Haggerty (@Kristianhagg) July 18, 2022
One day I hope to meet a beautiful woman who whispers affirmations to me like, “the power of your content is unmatched.” I mean it.
If you asked me in 2019 (when I was just getting into Bachelor in Paradise in the wake of a particularly dark breakup) where I thought I’d see Kristian Haggerty again, reader, I would not have suggested “tangentially connected to a TikTok-famous emu,” but the world is a rich tapestry! Emmanuel may be the star of the show, but we are extremely here for his gay moms and their admirable dedication to providing the wholesome bird content the word so desperately needs right now.
@knucklebumpfarms It’s ain’t easy being this steezy 🥵 #emmanueltheemu #emu #farmlife #steezy
Editor’s Note (07/23/22): After publishing our piece about a famous emu and his lesbian caretaker that took over the internet and made me smile, it was brought to my attention that Taylor Blake has reportedly said and done things not aligned with Autostraddle’s values as a publication. Thank you for reading — Shelli Nicole
This deep dive content is why I am a Silver A+ member :) Thank you!
“the power of your content is unmatched” is going to enter a regular rotation in my vocabulary now i think
This is the critical media analysis I crave.
Thank you Stef for bringing this to Autostraddle so I wasn’t the only one like What! I saw the Emmanuel video multiple times on my Twitter feed Saturday morning and I was like surely this overalls gal is gay and was so shocked discovering with my Instagram stalking she’s dating Kristian.
Taylor wanted to ask out Kristian when she was 13 but she was closeted. 🥹
https://www.instagram.com/p/B8hlGEXFU15/?igshid=NWRhNmQxMjQ=
The queer internet can feel so small
The power of YOUR content is unmatched. Thanks, Stef and Autostraddle, that was exactly what I needed.
What is up with the disclaimer about Blake not aligning with autostraddle? 😬
I’ve been following them both for years and it’s crazy to see how the Emmanuel video has blown up! Kristian and Taylor are super lovey dovey and it’s fun seeing their life on the farm. Before this they were traveling the US in a little camper. Obviously I don’t know the details of her past relationship, but I watched Kristian in BIP and it makes me really happy to see her in love.
Frustrated rant incoming— skip if you’re mostly in it for the Emus.
I’ve followed both of these creators individually since Kristian dated Demi on Bachelor in paradise. Watching Taylor slowly and publicly convert from non-denominationally spiritual to Kristian’s particularly evangelical brand of Christianity over the past few years has been really frustrating for me.
I know I have a lot of trauma from my Christian upbringing, and I know that some queers are able to reconcile their Christianity and their queerness, but I still feel and will always feel a level of discomfort with anyone who loudly participates in something that is causing so much past and present day harm.
The trajectory of SCOTUS and the devastating wake of Trump’s conservativism shows me that we are on the path to enforced cultural Christianity, and I am terrified for all the bullshit evil it will cause, and is already causing.
If anyone is willing to engage me on this, I’m willing to listen. Am I projecting? Is it messed up to have an opinion on another person’s religion? Is it okay to be disappointed when a celeb you like participates in something that causes you harm, even if it’s something purportedly causing them joy? Do I just need to delete Instagram?
I don’t know either of these people outside of the one’s occasional emu video that comes across my FYP (and that’s just recently really), but the tweet kind of rubbed me the wrong way. The second sentence was completely unnecessary in my opinion. Especially if she was genuinely just trying to praise her partner. That bit just makes it seem more dog-whistley than actually loving. Now that you provided the background info, it just seems more so.
Sorry… that didn’t answer any of the questions you actually posed lol. It’s a very nuanced topic that I unfortunately don’t think there’s any one right answer to. Stay safe out there :)
I don’t pretend to have answers for you but I do think it’s OK to have feelings about people you have otherwise admired and/or enjoyed, even as a stranger, going in for something that is fundamentally harmful or hurtful to you as a human being! The trick is, I think, in what you choose to do with that feeling. Like, obviously don’t go trying to harass that person (unless they’re a Supreme Court Justice who has just removed your human rights, natch). But we should always feel free to speak up about how particular actions/words/beliefs cause us harm or even mixed feelings.
I think it’s probably also important to note that Taylor Blake apparently has a long and awful history of saying and doing really racist shit online. I was as delighted by the emu video as anyone (and it was my first introduction to Taylor), but subsequently have seen several Black folks on Twitter calling out her very problematic history:
* https://twitter.com/micahhomgg/status/1549759714648547330
* https://twitter.com/RihIsJamaican/status/1259186599813881856
So, it seems there’s A LOT going on here for people to have some very valid feelings about. Alas, too many Milkshake Ducks in the world, not enough Jorts the Cats.
What “things not aligned with Autostraddle’s values as a publication” has Taylor Blake done? (I’ll admit, I don’t even know what Autostraddle’s values as a publication are.)
I’d love to know too!
I think you should all look into the recently racist and generally tone-deaf things she has said before deciding to keep this up. Being an open lesbian does not make any of what she has said okay and does not erase very racist things she says. It’s not hard to find either. A simple google should inform you with more receipts than you could imagine. You should take this down.