League of Legends streamer who claims to have used the word “yikers” during a broadcast, which was mistaken for a racial slur.
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Hunter ‘Pink Ward’ Trahan is a LoL streamer on the platform, but had his Twitch account shut down by the company back in May for “hateful conduct.”
Pink Ward believes this refers to a moment on his stream in which he says “yikers” in response to behaviour from an opposing player, but could possibly be misheard as a racial slur.
In a clip taken by the streamer from from his broadcast. Pink Ward’s teammate can be heard saying “yikes” when an enemy player refers to the LoL player as a “fat pig.”
In the clip, Pink Ward can be heard calling the opposing player salty, before using what sounds like the phrase “fucking yikers,” a claim he vehemently maintains, despite some viewers feeling he may have used the slur.
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The streamer received a 30 day ban from the site on May 17, and has been trying to get his ban overturned ever since, saying that he understands what people might have heard, but feels that Twitch haven’t taken context or intent into account when handing down the ban.
I can understand what people might have heard, but I said Yikers. Stated in their own community guidelines, context will be taken into account. I have no background of being racist, I have never been banned before and, in the same clip I posted, I reassured chat I didn't say it. pic.twitter.com/rwjXGuICja
— Pink Ward (@Pinkwardlol) June 7, 2019
Despite his protests, it appears that Pink Ward will have to serve out the entirety of his 30 day ban, revealing on June 10 that he had reopened his ticket in the hopes of receiving a response from Twitch about the ban, but had it closed again.
“Guess my ban is just going to get swept under the rug,” wrote Pink Ward on Twitter. “I thought I had a chance at getting unbanned. I guess it’s confirmed that context doesn’t matter. In the end, Twitch will ban who they want to ban.”
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Bumped my ticket last night in hopes I'd get a response, but it just got closed, no response. Guess my bans gonna get swept under the rug. I'll have to wait up to 4 months to get partnered with the strike on my acc. Only way to bypass is to get on a team, guess i'm going pro! :rolling_on_the_floor_laughing: pic.twitter.com/S3pSt1bKHp
— Pink Ward (@Pinkwardlol) June 10, 2019
I thought I had a chance at getting unbanned. I guess it's confirmed that context doesn't matter. In the end Twitch will ban who they want to ban. Thank those of you who've helped me and have been on my side through this. 30 day ban ends next week. Much love, cya then.
— Pink Ward (@Pinkwardlol) June 10, 2019
The streamer says his biggest issue with the ban is the lack of communication he has received from Twitch about it, despite sending multiple emails and tickets about the situation.
Pink Ward explained: “My problem is no communication. My tickets have been changed from open to closed. I’ve only gotten one email about it. At this point, either the system is automatically closing them, or someone’s fucking with me.”
My problem is no communication. My tickets have been changed from open, to closed, reopened them, they were changed to resolved, so I reopened again. I've only gotten one email about it. At this point either the system is automatically closing them, or someone's fucking with me. pic.twitter.com/pVyYChV8Fr
— Pink Ward (@Pinkwardlol) June 9, 2019
The LoL player suggests that he is anxious to return to Twitch, stating that due to the strike on his account, he will not be able to apply for a Twitch partnership for another three months.
This isn’t the first time Twitch’s policy on banning channels for using hate speech has come under scrutiny, with a number of World of Warcraft streamers claiming that they had been banned for typing the name of the game’s NPCs in chat.
We’ll be sure to update this story as new information becomes available.
