Although England-based variety streamer @SirenHellVixen has been gaming since she was very young, she started streaming in October 2019 after finding herself unable to work, due to chronic illnesses.

Over the years, this BroadcastHER Grant winner has continued to push through incredibly challenging health and financial challenges. “I was in tears when I saw I was a winner and I really felt validated and that people believe in me! That means so much!”

What is your dream as a digital broadcaster?

My dream is to have a community of people who join my streams, make friends with each other, and generally chat and have fun in a happy place. Being severely chronically ill, disabled, and unable to work also means that my dream is to earn enough money for heating and food.

I have always been honest and transparent about my Twitch channel being my only chance of an income and my only job, so I hope to gain a community of 20 to 40 people one day who keep coming back and also earn enough so I can say I am not living on a poverty income anymore. That would be amazing.

How will your award from the 1,000 Dreams Fund help you reach your goals? 

Money has always been an issue, as I’ve been unable to work due to chronic illnesses and disability. So, my stream has suffered and, after three years of streaming, it is time for improvements. This grant will allow that, so I am incredibly grateful.

What does being a recipient mean to you?

It means the world to me! I feel like I have been validated as a streamer and that people support me on my journey. I wouldn’t be selected as a winner with other amazing people if I wasn’t doing well already — so that means so much to me!

Women are underrepresented in gaming, broadcasting, and esports. What can we do to change this?

Men are at the forefront of gaming still which is very sad, as there are so many female streamers who are just as good — if not better! We need to start promoting more female streamers — and companies should be picking females as well as males for their ad campaigns. All streamers should be treated equally no matter their race, gender, or disability.

What are some of the challenges you have faced along the way?

I have faced a LOT of challenges as I am chronically ill, disabled, unable to work, and living on a poverty income of just over £300 ($370) a month, which means I can’t afford to survive!

Streaming has been very hard to grow because I can’t network or promote my stream because of how bad my health is, which means getting viewers is a million times harder than for someone who is abled. After a single stream, I am bed-bound for three to four days after because of my chronic fatigue and chronic pain. But I keep pushing through and streaming regularly, as it is all I have.

Being unable to network or promote myself means I have struggled to get viewers even though I am putting 110% effort into each stream and people say how good it is.

What advice do you have for women who want to start broadcasting?

Do it! Just do it! — as the ad used to say. Just get into it and see what you think. If you don’t like it, you can always stop. But give it a go and I bet you will like it. It is still a male-dominated industry, but the more women who join in, the more our voices will be heard.

How do you stay motivated and focused on your goals? 

Honestly, I stay motivated to stream because this is my only job I can do, so I treat it as one. I keep streaming unless I physically can’t, as it is all a chance for income which means heating and food for me. I know this is a different reply than most, but this is my situation.