Drag finds a bigger stage on Twitch since the pandemic – KPBS

Report on the Role of Digital Streaming Platforms in Advancing Sustainable Development Goals for Marginalized Communities

A Case Study of Drag Performers on Twitch

This report examines the migration of drag performers to the digital streaming platform Twitch, analyzing the trend through the framework of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The platform has become a critical space for economic stability, community building, and institutional support for this segment of the LGBTQ+ community.

Economic Resilience and Decent Work (SDG 8)

The COVID-19 pandemic created significant economic disruption for performance artists. The closure of traditional venues necessitated a pivot to digital platforms to ensure continued economic activity and decent work.

Pandemic-Induced Economic Diversification

• Drag performers, including early adopters DragTrashly and Deere (since 2016) and later arrivals like Trixie Mattel, utilized Twitch to maintain their livelihoods when physical venues closed in 2020.
• The platform facilitated new forms of work, allowing performers to generate income through activities such as:
  1. Virtual lip-sync drag shows.
  2. Live streaming of video game play, such as “Dead by Daylight.”
  3. Direct interaction with fans and community via live chat features.
• This shift represents an adaptation to global crisis, showcasing how digital infrastructure can support resilient and sustainable economic models for creative industries.

Reducing Inequalities and Fostering Inclusive Institutions (SDG 10 & SDG 16)

Digital platforms can play a pivotal role in reducing inequalities by providing visibility and safe spaces for marginalized groups. Twitch’s institutional framework and corporate policies have actively supported the LGBTQ+ community, contributing to a more just and inclusive online environment.

Creation of Safe and Inclusive Digital Spaces

Twitch’s platform governance is cited as a key factor for its appeal. Performers DragTrashly and Deere highlight its superior moderation as essential for creating a safe environment, a core tenet of building strong and inclusive institutions (SDG 16).

• The platform’s content moderation is perceived as more effective than competitors like TikTok, where users reported frequent, automated bans from mass reporting.
• Key protective features include:
  1. Automated moderation tools.
  2. Systems for user protection against abuse.
  3. A serious approach to handling harassment reports.

Corporate Advocacy and Partnership (SDG 17)

Twitch’s consistent and public support for the drag and LGBTQ+ community exemplifies a partnership for the goals. This corporate stance helps reduce inequalities by legitimizing and amplifying marginalized voices.

• Unlike other companies that reportedly reduced their public support, Twitch has maintained its advocacy for LGBTQ+ creators.
• The platform institutionalized its support through official events, such as the Drag Showcase at TwitchCon, hosted by prominent performers.
• This corporate backing is described by Deere as making Twitch a “trailblazer for queer content,” demonstrating a commitment to fostering an inclusive digital society.

Conclusion: Future Outlook and Continued Growth

The integration of drag culture into Twitch has established a sustainable digital ecosystem that aligns with several SDGs. While the community of drag performers on the platform has grown significantly since 2020, there remains substantial potential for further expansion.

Opportunities for Advancement

• The continued presence of drag on the platform, including at major events like TwitchCon, indicates a lasting impact beyond the initial pandemic-driven necessity.
• However, performers note the community is “still very small,” indicating significant room for growth and the potential to achieve greater mainstream visibility on the platform.
• The success of this niche community serves as a model for how digital innovation (SDG 9) can be harnessed to provide decent work (SDG 8), reduce inequalities (SDG 10), and build inclusive digital institutions (SDG 16).

Analysis of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

1. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth – The article discusses how drag performers utilized the Twitch platform to continue their work and generate income, especially when traditional venues were closed during the COVID-19 pandemic. This relates to creating opportunities for decent work, entrepreneurship, and creativity.
2. SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure – The core of the article is about the use of a digital platform (an information and communications technology infrastructure) to provide innovative solutions for artists, enabling them to reach audiences and sustain their careers.
3. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities – The article highlights how a digital platform provides a supportive and inclusive space for a specific marginalized community (LGBTQ+ and drag performers), promoting their economic and social inclusion and protecting them from harassment, which contrasts with other platforms and companies.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

• Target 8.3: Promote development-oriented policies that support productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation. The article shows how the Twitch platform enabled drag performers to engage in productive and creative activities as a form of work. DragTrashly states that many artists joined the platform “as a way to express their drag creativity” and continue their performances virtually when other venues closed. This demonstrates how a digital platform can foster entrepreneurship and innovation for artists.

SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

• Target 9.c: Significantly increase access to information and communications technology. The article is a case study of how access to a specific information and communications technology (the Twitch streaming platform) provided a vital infrastructure for a community of performers. It allowed them to pivot their business model during the pandemic, demonstrating the importance of access to such digital tools for economic resilience and participation.

SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

• Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of… other status. The article details how Twitch has become a space for the social and economic inclusion of drag performers. Deere notes that streaming on the internet was initially not seen as “real drag,” but the platform’s growth has changed that perception. Twitch’s support, including hosting a “Drag Showcase at TwitchCon,” actively promotes the inclusion and visibility of this community.
• Target 10.3: Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory… practices and promoting appropriate… policies and action. The article emphasizes Twitch’s policies and actions that create a safer, more equitable environment compared to other platforms. Deere praises Twitch’s content moderation, stating, “I feel like Twitch really takes as much care as they can overall with auto-mod tools and protection systems.” This is contrasted with TikTok, where performers face automatic bans from mass reporting, highlighting how platform policies can either reduce or perpetuate discrimination.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Indicators for SDG 8, Target 8.3

• Number of creators using the platform for income: The article implies this can be measured by stating, “the overall number of drag performers on Twitch is a lot,” and noting that many joined “out of necessity” when bars closed. Tracking the number of drag artists who use the platform as a primary or supplementary source of income would be a direct indicator of job creation and entrepreneurship.

Indicators for SDG 10, Target 10.2

• Increased representation and dedicated events: The article points to the creation and growth of the “Drag Showcase at TwitchCon” as a tangible outcome of the platform’s support. DragTrashly mentions, “this is the biggest drag showcase that we’re about to have.” The existence, scale, and prominence of such events serve as an indicator of the community’s social inclusion and visibility on the platform.
• Level of corporate support for marginalized communities: The article implies this can be measured by comparing corporate actions. It notes that while other companies “chose not to acknowledge Pride this year,” Twitch “continued their support of not only LGBTQ+ but of drag.” Deere calls Twitch a “trailblazer for queer content.” This consistent and public support can be used as an indicator of a company’s commitment to inclusion.

Indicators for SDG 10, Target 10.3

• Effectiveness of content moderation and safety tools: The article provides a qualitative measure of this indicator. The performers’ preference for Twitch is based on its superior “auto-mod tools and protection systems” and the perception that “Twitch takes abuse the most seriously.” This is contrasted with the poor moderation on TikTok, where mass reporting leads to automatic bans. The effectiveness of these policies can be measured by user reports, rates of successful appeals, and qualitative user satisfaction regarding safety.

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: kpbs.org