By Ronald Gordon

Intrigued about my own personal pursuits into Twitch streaming and content creation, I sat down at a panel featuring a whole line of LGBTQIA+ content creators who had gotten their start on Twitch back during the pandemic. Their insights were interesting as they were very open about the various platforms that you could pursue. More importantly, it’s going to be rough when you first start. As I sat and listened to their words, I got the feeling that there was certainly something to be gleaned about streaming when it came to being LGBTQ+, and I wanted to know more about their insights on the subject. Here’s what they had to say to my questions.

Their names are @Pauliegon_Gaymer, @WolfyWolFang, @Pellylicious, and @Kiptid, and they are a group of NYC based streamers with lots of great pointers. Their work focuses on a number of topics from comedic gameplay, community-based party games, role playing games, as well as topics within the Queer community like safety when it comes to adult activities, the best places to be an LGBTQIA+ content creator, and much more! 

Ronald: How has it felt being part of the LGBTQ+ and a Streamer? 

Kiptid: I think that it has been wonderful in certain ways to be Queer on these platforms, and it really depends on the platform. Like on TikTok for instance, you can’t really even say the word “Queer” without the algorithm getting mad at you. But on Twitch it’s been super welcoming and super wonderful. Yes, there are hate raids sometimes where people come in and shout slurs at you, but the amount of love and community? My queer family has grown so much and is so much more international than it has ever been because of streaming on Twitch. 

Pauliegon_Gaymer: I would say, as Queer people on Social Media, there is always that sense of vulnerability whenever you put anything out there. If you look at the comment section on any creators, there is some small voice that’s being mean because that’s all they have. But it’s really heartening to see how many people turn to these platforms because they’re looking for a sense of community, because they’re looking for people like them, and what we can be to those people because we choose to go live. 

WolfyWolFang: I personally never thought much of streaming originally. I’d always known of it, seen it, and honestly Paulie it was watching your stream for the first time and all of a sudden finding this amazing wonderful community of like minded individuals, and just finding so much more positivity and having a bigger family on that end. Which has been really nice. Yes, there’s the hatred that’s out there, a lot of the back and forth, but sometimes you’re protected from that in a way by having this larger community overall. 

Pellylicious: Focusing on the positive, I definitely agree with finding more like minded people to hang out with and even real life friends and partners through the gaming community. 

Ronald: How has Flame Con influenced your outlook on the Queer Community and it being embraced? 

WolfyWolFang: It’s lovely seeing everyone here. It is honestly incredible because it used to be more of that Faux Pas if you were nerdy or geek, if you want to cosplay a little bit but now its a wider and big thing that everyone could be a part of and it’s honestly pretty cool to see that. I was at the Fireball Party last night and still seeing people dressed up in their cosplay or different shirts and just seeing that beautiful community from all walks of life and how wonderful it all is. 

Kiptid: Flame Con is one weekend a year, I have never missed a year of Flame Con and I never plan to. This weekend, I feel like for me it is less about feeling socially publicly embraced, and it’s more like an amplification and a concentration of all the Queer love that is out there in this community. It fills me, it sustains me and it pushes me further and I think it’s a wonderful weekend to just connect as a community. 

Ronald: What’s the weirdest moment you’ve had on Stream? 

Kiptid: My community has started demanding a daily prediction, or every stream a prediction, of whether or not I’m wearing pants on Stream. Because one time I decided to be vulnerable and say “Y’all only see the top part of me so I’m in my apartment, I’m not gonna wear pants sometimes, and I don’t wear pants a lot of times.” And now it’s a prediction every single stream of whether or not I’m wearing pants. 

Pauliegon_Gaymer: You get all kinds of interactions from people who will then never be there again and on Twitch specifically it will give you a little indication whether somebody is a first time chatter. And on Stream I had a first time chatter write “Could you please keep it down, I’m trying to sleep.” And I was so confused because why am I on? Why am I loud? This is on you, what’s happening? Never heard from them again, they left, but it was just a strange interaction. Borderline brilliant, I talk about it all the time. 

WolfyWolFang: One of the neat things I started with my stream is I do a question of the day, people can redeem that and see what I’m asking the group, it’s a good talking point. On my Stream I am 18+ and I like to educate on S*xual topics, and one of the first ones I did was about Hanky (Handkerchief) codes and I spent my whole 3 hour stream, not even playing the game, just talking about Hanky codes, their history, why people do that, the colors and representations of that, so I always find that as a fun thing. 

Pellylicious: This is more of a recurring thing; I have this one viewer who comes in and references the most obscure D-List celebrities that you’ve never heard of. You always end up like “Who is this?” or “What are you talking about?” 

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As I’m still putting together my own sort of content to eventually share on Twitch and other platforms, I’m doing my best to take in as much information as I can. I’m always curious as to what sort of experiences other people have had in starting their journeys, and where content creation has led them and their viewers. I’m excited to see more varied perspectives come about on Twitch and TikTok, as a lot of these sites are home to people who are yearning for that sense of familiarity but haven’t found it yet. I wish everyone who is just starting out with streaming, or anyone who is thinking about as frequently as I am, the most loyal viewers and the most hilarious chat moments!

Ronald Gordon is a New York Videogame Critics Circle Member & Mentor. He was the first of our writers – or any intern anywhere – to complete an internship at Rockstar Games.

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