Multiple Twitch users are claiming that they're being banned for criticizing popular streamer Alinity Divine's behavior in a viral video where she appeared to throw her cat during a live stream.
The original controversial incident happened on July 18 when Alinity was live streaming the game Apex Legends. As she played, she shouted “Milo” (the name of her pet cat) as he crawled across her desk off-screen and then proceeded to pick him up and drop him over the back of her chair.
ATTENTION: @TwitchSupport,
Take a stand for cats & please remove Alinity from @Twitch immediately. She is using the platform to post animal abuse, which sends a dangerous message to anyone watching her videos. Cats are not props to abuse for more views ?https://t.co/EsIsB5o6Tf
The clip of this incident quickly went viral and many users responded by claiming that it's an example of animal abuse. Animal rights organizations such as People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) voiced their concerns and called on Twitch to remove Alinity for posting animal abuse. The Saskatoon Society for the Protection of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) also weighed in and said that it has filed a formal cruelty complaint with its animal protection department.
A formal cruelty complaint regarding this matter has been filed with our Animal Protection department and is currently under investigation. If you have any further details, you can assist our Officers & add to the file be reporting here: https://t.co/72OVF5Puii. Thank you! #yxe
After the initial clip went viral, further old clips from Alinity's streams started to re-surface which show Alinity feeding her cat vodka and kicking her dog.
Alinity also spit vodka into her cat's mouth. This is clear animal abuse. @peta @TwitchSupport https://t.co/Sljag7Fr42
https://twitter.com/memequeentwitch/status/1152976464545030144
Alinity has responded to the situation by apologizing for her lapse in judgment.
Hey everyone, I understand the concern and I am sorry for my lapses in judgement. I shouldnt have gotten frustrated with Milo, but I dropped him on the floor behind my chair. I'm not that strong 😛 . The Vodka thing was well over a year ago but it was also a stupid thing to do.
— Alinity (@AlinityTwitch) July 19, 2019
The conversation around these clips has been divisive with many Twitter users outraged by the clips, others claiming that the clips are being blown out of proportion, and others memeing the incident.
Alinity has:
Said the n word on stream
Kicked her dog on stream
Spat vodka into her cats mouth no streams
Thrown her cat over her head across the damn roomHow is this person still on twitch
— Bryan (@TheSakyoGamer) July 21, 2019
https://twitter.com/thedoomlucky/status/1153119255845638144
alinity said pic.twitter.com/e6NjqYt9Hu
— OmegaPro (@OmegaProYT) July 22, 2019
However, now it appears that Twitch is starting to censor certain parts of this discussion by taking action against users who have called out Alinity's actions in the cat throwing clip.
First, the Twitch users falcon5008 claimed that he was permanently banned from a Twitch chatroom for telling some Twitch staff members:
“You should do something about Alinity instead of the nothing you guys are doing.”
After being permanently banned from this chatroom, falcon5008 then said he was suspended from Twitch for seven days for this incident, with Twitch saying he was “Harassing, intimidating, or bullying others.”
Have now been suspended for harassment, intimidating or bullying. You can get suspended or banned for talking about Alinity to @Twitch staff. They are wild right now! @KEEMSTAR pic.twitter.com/DPXHeV9YMd
— Chris Gonzalez (@falcon5008) July 21, 2019
Then the Twitch user tenzinniznet said he was indefinitely suspended for sharing a joke video of a cat being thrown on Twitter with the caption “Look at what Alinity taught me.”
MORE PROOF Twitch does not treat Woman & Men the same!
This guy posted a Joke video of a cat being thrown on Twitter (NOT HIS VIDEO SOMETHING HE FOUND ONLINE) with the caption "Look what Alinity taught me" & @Twitch allegedly banned him for it. Alinity still not banned! https://t.co/M3TH00fKOa
— KEEM ? (@KEEMSTAR) July 23, 2019
Many people are seeing this as yet another example of Twitch's double standards when it comes to how the site enforces its terms of service against men and women.
if you don't #BanAlinity I'm gonna yeet the twitch out of my phone with many other people. This is why you are gonna slowly die because of clear sexism against men. If men gave cats vodka or throw their cats idk where they would be banned even before that happen… Please ban her
— IgorLion (@IgorLion12) July 20, 2019
https://twitter.com/rassy81057424/status/1153381603885932545
Time to #BoycottTwitch until they give fair treatment to women AND men and stream on Mixer. Alinity has to have some shit on twitch or something at this point.
— Frostedhands ⚔ ? (@frostedhands) July 20, 2019
This year, the male streamer TF Blade was suspended for seven days for allegedly using the N-word during a stream, despite his claims that he never said the word and that Twitch misheard what he was saying. Another male Twitch streamer was also reportedly suspended for “hate speech” because he had “Trump” in his username. In addition to this, the popular male Twitch streamer Alfie received a seven-day suspension because one of his fans left a comment with the N-word during his stream and the male Twitch streamer Dr Disrespect was also suspended for two weeks after live streaming from a bathroom.
