by in
Over time there’s been an ongoing controversy about streamers using slurs in the community. Most adversaries have expressed their displeasure in using pejorative terms, while other defenders have argued that, those against it are needlessly soft and sensitive.
Pokimane, a Twitch content creator and streamer who is well known for her streams of Fortnite, League of Legends, Valorant, and Minecraft, was not left out. As she joined the list of streamers who have expressed their opinion about the use of slurs. She stated definitively in a tweet, that there are fleets of words to use without being condescending to marginalized groups.
it’s disappointing to still see people use slurs, especially in the gaming community.
i hope they can grow and learn that there’s a plethora of terms they can use without harming marginalized groups.
— pokimane (@pokimanelol) April 21, 2022
She has expressed her displeasure at witnessing people use such offensive language, regardless of the repercussions. Thus, she has underlined to her followers the impacts of such acts and the necessity for people to grow and learn, even as she wishes them success in their endeavors. Many have speculated that Pokimane had made this tweet in response to the spat between two renowned Twitch streamers Adin Ross and Jake Lucky.
Jake Lucky had brought an old video of Adin Ross uttering a homophobic slur during a call-in with a streamer called YourRAGE on YouTube, unaware that the stream was live and had a large audience online. This led to Adin being banned from Twitch after garnering widespread popularity.
This clip elicited responses from fans defending him and others condemning the act. A number of streamers have stated that Ross was not the one that used the slur words in the video. These comments prompted the French pro gamer, Félix “xQc” Lengyel to make a tweet in response, advising fans not to be too gullible. A large number of his followers applauded him following the tweet.
STOP SAYING SLURS AND STOP MAKING APPOLOGIES FOR YOUR FUCKING "CREATORS". WE "USED TO" DO A LOT OF THINGS IN THE PAST. WE DON'T LIVE THERE ANYMORE. NO ONE IS BEING SOFT, YOU ARE BEING DUMB. HOLY. ⏰️
— xQc (@xQc) April 12, 2022
Although the same can not be said about Pokimane, despite having supporting comments, she has had tons of backlash from fans ascribing her to be a ‘hypocrite.’ They have been asserting of her being a culprit of the act she was speaking against. As she was found to have used the n-word some years ago.
A Twitter user stated that Pokimane should take her own advice, as she has not grown nor learned. Hence, unfit to counsel others on the usage of slur words, as the content creator has been allegedly complacent of using slur terms in the past. In her defense, she insinuated that she was young and naive at the time and has now grown and knows better.
However, she emphasized the need of learning from one’s mistakes, noting that her past does not define who she is today. Also, she indicated that she had previously apologized for her misconduct.
Some Twitter users came to her rescue, claiming that Pokimane was a minor at the time of the incident, unlike Adin Ross who is 21 years old and thus, fully aware of his actions. Fans have highlighted the need for forgiveness, especially when the subject in question is truly remorseful for their actions.
