Pokimane, whose real name is Imane Anys, is a Moroccan-Canadian Twitch streamer and YouTuber.
She is best known for her live streams on Twitch, broadcasting video game content, most notably in League of Legends and Fortnite.
She is a member and co-founder of OfflineTV, an online social entertainment group of content creators. As of July 2021, Anys had 8.5 million followers on Twitch.
Anys created her Twitch account in June 2013 and started streaming later that year with a $250 PC she bought off a classified website after she reached Platinum rank in League of Legends.
She gained 450,000 followers on Twitch in 2017, earning her account a place within the 100 most followed on the platform.
As a result, the Shorty Awards named her as the Best Twitch Streamer of the year. Anys has also been known to stream gameplay and commentary of Fortnite.
In mid-March 2019, Anys addressed her declining amount of Fortnite streams, stating that she needed to “think about what I like or dislike about the content that I’ve been making.”
Twitch has directly partnered with Anys, and she was selected as one of 15 ambassadors for the 2018 iteration of their TwitchCon event. In March 2020, Anys signed a multi-year exclusivity with Twitch.
Anys has multiple YouTube channels, including Pokimane, Pokimane Too, Pokimane VODS, Poki ASMR, and Imane.
The Pokimane channel features edited gaming clips from streams, while Pokimane Too includes vlogs and other videos.
Anys collaborated with U.S. representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ilhan Omar along with several other notable streamers for a session of Among Us as part of a get-out-the-vote initiative for the 2020 United States presidential election.
Anys was named a featured honoree in the 2021 Forbes 30 Under the category of “Games,” which noted her prominence as the largest female streamer on Twitch and as one of the founders of OfflineTV.
On 8 January 2022, Anys’ Twitch account was suspended for 48 hours midway through an Avatar: The Last Airbender watch stream following a DMCA claim from ViacomCBS.
Later in the month, Anys’ stream was raided by viewers of JiDion, which received the attention of streamer Ninja, who stated he would use his connections to get the ban reversed.
Anys criticized this response from Ninja, particularly calling out Ninja’s use of the word bitches when speaking on the issue.
Who is Pokimane’s Boyfriend?
Popular Twitch streamer Pokimane has taken a firm stance against her fans who have been trying to ship her with other streamers. In a recent statement, she declared that she is not interested in having a boyfriend or any kind of romantic relationship.
Pokimane has been irritated by the constant speculation and suggestions from her fans about her romantic life. Despite her attempts to keep her personal life private, her followers have been persistent in trying to link her with other streamers.
In an effort to regain control of her narrative, Pokimane has made it clear that she is not looking for a romantic relationship. This statement was a bold move, as it goes against the norm in the entertainment industry, where relationships between celebrities are often highly publicized and even encouraged.
Pokimane’s decision to go public about her relationship status has sparked a conversation about the toxic culture of “shipping” in the entertainment industry. “Shipping” refers to the practice of fans imagining and promoting romantic relationships between public figures, even when there is no evidence to support such claims.
While some fans may think that shipping is harmless fun, it can be incredibly invasive and disrespectful to the privacy of the celebrities involved. Pokimane’s decision to speak out against this culture is a powerful statement in support of personal boundaries and respect for individual choices.
Pokimane’s statement about her relationship status has been met with an overwhelmingly positive response from her fans. Many have praised her for taking control of her narrative and setting boundaries with her followers.
Her message has also resonated with those who have experienced similar pressure to conform to societal norms and expectations. By standing up for herself and asserting her independence, Pokimane has become an inspiration to many.
Aiva Arthur
