EUDAEMONIUM

Livestreamers occupy a unique space in modern internet culture as pseudo-internet celebrities, with many famous enough to accrue hundreds of thousands of viewers in a live audience at one time. Virtual YouTubers (VTubers) are livestreamers who use an avatar controlled through eye tracking and motion capture software and have gained recent fame for their unique approach to streaming as “fictional characters come to life”. While both “IRL” streamers– those who livestream while showing their real face– and “VTubers,” are both types of streamers, bad actors such as trolls in their audience engage in behavior that appears very different on a surface level but seem to be motivated by the same toxic and sexist beliefs. This thesis poses the following questions: “How is sexism experienced differently by real-person streamers and VTubers?” and “What might contribute to these differences?”. Previous research on video game livestreaming suggests that although VTubers are treated more benevolently than their real counterparts, trolls and antis’ behaviors are still heavily motivated by sexism. Through my research, I have discovered that VTubers are treated more favorably due to their ability to conform to the sexist stereotypes associated with women and gaming. Nevertheless, it is important to note that this preferential treatment is dependent on certain conditions. When Vtubers are no longer seen as a fictional character, but as an outsider that is encroaching on a male-dominated space, they are more likely to be targeted by hostile sexist behavior.