Well, there's a lot to unpack in this thread. I'm not gonna comment on everything but one thing I do wanna address is this:
You're definitely right about a varied audience, and having some truly lovely comments. I feel pretty damn blessed and honestly humbled that people make it possible for me to do this as a job. As for your comment about criticism - I'm absolutely open to criticism! Constructive criticism makes me better at my job and I genuinely welcome it. There's a variety of merited and unmerited and I'm not disputing or addressing those comments either... However...
Criticism and hate are different things. Criticism and personal boundary crossing are different things. I've not (I cannot speak for anyone else in this thread) been challenging or disputing criticism, just needless line crossing and unnecessary hateful or mean comments. in terms of my views on the posts here, while it warms my heart that people have stuck up for my genuineness, no-one is speaking on behalf of me except me, and notice I haven't weighed in on many specific things here. Mostly I've just commented about being a human being behind the screen.
Streaming is my job, and sure, it's on the internet, but that doesn't mean I deserve to be on the recieving end of hate and personal boundary crossing at work, just the same as no-one else here deserves to be on the receiving end of hate at their work, and
that's what I speak up against. Not criticism or (non hateful) opinions, because those are very different things. In response to those who have mentioned their comments were designed as jokes, honestly it's pretty hard to tell sometimes from text what's a joke and what's not. And just cause it's a 'joke', doesn't mean it's exempt from the "don't be a jerk" thing.
Not everyone likes my content and that's totally fine, like you say, audience is varied! I think the thing I don't really understand is why people feel the need to cross a line because they dislike something, just save the mental energy and move on, you know? Theres something out there for everyone, one of the joys of the internet!
Maybe everyone here can just call it a day?
I'm sure you're all exhausted