Lindsey Shaw

Lindsey Shaw

**Lindsey Alisa Shaw** is an American personal trainer, lifestyle and fitness vlogger, and retired ballerina. She is also the wife of HSI Special Agent Margaret Marks.

## Early Life

Lindsey Alisa Shaw was born on Thursday October 13, 1994 in Syracuse, New York. She is the oldest child of chef and restaurant manager Carlos and physical therapist Elizabeth Shaw (née Lakeland), she has a younger brother, Carlos Junior.

Lindsey took up ballet at around 3 years old after meeting several dancers through her mother’s work at a local dance studio. Lindsey was a quick learner and eventually got accepted to the School of American Ballet (SAB) in 2007 when she was 13, during her time at SAB Lindsey attended the Professional Children’s School. Lindsey eventually met Margaret Marks and the two quickly became best friends and eventually became romantically involved. Lindsey served as Margaret’s confidant after she was sexually abused by her guardian.

Lindsey has mentioned in her YouTube videos that like her wife, she is a survivor of sexual abuse from a male family member growing up. Lindsey explained that the abuse happened in three occasions that she remembers, all of which when she was 13, and that she felt too ashamed at the time to speak out. She has since told her parents about the abuse, despite her parents believing she should report the abuse, they respect her decision and have since cut off the perpetrator.

Lindsey spoke about her feelings of guilt for not realizing Margaret was being sexually abused by her guardian. She explained how she perceived something being off about the relationship but didn’t feel comfortable mentioning it as she knew how close Margaret and her abuser were and didn’t want to lose Margaret by making accusations. She has since spoken on the importance of open and honest communication about abuse and encourages people to ask questions if they feel someone might be a victim. Lindsey explains how some victims may not feel comfortable sharing but asking questions can lead to them feeling confident enough to open up to a close friend.

Lindsey has explained how her views on sex and pleasure, and her unique view of sexuality were shaped both by her own experience and by Margaret’s experience. Lindsey considers her sex positive outlook as taking back the power that her abuser had taken away from her. She said "Some survivors end up not knowing how to deal with their trauma and it can lead to things like unintended promiscuity, addiction or self harm. I used my sexuality to heal, I decided to experiment with experiences to find myself and now I define who I am and not anyone else.". Lindsey’s experience and her viewpoint led to her creating her YouTube channel to tell her story and encourage others to be themselves and ignore criticism and judgments from others.

## Career

Lindsey went on to graduate from SAB in 2012 and eventually became an apprentice and then a member of corps de ballet at the San Francisco Ballet from 2012 until she was eventually forced to retire in 2016 due to a severe injury. After her retirement Lindsey became a personal trainer and eventually developed an online presence, this led to her becoming a fitness and lifestyle personality on various online platforms as well as starting her own lifestyle blog. Lindsey is the personal trainer for several celebrities and businesspeople.

Lindsey went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, with a concentration in Marketing from the Southern New Hampshire University in 2022 via their online program. In 2023, Lindsey completed her Master of Business Administration at SNHU.

Lindsey's small YouTube channel went from a dozen or so followers with an upload a few times a month, to almost 8.5 million followers and an upload per day. From her YouTube career, Lindsey makes around $1.5 million per year.

### Influencer

Lindsey's Instagram account has 4.1M followers. Lindsey has modeled for Under Armour (along with wife Margaret), Anemos swimwear, Simon Miller, Rails, STAUD, and Gymshark. Lindsey is the spokesmodel for Urban Fitness LA, a health and lifestyle brand owned by Jordan Taylor.

Lindsey and Margaret also created their own brand called Empowered Living Co. which is a fitness and lifestyle brand aimed at modern empowered women, unconventional modern women, women from across the LGBTQIA spectrum, and other underrepresented women.

## YouTube Channel

*Main article: Lindsey Shaw (YouTube Channel)*

Lindsey Shaw's self-titled YouTube channel, Lindsey Shaw was first created in 2013 as a ballet themed health and fitness channel, it became popular with her ballet themed workouts. It achieved moderate success, after her retirement from ballet in 2016, Lindsey became a personal trainer and eventually developed an online presence, first as part of her business and as her popularity increased, as a side business. In the beginning of her channel, Lindsey had only uploaded on average a few videos a month, after becoming a personal trainer she started uploading weekly and eventually every Tuesday and Saturday. Eventually after gaining significant popularity between 2018 and 2022, Lindsey decided to focus full time on YouTube and started uploading daily.

Lindsey has become popular for her bubbly and positive personality, but also for her open and sometimes blunt personality. Lindsey is an open sex positive feminist, an LGBTQIA+ and women's health and sexuality advocate, and often has frank discussions about the politics of women's bodies and sexuality. Lindsey's outspoken personality has caused significant controversy amongst conservative circles, but also significant popularity among liberal and progressive, and feminist circles. Lindsey is also popular among female adult entertainment producers and performers for her positive outlook on women's pleasure and sex positive pornography.

### Recognition

Despite being wealthy due to her channel’s success, Lindsey is widely regarded for not discussing personal wealth or finances. In her words "I make enough to survive doing what I love. I make enough to take the pressure off Maggie to support the four of us on her salary alone. That’s all that matters.". Lindsey has garnered respect for being herself and not letting personal wealth or fame change her, in the words of her wife Maggie Marks "She’s the same outspoken woman she’s always been, she loves her job and that makes her happy but beyond that she’s never changed who she is despite her success. She doesn’t drive a Ferrari or have a wardrobe full of designer dresses and shoes.".

Unlike many other lifestyle YouTubers, Lindsey has stayed mostly drama and controversy free, despite her sometimes outspoken personality, and she’s noted for never having a ‘self-entitled influencer moment’. Lindsey had also gained widespread respect for her respect of all body shapes and fitness levels, never letting her ‘fit girl’ style get in the way of respecting everyone equally. Her workouts also cater to all fitness levels and body types, something most fitness content creators are often criticized for not doing.

### Segments

* **Everyday Fitness with Linz**: An everyday fitness and lifestyle vlog with Lindsey offering real world practical workout advice from everyone from young busy professionals, to retired people, to disabled people.
* **Lindsey's Poly Pantheon**: Lindsey's Poly Pantheon is a group of polyamorous friends who enjoy getting together, both socially and intimately. They also promote understanding of polyamorous relationships and lifestyles. The group started as part of a video on Lindsey’s YouTube channel about her experiences with polyamory and her own polyamorous relationships and friendships. The video proved a huge success and Lindsey subsequently turned it into a regular series on her YouTube channel, she called her series Lindsey’s Poly Pantheon. The group involves YouTuber and personal trainer Lindsey Shaw and her boyfriend actor Carter Leroux, YouTuber and fitness model Justine Ziernik and her husband HSI Special Agent Evan Ziernik, and actress Miranda Snow and her partner producer and choreographer Elija Le.
* **Linz and Megz**: A couples vlogging segment featuring Lindsey and her wife Maggie Marks. It delves into topics from relationship advice and challenges, to date nights, to couples' activities, to Q&A videos.
* **Loving Yourself**: Lindsey's most popular segment, where she her own personal journey of sexual discovery and overcoming the negative thoughts and misinformation she was raised to believe about women and sex. Lindsey discusses women’s sexual health, sexual orientation and experimentation, sex positive mindsets, as well as dealing with negativity such as toxic patriarchy, sexism and homophobia. She also discusses her fashion sense and how she integrates her personality and positive attitude into her style. Lindsey is known for her daring sense of style and for not being ashamed of being herself in public.

### Collaborators

Regular collaborators in Lindsey's channel include fellow health and fitness YouTuber Justine Ziernik, Lindsey's wife and amateur YouTuber (Maggie's Modern Life) Maggie Marks, Lindsey's actor boyfriend Carter Leroux, and actress and model Miranda Snow and her partner chorographer and producer Elija Le.

## Personal Life

Lindsey has been in a long term relationship with Margaret Marks since 2010. Lindsey and Margaret live together in Stevenson Ranch, California. The two were eventually married on Thursday June 30, 2019, at a civil ceremony in San Francisco, California. Lindsey is also in a polyamorous relationship with actor and YouTuber Carter Leroux. Lindsey is pansexual and polyamorous. Lindsey identifies as spiritual but not religious. Lindsey is close with her parents and visits them when she can. Lindsey is a Thursday person, a Libra and a Wood Dog in the Chinese zodiac. Her mother and father are a Water Tiger and an Earth Pig respectively.

Lindsey is an lifelong fan of fashion and often dabbles in fashion design, she still enjoys dancing in her spare time and has run 5 half marathons and 2 full marathons. Lindsey hosts several free health and fitness classes in various public locations throughout Los Angeles, primarily aimed at lower income families. Lindsey’s favorite color is purple, her favorite food is roast potatoes and chicken, and her favorite dessert is fudge.

Lindsey is an outspoken sex positive feminist and also runs a blog dedicated solely to positivity portraying women’s sexuality and pleasure. In the blog, Loving Yourself, she discusses her own personal journey of sexual discovery and overcoming the negative thoughts and misinformation she was raised to believe about women and sex. Lindsey discusses women’s sexual health, sexual orientation and experimentation, sex positive mindsets, as well as dealing with negativity such as toxic patriarchy, sexism and homophobia. She also discusses her fashion sense and how she integrates her personality and positive attitude into her style. Lindsey is known for her daring sense of style and for not being ashamed of being herself in public.

## Relationships

### Margaret Marks

Margaret first met Lindsey when Lindsey came to attend the Winter Term at the School of American Ballet in 2008. Margaret was enamored with Lindsey’s worldliness, style and openness. 14 year old Lindsey quickly found herself drawn to the quiet and reserved 12 year old Margaret. The two became best friends almost immediately and spent all their free time together, both socializing and practicing their craft. Lindsey encouraged Margaret to attend a local dance class to broaden her experience, which up until that point had only been classical ballet.

As their friendship blossomed so too did the sparks of romance. On February 10, 2010, Margaret and Lindsey shared their first kiss, 9 days before Margaret’s 14th birthday. Their romance went from strength to strength, however they were careful to keep it to themselves to avoid the stigma of being an LGBTQIA+ dancers. Lindsey slowly introduced Margaret to female and sexual pleasure, it was during this time Margaret learned she was on the bisexual spectrum and what that meant. In 2012 Lindsey graduated from the School of American Ballet and went to apprentice with the San Francisco Ballet. Despite being separated by 2,900 miles, their relationship stayed as strong as ever.

Despite Margaret’s parents being loving and supportive, Margaret was initially unsure how to broach the subject of both being bisexual and having a girlfriend. Margaret’s concerns however were unfounded as her mother Jennifer already knew. From a combination of how Margaret spoke about Lindsey, to seeing how they acted when together, Margaret already knew her daughter was clearly in a romantic relationship with Lindsey and therefore wasn’t heterosexual. Both Margaret’s parents were supportive and always had been supporters of the LGBT community as Margaret’s aunt Charlotte is lesbian. Lindsey’s parents not only supported the couple but were especially proud of Lindsey’s choice of partner as they felt it might tone down her wild side slightly. Likewise Margaret’s parents felt Lindsey’s worldliness might help Margaret come out of her shell and be more comfortable in herself.

Shortly after leaving for San Francisco, Lindsey was talking to Margaret on the phone when Margaret confided in her that she was being sexually abused by her guardian Angela Hadid. Lindsey promised to keep Margaret’s secret but she ended up contacting the police in New York City to protect Margaret from suffering anymore abuse. Next to Margaret’s parents, Lindsey was her primary support network during the trial and eventual conviction of Angela Hadid in late 2013. During her time dancing with the New York City Ballet, Margaret visited Lindsey whenever she possibly could. Despite their distance, their relationship never really suffered. Even during their tough times, they stuck together. When Margaret decided dancing wasn’t her dream anymore and decided to go to college and hoped to work in law enforcement to protect children from the type of abuse she’d experienced, Lindsey supported her new dream enthusiastically. When Lindsey left the San Francisco Ballet after a serious injury, Margaret was her support network as she found her new passion in life.

Eventually in 2019, Margaret had become a special agent with Homeland Security Investigations and was lucky enough to be posted to her first choice location in Los Angeles. Margaret and Lindsey had always planned when one was settled, they’d be together again. In early 2020 Lindsey moved to Los Angeles to be with Margaret. Margaret and Lindsey got a place together in Pasadena and started their lives together. It was their first time being together, for more than a few weeks, since 2012.

On June 27, 2019 Margaret and Lindsey attended the San Francisco Pride Parade, on a whim they decided to get married while in San Francisco. They contacted their families and set up a date, June 30, when they could all attend. On Thursday June 30, 2019 at 3pm, Margaret and Lindsey were married in a civil ceremony at San Francisco City Hall, with Margaret’s parents Jennifer and Richard, and Lindsey’s parents Elizabeth and Carlos, and Lindsey’s brother Carlos Jr. in attendance. Unbeknownst to the newlyweds, their parents arranged a special reception for them after the ceremony, among the guests were their parents, their joint best friend Callie Roberts, Kate Bailey and Todd Wells, Miranda Snow, Justine Ziernik, and two of Lindsey’s former colleagues from the San Francisco Ballet. Several other friends who couldn’t attend sent their well wishes.

Margaret and Lindsey had a ‘honeyday’, a combination honeymoon and holiday in San Francisco before returning home on July 8th to start their new married lives together. Margaret and Lindsey are affectionately known by the portmanteau ‘Largaret’.

Lindsey and Margaret’s anniversary is October 13, they officially started dating on October 13, 2010, which coincidentally was Lindsey’s 16th birthday. They initially met in September 2008 at the start of SAB’s Winter Term.

### Carter Leroux

Lindsey met YouTuber Carter Leroux in 2017 when the tow collaborated for a video on Carter’s channel. The two quickly became friends and remained in touch. In 2021 Lindsey and Carter reconnected and began dating, they subsequently became a polyamorous couple in October 2021.

### Justine and Evan Ziernik

Lindsey met fellow YouTuber Justine Ziernik through online interactions, in an interesting twist of fate, Justine’s partner, Evan Ziernik is a HSI Special Agent assigned to HSI Los Angeles, just as Lindsey’s wife Margaret is. Lindsey and Justine have collaborated on several projects for their respective channels, including posing nude together in 2021. Lindsey has also had a few threesomes with Justine and Evan. Justine attended Lindsey’s wedding to Margaret Marks in 2022 in San Francisco.

### Jason

Lindsey had a friends with benefits arrangement with a male colleague while she was working in San Francisco between 2012 and 2016. The two explored their sexuality together and were also close friends during their difficult times with their respective careers. Lindsey and Jason eventually lost touch in 2019 and have yet to meet again.

### Eric James

Lindsey had a friends with benefits arrangement with fellow personal trainer Eric James between 2017 and 2020. The two worked out of the same gym in San Francisco and eventually became friends, soon after they developed an intimate bond and explored their sexuality together, both of them getting involved in the swinger lifestyle in San Francisco.

### Kylie Keogh

Lindsey had a friends with benefits arrangement with a female client of hers, Kylie Keogh, from 2018 to 2020. Lindsey was Kylie’s personal trainer and the two became quick friends and eventually became intimate partners. They explored their sexuality together, Kylie experiencing her first sexual relationship with a woman and Lindsey experiencing her first sexual relationship with an older woman.

## Personal Information

* **Zodiac Sign**: Libra (Wood Dog: Chinese zodiac)
* **Nationality**: American
* **Ethnicity**: Caucasian (English and Scandinavian ancestry)
* **Religion**: None
* **Romantic Orientation**: Panromantic
* **Sexual Orientation**: Pansexual
* **Weight**: 117 lbs (53 kg)
* **Body Type**: Slim
* **Body Measurements**: 34-24-35 in
* **Bra Size**: 34D
* **Shoe Size**: 7.5 (US)
* **Dress Size**: 6 (US)

## Trivia

* Trademark: Bubbly and pleasant personality
* Trademark: Frequently compliments others on random things
* Lindsey is a natural brunette; however she often dyes her hair blonde.
* Lindsey didn’t learn to ride a bicycle until she was 22.
* Lindsey didn’t start college until she was 24, primarily due to having a busy career.
* Lindsey began her YouTube channel in 2013 but didn’t start contributing regularly until 2014 when she began documenting her career at the San Francisco Ballet.
* Lindsey’s YouTube channel has gone from documenting her ballet career, to promoting health and fitness, to her sexual health and female empowerment content she’s known for now. Lindsey also focuses on fashion, style and sports.
* Lindsey occasionally collaborates with Justine Ziernik, a fellow fitness blogger who also has a HSI spouse.
* Lindsey and Margaret are regular attendees of the Long Beach Lesbian & Gay Pride.
* Lindsey and Margaret are both Trekkies.
* Lindsey and Margaret have two pet rats, Stewart (named for Patrick Stewart) and Brooks (named for Avery Brooks).
* Lindsey has a CCW and owns a Walther PPK in .380 ACP with pink grips. She documented her journey of learning how to shoot, with some occasionally comical moments with her wife Margaret trying to teach her.

## Quotes

* "Never get connected without trying out the goods!" (In reference to being intimate before getting attached to someone)
* "An orgasm is always a great start to your day."
* "If someone wants to judge you for being yourself, gay, straight, feminine, masculine or whatever else they focus on, ask yourself this: What in their life is so broken that disrespecting you makes them feel better? Nonconstructive criticism is always saying something about themselves, it has nothing to do with you."
* "You and you alone get to decide who’s allowed into your inner circle, keep the negative people out and the positive ones in."
* "Maggie is one of those crazily dedicated academics; she randomly got a second Master’s degree just for the love of learning. She inspired me to finally take my Bachelor’s seriously and not to end up as a ‘super super super senior’ in a few years."
* "Margaret is my inspiration, I did questionable things in working through my own trauma but Margaret she somehow avoided all of the common pitfalls and instead changed her life completely for one that suited her needs. She inspired me to make more thoughtful choices in how I work through my emotional baggage."

## Family

* **Margaret Marks**: Wife (Born 02/19/1996)
* **Oliver Marks**: Stepson (Born 07/17/2020)
* **Sophia Marks**: Stepdaughter (Born 04/26/2022)
* **Carlos Shaw**: Father (Born 1959)
* **Elizabeth Shaw (née Lakeland)**: Mother (Born 1962)
* **Carlos Shaw Jr**: Brother (Born 1997)
* **Richard Marks**: Father in Law (Born 1971)
* **Jennifer Marks (née Bell)**: Mother in Law (Born 1970)

## Qualifications

### Education

* **High School Diploma**: 2012 (Professional Children’s School)
* **Bachelor of Science**: Business Administration (2022: Southern New Hampshire University)
* **Master of Business Administration**: 2023 (Southern New Hampshire University)