Pokimane stole a story from a smaller Twitch streamer, Zastela, that claimed an editor itted he pleasured himself over her content.
Imane “Pokimane” Anys, a prominent Twitch streamer, is facing significant backlash after sharing a troubling story about a former editor. During a stream, Pokimane claimed that the editor itted to pleasuring himself to her content instead of meeting deadlines. This shocking revelation quickly gained traction online, prompting widespread condemnation and even attempts to identify and harass the editor.
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Imane “Pokimane” Anys, a top Twitch streamer, is embroiled in controversy after sharing a story about a former editor that closely mirrors an incident experienced by a smaller streamer, Zastela. During a stream, Pokimane claimed that an editor itted to pleasuring himself to her content instead of meeting deadlines, causing a significant uproar among her fans and the wider streaming community.
Initially, the narrative painted a disturbing picture of unprofessional behavior, leading to widespread condemnation and efforts to identify and harass the editor involved. The story implied a personal violation that resonated deeply with Pokimane’s audience, prompting a strong and immediate reaction.
However, the situation took a dramatic turn when Pokimane later clarified that she had “misspoke” and that the story wasn’t directly about her. She attempted to distance herself from the personal implications of the narrative, but by then, the damage had already been done. Her followers had already condemned and targeted several innocent editors, leading to significant online harassment.
Complicating matters further, some viewers noticed that Pokimane’s story bore striking similarities to an incident shared by Zastela, a smaller Twitch streamer from Quebec, Canada. Zastela, who has around 90K followers and is often called the female xQc because of her speaking style, had previously revealed that one of her trial editors itted to not working because he was too busy pleasuring himself to her Instagram photos. This revelation from Zastela, who is a 24-year-old French Canadian and streams primarily in English, had been shared back in 2023.
Zastela’s journey on Twitch began in early 2018, and she has since built a dedicated following. The resemblance between her experience and the story Pokimane shared has led many to believe that Pokimane appropriated Zastela’s narrative for her own, possibly to gain sympathy or attention. This has raised questions about the authenticity of Pokimane’s claims and the ethics of using another streamer’s experience for personal gain.
This incident underscores the immense influence that top streamers like Pokimane wield over their audiences. With millions of followers, her words carry significant weight, and any misleading statements can have far-reaching consequences. Critics argue that Pokimane should have exercised more caution with her platform, as the repercussions of her story have been severe, leading to harassment and unjust targeting of innocent individuals.
In response to the backlash, Pokimane issued an apology, acknowledging that she had misspoken and regretted any harm caused. She emphasized that she never intended for the story to be taken as a direct of her own experiences and reiterated that she had not meant to incite harassment against anyone. Despite her apology, many in the streaming community remain critical of her actions, arguing that she has a responsibility to ensure her statements are accurate and do not cause unnecessary harm.
This controversy also highlights broader issues within the streaming community, particularly the challenges female streamers face with inappropriate behavior from viewers and colleagues. While Pokimane has previously spoken out against such behavior, this incident has somewhat undermined her credibility on these issues.