May 28, 2020

#StreamWithPride during Pride Month on Twitch

Update June 15: As Pride month continues, we acknowledge the event commemorates the Stonewall riots, an uprising that had Black queer folks – like Marsha P. Johnson – at the forefront. We also recognize the parallels between the social inequities of that time and the moment we’re facing across the world today. We believe that it’s more important than ever to celebrate inclusivity and diversity, and to strive for equality by standing in solidarity and supporting the shared goals of social justice among the LGBTQIA and Black communities. Starting today, Twitch will donate $0.10 to both The Trevor Project and the National Black Justice Coalition through July 15  for every paid Sub, Gift Sub, or Cheer of 300 Bits or more—up to a total contribution of $300K to each organization. Contributors will also permanently earn Pride emotes and gift them to their community. 

Here are additional ways you can support the Black community this month:

  • Read about how you can support Black LGBTQ Youth from The Trevor Project.
  • We’ve partnered with Tiltify to add more charities so that streamers can set up fundraisers that support the #BlackLivesMatter movement. If you have suggestions for more organizations you’d like to see on Tiltify, please reach out to charity@twitch.tv.
  • We’re adding more Black creators to our lineup of streamers featured on the homepage—check back here for schedule updates and be sure to show your support in chat. 

Update June 1: Last week, we announced some ways we are celebrating Pride on Twitch. It’s a bittersweet time as we recognize this joyful month is also mixed with widespread pain for Black people around the world. Out of respect for all members of our community, we have decided to pause our emote-based Subscription and Bits promotion for Pride that was scheduled to begin today. We’ll keep you posted on timing.

Original Post:

Pride is just around the corner for many countries, and this year we’re doing it bigger than ever on Twitch. We’re inviting everyone to #StreamWithPride as we celebrate and support LGBTQIA+ creators and their communities with custom emotes, front page streams, charity fundraising, Watch Parties, and more.

Here are all the ways you can participate this June: 

Watch and chat in LGBTQIA+ streams

Looking to discover new channels? We have a full lineup of LGBTQIA+ streamers featured on the homepage throughout the month of June.

We’re also excited to livestream the 50th San Francisco Pride (an online socially distanced version, of course), so you can still rock your best rainbow gear and celebrate from your home. 

Tune in to /sfpride or /amazonmusic on June 27-28, 2-7 PM PT to watch music, drag, dance performances, greetings from LGBTQ+ community members, speeches from thought leaders, DJ sets, and more! 

Support charity and unlock rewards

From June 16 to July 16, when you show your support by subscribing, gifting a sub, or cheering at least 300 Bits in any channel, you’ll permanently earn Pride-themed emotes designed by Twitch creators (/sixtenart, /nanasty, /pandreem, /hannat2ht, and /Bijouxdemon), plus you’ll permanently award emotes to other viewers in the community. 

Once again, we’re teaming up with The Trevor Project as one of their Premier Partners for their “Pride Everywhere” campaign and we’ve added the National Black Justice Coalition. Through July 16 at 11:59 PM PDT, we’ll donate $0.10 for every paid Sub, gifted Sub, or Cheer of 300 Bits or more—up to a total contribution of $300K to each organization. Got more questions? We’ve got answers here.

During Pride, you’ll also be able to use Channel Points to customize your favorite emotes with Pride themes. Spend your points to turn any sub emote into a Pride emote!

Send someone a gift card

We’re releasing a special Pride-themed digital gift card, available for a limited time in the U.S. Send one to your favorite moderator, emote artist, or friends in chat!

Just for Amazon Prime members

In case you didn’t know, Twitch Prime members receive free games every month, yours to keep forever! On June 5th, you’ll be able to download Dream Daddy, a fun dating simulator where you get to date cool dads. Go to twitch.amazon.com for more information about the game, and don’t forget to claim your free Twitch channel subscription, another benefit of Prime. 

Prime members can also tune in for a movie night with /bloody on Friday, June 26th @ 7:00pm PT. She’ll be hosting a Watch Party featuring a movie or show from Amazon Prime Video’s collection of Pride titles: Amazon.com/PrideCollection. Remember, you’ll need to use your Prime login to watch along on your desktop, if the selected show is available in your region.

How streamers can get involved

Since the COVID-19 crisis began, the volume of youth reaching out to The Trevor Project’s crisis services has, at times, more than doubled, and 25% of young people reaching out to The Trevor Project share that COVID-19 is a key reason for their outreach.

If you’re a streamer, you can help by signing up (you’ll need a Tiltify account) to fundraise on Tiltify by clicking here. Raise $500 or more and receive a “Play for Pride” t-shirt, only available when fundraising for The Trevor Project on Twitch through Tiltify. If you have any questions or would like to be connected directly with The Trevor Project please reach out to charity@twitch.tv.

Finally, consider changing your stream title to include “Stream With Pride” or “#StreamWithPride” so that viewers know you’re celebrating! Show your pride on social media by downloading these templates and adding your own photo. Don’t forget to tag #StreamWithPride so we can see all your fabulous faces. 

Get help, or help someone in need

If you or somebody you know is in crisis and in need of connecting with a Trevor Counselor with The Trevor Project, you can connect directly online here from anywhere or join their TrevorSpace Community. You can connect additionally by calling: 1-866-488-7386 or texting START to 678678 in the United States. 

FAQ

Is Twitch Pride Merch available this year?

We are sad to share that we are unable to offer Pride Tees for sale this year. Unfortunately, COVID-19 obstacles have affected production and logistics of this program. However, we’re encouraged by your enthusiastic support and positive feedback since our Pride collection first launched in 2018, and we look forward to continuing the tradition next year. If you’re still looking for the perfect pride gift, our limited edition Pride-themed gift card might just fit the bill.

What are some other ways Twitch is helping to support LGBTQIA+ charities?

In addition to the contribution to The Trevor Project, we’ll be spotlighting creators throughout the month that will be raising money for their favorite LGBTQIA+ charity. You can support The Trevor Project and other PRIDE initiatives by watching your favorite streamers all month long. 

Looking for more control?

Amazon Interactive Video Service (Amazon IVS) is a managed live streaming solution that is quick and easy to set up, and ideal for creating interactive video experiences. Learn more about Amazon IVS, and explore code samples and demos.

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