The popular Twitch streamer QTCinderella says she would be a happier person if she could go back and tell her younger self to choose a different career. The 31-year-old, real name Blaire (she does not make her second name public), became famous for playing video games and cooking meals in live videos for her 1.2 million followers online. In 2021 she created the annual Streamer Awards, which will be streamed online on Saturday.
But she told the BBC while she felt incredibly lucky to be in her position, the negatives of the role - ranging from being under constant scrutiny to at times being concerned for her safety - makes it difficult to enjoy. If I could go back and never experience some of the things I've experienced because of this job, I do think I would be a happier person overall, she said.
The biggest thing I wish I could do, if I went back and was able to whisper in my ear, I would say, don't do it.
Throughout 2025, several female content creators have spoken out about concerns of their safety, particularly when attending public events. In March, three US Twitch streamers, Cinna, Valkyrae and Emiru, were taking part in a week-long marathon stream when a man threatened to kill them. Then, at the annual streamer event TwitchCon in October, a man from the crowd grabbed Emiru and tried to kiss her without her consent.
Blaire said she has also faced harassment since her rise in popularity online. I could open my Instagram DMs right now and read you 100 horrible things about why or how I could be harmed by people, she said. In 2021, Blaire said she spent over $2,000 (£1,500) every month to have heavily edited photos of her removed from the internet.
Now, she said despite opening a craft shop in Los Angeles earlier this year, it's rare she ever visits - because of men turning up to the shop and asking for her.
I thought it'd be fun, she said. Unfortunately, it's gotten to the point where I can't go there because we've had men show up looking for me. I don't want it to be unsafe for my employees.
Blaire said she thought security at the Streamer Awards would be aggressive in comparison to other events, as she hopes to help the attendees from the streaming world feel as safe as possible. The ceremony recognizes top creators across various categories like Gamer of the Year and Best Community.
In November, Blaire faced accusations from viewers claiming certain popular streamers were blocked from particular categories for being too problematic. Clips of the streamer tearfully replying to criticisms of the event soon spread online. I think I need to respond less, she said. But as a human, you just want to be understood.
The constant ebb and flow of streamer drama which many content creators like Blaire experience is one of the reasons she finds the job tough - but she said it was also why she started the awards. For me, it's really important to bring people together, because I do think there's lots of toxicity on the internet, she said.
But she told the BBC while she felt incredibly lucky to be in her position, the negatives of the role - ranging from being under constant scrutiny to at times being concerned for her safety - makes it difficult to enjoy. If I could go back and never experience some of the things I've experienced because of this job, I do think I would be a happier person overall, she said.
The biggest thing I wish I could do, if I went back and was able to whisper in my ear, I would say, don't do it.
Throughout 2025, several female content creators have spoken out about concerns of their safety, particularly when attending public events. In March, three US Twitch streamers, Cinna, Valkyrae and Emiru, were taking part in a week-long marathon stream when a man threatened to kill them. Then, at the annual streamer event TwitchCon in October, a man from the crowd grabbed Emiru and tried to kiss her without her consent.
Blaire said she has also faced harassment since her rise in popularity online. I could open my Instagram DMs right now and read you 100 horrible things about why or how I could be harmed by people, she said. In 2021, Blaire said she spent over $2,000 (£1,500) every month to have heavily edited photos of her removed from the internet.
Now, she said despite opening a craft shop in Los Angeles earlier this year, it's rare she ever visits - because of men turning up to the shop and asking for her.
I thought it'd be fun, she said. Unfortunately, it's gotten to the point where I can't go there because we've had men show up looking for me. I don't want it to be unsafe for my employees.
Blaire said she thought security at the Streamer Awards would be aggressive in comparison to other events, as she hopes to help the attendees from the streaming world feel as safe as possible. The ceremony recognizes top creators across various categories like Gamer of the Year and Best Community.
In November, Blaire faced accusations from viewers claiming certain popular streamers were blocked from particular categories for being too problematic. Clips of the streamer tearfully replying to criticisms of the event soon spread online. I think I need to respond less, she said. But as a human, you just want to be understood.
The constant ebb and flow of streamer drama which many content creators like Blaire experience is one of the reasons she finds the job tough - but she said it was also why she started the awards. For me, it's really important to bring people together, because I do think there's lots of toxicity on the internet, she said.
