PewDiePie continues to test the extent of his massive following as the content creator is enveloped in yet another controversy. This time, PewDiePie is in trouble for making insensitive remarks to a trans woman in his latest video. On multiple occasions through a 20-minute video posted last Friday, PewDiePie makes several insensitive remarks and blatantly misgenders the subject in question, drawing the ire of social media less than a month after being banned from an entire country.
The YouTube video, in question (which was released on Friday), has already passed 5 million views. It focuses on a Dr. Phil segment about two pranksters, Lars and Bameron, with Bameron being the subject of PewDiePie's comments. PewDiePie spends the entirety of the video picking apart the segment, starting off with an abhorrent comment "Is that Jeffrey Star’s rejected son or something?"
As the video continues, the trans woman is frequently referred to as a male among other tasteless comments made for the duration of the 20-minute video. For those unfamiliar or insensitive to the issue, misgendering can be damaging to the psyche of a trans person and, when used as carelessly as PewDiePie does, dehumanizes them and can be perceived as hate-speak. It also comes across as being transphobic or xenophobic.
Since the video's release, the comments section and Twitter are up in arms about PewDiePie's transphobic comments and lack of remorse for making them. While there are many that are quick to defend the YouTube star, others are just as fast in pointing out his massive influence and decry his behavior as being problematic.
PewDiePie is no stranger to controversy, though. Just last month alone, he made comments about Chinese President Xi Jinping and his uncanny resemblance to Winnie the Pooh. PewDiePie also pledged and then recanted a donation to the Anti Defamation League.
PewDiePie continues to watch his streaming empire grow despite these controversies. His legion of fans are seemingly ready to support him at every venture.
Source: YouTube