Twitch streamer ‘supcaitlin’ has caused quite a stir online after claiming that hopping into the dating scene could damage her viewership, as told during a recent broadcast.
While there are a slew of women streaming a variety of content across Twitch, the conversation regarding ‘Just Chatting’ and ‘hot tub’ broadcasts brings up a unique conundrum concerning their particular brand of viewership.
More specifically, the ‘simp’ phenomenon: male viewers who give generous donations for the possibility of scoring a romantic relationship with women who create content on streaming platforms.
While there’s no shame in whatever one decides to stream, some viewers theorize that women on Twitch keep quiet about their personal relationship status in order to score more views and subscriptions from thirsty fans — and one woman was quite open about her take on this situation.
Popular variety streamer ‘Sup Caitlin’ discussed this matter during a June 10 stream, claiming that she wasn’t sure she’d keep up her current viewership if she got a boyfriend, theorizing that some of her current fans would get upset and leave if she ever tries to have a public romance.
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“If I had a boyfriend, would you guys still watch me?” she asked her chat. “Who here would still watch me if I had a boyfriend? Let me know.”
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“Oh my god, you guys would still watch me?” she continued after reading a few replies. “Hmm. That’s suspish. I don’t believe you! Okay, there are some streamers, like Leslie, who can have a boyfriend — but I think it’s different, because those streamers build a community not off tits and sexual appeal.”
“I think a lot of you, bold assumption, clicked on me ’cause you saw these things or saw this outfit, and was like, ‘Imma watch her cause I think she might be hot.’ And that’s why you guys will leave if I have a boyfriend.”
Supcaitlin’s theory might have one flaw in particular, though; some women continue to get flak for not being “open” about their relationship statuses in spite of cultivating non-sexual communities, as seen in the case of ‘Pokimane,’ who notably came under fire a year ago after being accused of “hiding” a relationship by YouTuber LeafyIsHere.
Either way, some commenters are agreeing with Caitlin, while others think she’ll retain her viewership in spite of having a boyfriend, making for an interesting dialogue across social media in wake of Twitch’s decision to give Hot Tub streams their own category.
