Gaming has long been thought of as a boys club, erroneously labeled a masculine activity where women are shunned and harassed simply for taking part. Women gamers who stream are met with harassment on daily basis, called sluts for how they dress on stream, regardless of their clothing choices, and told that they should not play video games at all. Two streamers have recently partnered up for a Twitch event, dubbed “SlutStream” Day, in order to raise awareness to this harassment, take back the word “slut” from the clutches of those who use it as a derogatory remark, and raise money for charity in the process.
Longtime Twitch streamer Kacey “Kaceytron” Caviness has teamed up with fellow streamer Isabella “Izzybear713” O’Hammon to spearhead the event, which will take place tomorrow, July 30. Kaceytron released a powerful video, which you can check out below, explaining why the event is so important. “I’m gonna start a movement. It’s gonna be called the egirl movement. Us women, we are not going to leave the gaming community. Games aren’t just for boys, they’re for everyone, and everyone includes women,” says Kaceytron in the video.
SlutStream Day calls for all women gamers to wear whatever they want on stream because, regardless of what they wear, it does not warrant any type of harassment. “We want any and all streamers who stand against the constant harassment and slut shaming of women to stream dressed in ways that make them feel comfortable and raise awareness for a good cause. We want to draw attention to the harassment and massive shaming streamers face and fight against it,” reads her Twitter post.
The event coincides with World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, which seeks to raise awareness of, as well as aid the victims of the inhumane and horrendous practice of human trafficking. SlutStream Day will help raise money for Freedom 4/24, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the fight against human trafficking and sexual exploitation. According to the website, a donation of just $24 will provide “1 week of education, 2 weeks of counseling, 3 weeks of housing, [and] 4 weeks of food” to victims of trafficking.
You can donate to Freedom 4/24 on their website, or support the cause by watching Kaceytron or Izzybear713’s streams tomorrow.