Creating safe spaces on Twitch is vital for LGBTQIA+ streamers. Beyond playing online, it allows like-minded people to share their experiences and discuss relevant topics without fear of trolls. But how do you find these communities among the thousands of streamers on Twitch? The beacon system. Each streamer can ``tag'' their stream with specific categories defined by Twitch that can be filtered, from English and Family, to Education, Mental Health, and specific content genres. There is a label for LGBTQIA+ streamers, but many gay streamers feel that it is insufficient for community visibility. So what is working and what needs to be improved?
A double edged sword
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Jeff Brutlag's stream on Twitch (Image credit: Twitch) On the plus side, the LGBTQIA+ tag certainly increases discoverability. Viewers can search for the hashtag to immediately find queer content creators. And many streamers noted that the tag is the main source of viewership. "There are all kinds of people on Twitch and the best part is that everyone is welcome," says Nikatine, a trans streamer. "If you're a viewer and you want to go to Twitch to find a community, being able to find that community is essential to your Twitch experience." "If you're a viewer and you want to go to Twitch to find a community, being able to find that community is essential to your Twitch experience." Nikatine - Twitch Streamer However, increased visibility works both ways; it also allows trolls and bots to more easily target LGBTQIA+ streamers. "Absolutely, people use beacons to find people and harass," says Cypher of Tyr, a member of the popular Rainbow Arcade team. "the jagoff that was harassing me and my community was found when I was using the LGBTQIA+ hashtag." There are entire Reddit threads and Discord channels dedicated to harassing LGBTQIA+ streamers and other minorities, so the ban on those trolls is unfortunately commonplace. For popular streamers with a dedicated moderation team, trolls are quickly blocked without interrupting the stream. But for new streamers just starting out, perhaps without the support of moderation teams, using the hashtag for positive visibility risks attracting trolls, an intimidating and unpleasant side effect of streaming. Improvements to Twitch's moderation toolset and automatic banning of homophobic or racist usernames could certainly help, as could banning based on IP address to prevent repeat offenders. However, as streaming grows in popularity, Twitch's slow strides haven't kept up with demand.
Should allies use the LGBTQIA + label?
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Twitch's LGBTQIA+ Etiquette Section (Image Credit: Twitch) But it's not just visibility that's a double-edged sword when it comes to LGBTQIA+ etiquette. Anyone can use any of the hashtags on Twitch, so streamers can identify with the most relevant community. And while this is a great voice, it has also led self-proclaimed allies to use the LGBTQIA+ hashtag to signal that their feed is a safe space for the queer community. "If self-determined allies are the ones using it, how do I know you're really part of the Rainbow family or not? If I go on your channel and see the LGBTQIA+ tag, I'm assuming you're queer too, I'm not trying to be a safe space." Tyr Encryption - Twitch Streamer Twitch themselves describe the label as "for streams where the streamer chooses to identify themselves as a member or ally of the LGBTQIA+ community." Support from allies is welcome, but some LGBTQIA streamers + believe that the use of the label is controversial because it can inadvertently overshadow the voices they are trying to protect "It really is a completely unique and different experience when you know 100% that this person has had a similar life experience to you when it's about being queer," says non-binary streamer Jeff Brutlag. "So if you're an ally using this and you're not part of the community, someone clicks on that feed thinking you're part of the community... and suddenly you discover that you are not part of the community. not really identify with them, so you think 'why is this happening, why would you do this?' Instead of offering support, the use of the beacon by allies can feel more like a betrayal to some streamers. As Cypher of Tyr puts it: “If self-determined allies are the ones using it, how do I know you're actually part of the rainbow family or not? If I go on your channel and see the LGBTQIA+ tag, I'm assuming you're weird too, not "I'm trying to be a safe space." An alternative suggested by Jeff is for allies to create a banner on their About page, instead of using the hashtag. "If you really want to wear this badge, do it in a way that doesn't drown out our voices," he says. "Because we need to feel that we have a space here, especially since there is still a lot of homophobia."
The need for specificity
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Nikatine Twitch Stream (Image Credit: Twitch) Another suggested improvement to the tag system is the need for more specific tags. Currently, the all-encompassing LGBTQIA+ label does not allow for individual voices within the community. Trans streamers, in particular, are calling for a specific trans label, a campaign that is gaining momentum.
Currently, there are labels for many types of transmission, down to the smallest detail; however, the same option is not available to members of the LGBTQIA+ community. As Nikatine explains: "If I'm into fiber arts, I can narrow my tag search to cross-stitch, crochet, sewing... ¿Quilting? Dude, if I were a quilter, I'd love for labels to exist! So why can't the LGBTQIA+ label be broken down into additional subsections? Nikatine continues, "I hear this argument a lot, that trans doesn't deserve to be a label because labels are for content and not identity. But I would tell you if I had a podcast, and that my podcast was about trans issues, wouldn't that be trans content?
"It's absurd to me. the mark of someone who doesn't really understand what the content in an online space means. Because the content is a descriptor of what you do, but it is also a descriptor for your community to find you. " "All they want in the world is to be able to see another trans person happy and successful and doing good at something. And I don't know why anyone would want to make it harder for them to find." that in his life. They just want to feel like everything is going to be okay."
Nikatine - Twitch Streamer Nikatine hopes her feed can be welcoming to any vulnerable trans person who questions their identity. "All they want in the world is to be able to see another trans person happy and successful and doing good at something. And I don't know why anyone would want to make it harder for them to find." that in his life, ”he said. "They just want to feel like everything is going to be okay."
Currently without a trans label, Nikatine has instead used the key-making label, something of a niche creation, and advised other trans streamers to do the same to find safety. But wouldn't a trans-specific label further expose streamers to hate?
Nikatine argues that the good outweighs the bad: "I'll probably ban a few people a day. That number will remain the same whether or not you have a trans label."
She continues: "Having a tag is a completely user-defined decision and if you feel controlled on a specific tag, stop using the tag. Twitch literally doesn't need anything to add a tag." , but it means a lot to a lot of people that they can have that and find other people like that."
Adding additional tags could also be beneficial for other marginalized groups. Cypher of Tyr emphasizes the need for a POC tag for black streamers to find a community and properly identify themselves. "So I could designate myself as a queer, black, cis woman if someone was looking for community," she says. "It cuts down on content-related tags I can use in a stream, but if I'm just looking to find new streamers to watch, it'll be easier to find."
At a fundamental level, Twitch tags do their job of increasing visibility and showcasing communities. But in its current form, the system is easily misused or abused instead of protecting the streamers who need it most. And it lacks the specificity required to be truly representative, not just for the LGBTQIA+ community but for other marginalized groups.