gabicattuzzoA gaming influencer has been dropped by her sponsor because she tweeted ‘men are trash’ after she was sexually harassed online.
Gabriela Cattuzzo, a well-known streamer in Brazil, posted a photo of herself riding a mechanical bull on Twitter on June 21, and you can pretty much imagine the comments that ensued.
One person who appeared online as male replied to the tweet, saying ‘you can ride me if you want’, to which Gabriela wrote:
There’s always going to be f*cked in the head macho man to talk sh*t and sexualise women until the woman starts making jokes, right?
And this is why men are trash.
An appropriate response to being sexually harassed by a stranger on the internet, some may think? Well, after realising her comment may have been just a tad too generalist, Gabriela followed up her tweet by saying she didn’t believe all men are problematic.
However, as reported by the Independent, gaming hardware company Razer, which works with Gabriela to promote its gaming products, tweeted saying would no longer be renewing its contract with the influencer following the controversial tweet.
— R Λ Z Ξ R 🇧🇷 (@RazerBrazil) June 24, 2019
The company tweeted:
We would like to make it clear that Gabi is not a spokesperson for Razer and has never been a brand ambassador.
She was part of a team of influencers who were called upon to use and publicise the brand’s products.
As gamers, we face every type of preconception and stereotype from the outset, and we will continue fighting so that this type of situation doesn’t repeat itself.
The statement ended by insisting the company opposes any kind of ‘extremism’.
However, hundreds of people have since come to the gamer’s defence, criticising Razer for overreacting.
I was going to buy a @Razer mouse but I just found out it is a trash company who fires the opressed and protect the opressors.
This is for Gabi.— n (@sherunlocked) June 24, 2019
One person tweeted: ‘I was going to buy a @Razer mouse but I just found out it is a trash company who fires the oppressed and protect the oppressors. This is for Gabi.’
Another added: ‘Shame on you @Razer! You should be ashamed of yourself to not support your streamer…. you are pathetic and encourage toxicity… well done. I’ll never buy for you again.’
Gabriela also responded to Razer’s tweet, saying she never intended to ‘insult all men.’
Ficarei em off por uns dias pois estão ameaçando minha família e amigos de morte.
Não se preocupem comigo, estou aproveitando esse tempo para refletir como posso melhorar como pessoa em relação a tudo o que aconteceu.
Valeu.
— Gabi (@gabicattuzzo) June 24, 2019
She said:
Please understand: I post photos every day, and every day the majority of the comments are offensive or sexualising something that doesn’t have to be sexualised.
The men who comment with interesting things or non-offensive comments here on Twitter are few (and for these people I am thankful, they are the exceptions that redeem my day).
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Emma Rosemurgey is an NCTJ trained Journalist who started her career by producing The Royal Rosemurgey newspaper in 2004, which kept her family up to date with the goings on of her sleepy north east village. She graduated from the University of Central Lancashire in Preston and started her career in regional newspapers before joining Tyla (formerly Pretty 52) in 2017, and progressing onto UNILAD in 2019.