Twitch has created a space where the barrier to entry is easy for anyone with a love for gaming, passion for a hobby, or just chatting about your favorite topics. There’s also a subculture within the popular streaming platform that cultivates a community of fans who love drag shows and performers. Many of those fans attend TwitchCon — an event that forges friends, fans, and communities together in one location. The semi-annual gaming convention hosts the TwitchCon Drag Showcase, which is described on the Twitch site as a space for drag performers to show off a range of talents, including lip-syncing, dancing, juggling, stand-up comedy, and much more.
During TwitchCon, I had the opportunity to speak to three drag performers two of which were in attendance in Las Vegas. In my interview with Rose Evergreen, we conducted it via Zoom the week prior.
Rose Evergreen
Rose Evergreen was a participant during TwitchCon 2022 in San Diego. Born into a family of gamers, Rose says, “I had conscious memories of my childhood playing video games, and as I got older, it started to mature with gaming. Rose was already born and bred into the hobby which positioned her for a future in streaming. In 2020, the pandemic was when Twitch became a popular space and a way for people to connect during lockdown while being forced to stay indoors. That’s also the time Rose started on the platform. “We were all at home bored, trying to figure out what to do. I was spending a lot of time playing video games and I’m like, let’s hit up Twitch and let’s get started on this,” she says. As for building an audience, it was a challenge — especially for a queer person of color cultivating a very marginalized space. However, that changed significantly for Rose when she participated in the TwitchCon Drag Showcase.
“It opened up the whole entire Twitch audience both watching online and watching in that auditorium. After that, Twitch really showed me so much love in a way I can’t even describe. They had me take part in their Black History Month campaign. I was on the front page of Twitch for the entire month. Every time I would click go live, I was on the front page. That kind of really changed the trajectory of where I was going within the realm of live streaming,” she tells BGN.
And while Twitch has been supportive of her efforts as a streamer and drag performer, sadly there is still a toxic element of hate on the platform towards Black and LGBTQ creators. Working within the niche of drag content for Twitch, Rose Evergreen has not been immune to the vitriol. “Every place you end up in life wherever you go, there’s going to be sweet apples and there’s going to be sour apples. Being a live streamer, I’ve absolutely seen that people come in and say very negative things. I’ve done drag for almost 10 years, so I know how to just brush it off my back. What I realized is instead of focusing on the negative, focus on the positive. People will show up and support you as a person, because they’re going to be the people that lift you up to the next level. There’s sweet apples, sour apples and rotten fruit will always fall by itself,” she says.
Rose does have a message for queer streamers of color interested in getting started on Twitch: “Authenticity creates a magnetic-like energy for some of the best supporters. Be your unapologetic self and build your own community of people that want you to win; ignore the haters and let your success do the speaking.”
Espé Azalea Symoné
Espé Azalea Symoné, known under her Twitch handle EspeSymone, was the host of the 2023 TwitchCon Drag Showcase. During TwitchCon 2022 in San Diego, she was a performer and made such a good impression; she was asked by Twitch to host this year’s showcase. “I don’t think you ever say no when Twitch asks you to come. You smile and say absolutely,” she says. It may surprise you to know that the popular streamer has never hosted a drag show before.
EspeSymone got started on Twitch in 2021. Streaming within a super marginalized community of Black drag streamers, she didn’t see many people like her on the platform. “I specifically remember one of my viewers was like, it’s so good to see Black representation in the drag community on Twitch,” she adds. She also knew it was kismet for her when she submitted her application for the Partner program during Black History Month and was accepted on her first try. She says, “this is a sign that this is a place for me to be because I am unapologetically Black. It was a sign from the universe.”
She’s also received support from Twitch during her journey as a streamer. The landscape of the platform has shifted from a dominant algorithm of featuring predominately white cis-hetero male streamers to finally seeing a community of people who looked like her. She adds, “I can literally go to the front page now and scroll through the carousel to see someone like me.” For new gamers, podcasters, or hobbyists interested in creating a space on Twitch EspeSymone says to “unapologetically be yourself”. She also says, “surround yourself with like-minded people, marginalized people, people of color, and just literally press go live. You will learn what you need to learn as you go.”
Deere
Deere is the founder of Stream Queens launched in 2019. The all-drag troupe unites drag queens, kings, characters and creatures of Twitch. She noticed that many people in her community loved video games, but were also passionate about drag culture. She sought to cultivate a community where people could easily find and support each other on Twitch. As a young kid she was inspired by strong fierce characters like Storm and Rogue from X-Men. “I was a little gay boy. Just playing with Barbies, playing with my Storm action figures and playing video games. As I got older, I was told that you have to act a certain way. I fell in love with drag and I wanted to be myself,” she says. Simply by pressing the live button and broadcasting to the internet in drag, she gets to geek out over her favorite things. She adds, “the internet is just powerful. You can be anywhere and you can become friends with people who share your real interests.”
Deere is a huge fan of horror games. Her suggestion for newbies getting started is to check out Dead By Daylight. “I love that it’s match-based. It’s a quick little test and trial of what you know and see how well you can do.” Deere also feels supported by Twitch since she’s been on the platform. “Twitch has really embraced me as an individual but also my community,” she adds. In 2019, she became a Twitch ambassador and got the opportunity to visit Twitch’s headquarters. “I got to take special Creator Camp classes and learn more about Twitch and how to utilize my platform and how to market and brand myself. As well as become bigger and better at what I do,” she says. Deere does have a message for queer streamers interested in creating a community on Twitch. She says, “I think that the most important thing is being safe to express yourself. That’s why we have a National Coming Out Day. And that’s the importance of the Internet to me is that you can mentally be sure of yourself. You can surround yourself in the digital space with people that get that and people that can bounce off and support that.”
These interviews were edited and condensed for clarity.
