‘The Star Wars fandom demands action’ from YouTube against racist and sexist ‘fans’

A major issue in the Star Wars fandom is the platforming of sexist, racist trolls parading themselves as “fans” of the franchise. These men pretend their horrific and disgusting takes are just “concern” over the stories. Now, fans of Star Wars are calling out YouTube for not demonetizing them.

Existing online as a Star Wars fan can be tough. If you enjoy a Star Wars story that was made by Disney, you face hatred online because you’re not a “good enough” fan if you … enjoy the franchise, I guess? Now, people are fed up and pushing back against those feeding that hatred. YouTube personalities fostering this vitriol were called out all weekend long by fans. Nerdrotic, Ryan Kinel – RK Outpost, and Geeks + Gamers were all named in a move to deplatform those who use hate as a way to make money on YouTube.

Rewriting Ripley Pod posted a video that compared the rise of online hatred from people like Milo Yiannopoulos to how certain Star Wars YouTubers talk about the actors of the franchise and the stories themselves. “A handful of YouTubers have jeopardized the safety of our community & the creatives we love for too long. The Star Wars fandom demands action. Team YouTube demonetize Nerdrotic, Ryan Kinel – RK Outpost, and Geeks + Gamers. Hate SHOULD NOT be a career path.”

Other fans wrote out a detailed post about why many believe that Nerdrotic, Kinel, and Geeks + Gamers should be demonetized from YouTube. The post points out that while fans recognize that YouTube has to protect free speech, what these platforms are doing is not opinion based. It is continued, targeted harassment of marginalized creatives and fans of Star Wars.

Those spreading the word are also (very intelligently) limiting their replies and following Team YouTube to get a response.

I don’t think men like this actually enjoy Star Wars anyway

Unsurprisingly, there are other “fans” of Star Wars claiming that what is happening in the call out is an “attack.” One notable grifter who makes his own bad lightsabers and sells them wrote, “Trying to deplatform anyone over not liking a form of media is the most vile disgusting act there is.” The reality is that men like this make money over harassing people. That’s what it is.

Getting on YouTube and saying, “This show sucks because of woke” or “I’m mad because I don’t want to see a non-white guy” isn’t criticism. It’s hate—making money for being filled with hatred. Enough already.

At the end of the day, the fanbases of people like Kinel, Nerdrotic, Geeks + Gamers, and even Star Wars Theory all attack anyone they “criticize” on their channel. Sure, they might not outright direct their fans to do it, but it’s the obvious result of the hateful vitriol and the type of people it appeals to. These online figures weaponize their platforms to attack and belittle fans who enjoy Star Wars and do it to make money.

YouTube continuing to fuel that behavior isn’t helping anyone. All it does is breed more hate because people like these jabronis see dollar signs and don’t have a kind bone in their body. I’m proud of the Star Wars fans calling these men out.