IShowSpeed Banned From Twitch Following 'Sexist' Outburst
Warning: The contents of this article may be distressing for some readers, so discretion is advised.
YouTuber Darren "IShowSpeed" Watkins has been banned from Twitch following an aggressive and 'sexist' outburst in which he allegedly threatened to sexually assault a female streamer.
The gaming YouTuber appeared on Adin Ross's 'E-Date' show, in which he was paired up with TikTok star Ash Kash. Things started off mellow. However, it soon took a nasty turn leading Kash to be subjected to highly-offensive comments from IShowSpeed in which fans claim he threatened to sexually assault her.
As a result, IShowSpeed has been banned from Twitch following his outburst and is not allowed to appear in videos hosted by any other streamers. The viral clip has also led IShowSpeed to be hit with a wave of criticism and condemnation from fans who were left horrified by his comments.
Why Was IShowSpeed Banned From Twitch?
On December 14, IShowSpeed announced via Twitter that he had banned from the Amazon-owned platform for "sexual coercion or intimation". The streamer shared the news alongside an email apparently from Twitch informing him of the news. As well as saying that the suspension would last for 30 days or longer, the email explained: "Twitch is committed to keeping our community safe for everyone [...] based on a review of your activity or content, we have issued a Community Guidelines Strike on your account. Due to the severe nature of this violation, or the fact that you've incurred multiple violations, your access to Twitch services is indefinitely restricted."
The violation in question reportedly refers to IShowSpeed's comments during a clip Adin Ross's 'E-Date' show in which IShowSpeed was set up on a virtual date with influencer Ash Kash. After some general small talk, IShowSpeed asked: "Say if we were the last two people on Earth, and we had to reproduce to make the world continue, would you reproduce with me?". Kash rejected the idea "because that would mean our kids would have to intertwine and then their kids so, no". It was here when things turned dark, as IShowSpeed leaned towards the camera and shouted: "Who's going to stop me? [...] if we're the last two people on Earth who's stopping me. You're not stopping me."
It was here that Ross muted IShowSpeed and apologised for his comments. Despite the VOD being deleted from Ross' Twitch channel, IShowSpeed's outburst was captured in a clip that has quickly become viral, leading many fans to condemn the streamer for his comments.
IShowSpeed Twitch Ban: Fans React
IShowSpeed responded to the Twitch suspension on Twitter with a simple "bye". However, some of his fans argued that the YouTuber's comments deserved to be taken a lot more seriously. For example, one fan on Twitter asserted: "Aint goona lie fam u had it coming, your actions lead to this. What you said was extremely wrong." Fans were, also, horrified to find another clip in which IShowSpeed continued with his aggressive and highly-offensive rant which lead to him being disconnected from the call by Ross. However, another fan claimed that IShowSpeed's outburst was just "a joke".
However, with female streamers constantly facing misogynistic and derogatory verbal attacks, many fans weren't laughing. For example, Imane "Pokimane" Anys has had to clap back at sexist subs who sent her 'gross' messages. Not to mention, Kaitlyn "Amouranth" Siragusa has been very vocal about the offensive insults she receives during her streams.
Ross is yet to make any further comment about the viral clip, and IShowSpeed doesn't appear to have issued a public apology to Kash. However, Kash did retweet a comment around the time of filming the E-Date saying that "women like kind men. Men who are thoughtful. Who handle us with care."
