Both Twitch And TwitchCon Are Everything Inclusive Spaces Should Be

I’m in the Glitch Theater at the San Diego Convention Center during TwitchCon 2024, watching a drag artist dressed as Silent Hill‘s Pyramid Head lip-sync to a nu-metal song on stage. The crowd is a mix of high-profile streamers like Central Committee and KaceyTron, smaller Twitch affiliates, and fans—and all of them are living room for the third annual TwitchCon Drag Showcase. JuiceBoxx, a streamer and one of the hosts this year, has his face plastered all over the convention center. Ru Paul’s Drag Race superstar Trixie Mattel has a makeup space on the show floor where employees are offering beauty tips and touch-ups, and at an off-site Capcom party, several drag queens mill about, their hair nearly grazing the ceiling of the bar. Pronoun pins are available for attendees to display on their badges, and non-profits like TransLifeline have booths on the show floor. — Alyssa Mercante