Columbian streamer WestCOL is in hot water after going on a shocking homophobic tirade during a recent livestream. He stunned his viewers when he declared he would “shoot a gay person 17 times” while using derogatory language and expressing his desire to keep gay individuals far away from him.
It did not take long for Spanish speaking social media to pick up the incident and result. Many members of the streaming community are calling for some real-world consequences for the streamers.
Doritos, one of WestCOL’s sponsors, wasted no time and cut all ties with the streamer. After all, they don’t want to have anyone on their payroll that harm the company’s public image.
WestCOL’s rant highlights the ongoing struggle with homophobia in gaming and streaming cultures, particularly in Latin America, where LGBTQ+ acceptance still lags behind other regions. The streamer from Medellín attempted to backpedal by claiming his comments were just a joke after the media picked up the story. However, his explanation has done little save his reputation.
Most of the gaming and streaming community on Kick and Twitch condemned WestCOL for his behavior. Some even speculate that such extreme homophobia might be a sign of repressed feelings, though this pure speculation.
The WestCOL controversy highlights the ongoing need to fight discrimination and promote inclusivity online. Hopefully, streaming platforms will soon take actions to make sure that these guidelines are enforced among their creators.