Popular online streaming group Offline TV has removed member Federico “Fedmyster” Gaytan after sexual misconduct claims were reported by other members of the team. Following a tweet made by the OfflineTV house manager, Yvonne "Yvonnie" Ng, the housemate has been swiftly shunned by the community.
Yvonne Ng posted her in-depth story labelled "My truth" last week, detailing the inappropriate advances made by fellow housemate Fed. She described the many times he would come home inebriated and proceed to be "overly touchy" with a few of the female housemates. She continued by addressing how uncomfortable it would make her feel, as she considered them to be good friends. Yvonne concluded her statement by making it clear that she does not want to "destroy him," but to make other girls aware of his unpredictable and possibly predatory behavior.
OfflineTV's twitter account was in full support of Yvonne's statement, commenting on Fed's dismissal and how the team will support any person who is brave enough to let their truth be known. OfflineTV's fans responded to the allegations and statements with mixed feelings. Some users questioned why the allegations were being spread across social media when it is considered a private matter. Others were keen to call for Fed to get a second chance, as people make mistakes and are capable of learning from their past actions. Still others reprimanded these notions by citing Fed's attempts to cover it all up as admission of guilt.
Based in Los Angeles, OfflineTV have been streaming since 2017 offering varied content like vlogs, video game streams, and prank videos to their viewers. The group maintains a large social media following, particularly on Twitch, and house manager Yvonne has had to deal with sexual harassment before. Fedmyster has since responded to the allegations stating that he never intended to act in a predatory manner or attempt to hurt any of the individuals involved.
The #MeToo movement has been a revelatory focal point on social media, allowing people to come forward and shine a light on sexual harassment and abuse. Fed's allegations are amongst a storm of accusations being made public lately, in a furious attempt to hold abusers accountable and create a safer environment for all. Ubisoft and Insomniac Games are also dealing with many charges of sexual misconduct as it seems the gaming community is getting a much needed detox.
Many industries are currently taking a hard knock for various accounts of misconduct, harassment and abuse. The gaming community is hopeful that these investigations will create a safer professional environment for all workers in the field and provide justice and closure for those involved.
Source: OfflineTV/Twitter