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Imane 'Pokimane' Anys is one of the most popular streamers in the world, with millions of followers online. Being an internet personality is certainly not an easy task, considering the demanding nature of the profession as well as the intense scrutiny that often walks hand-in-hand with fame.
Pokimane was recently subjected to an outpour of criticism and hate from a large section of her community, including her 'simp' army of fans, on account of recent claims by YouTuber LeafyIsHere, which revealed that she has a boyfriend.
This allegation proved to be the tipping point for most of her 'fans', as several began to withdraw support for the Twitch star, citing a sense of betrayal at her hands.
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While the entire reason behind this particular outrage seems illogical, Pokimane recently released an apology video, where she addressed various controversies involving her, including the boyfriend drama.
Pokimane's apology: Boyfriend revelation?
The criticism directed at Pokimane of late had reached such toxic levels that she was forced to announce a month-long break on the 6th of August from streaming and social media.
Less than two weeks later, she released an apology video, much to the surprise of the online community, where she addressed all of her past controversies.
A hot topic which the 24-year-old touched upon was, of course, the boyfriend rumours and her official statement ended up making some interesting revelations:
"I personally made the decision seven years ago or whenever I got into streaming that I don't want my personal life to be a part of my content. That's just what I'm going to stick by until I and whoever I'm dating at whatever time decide otherwise."
She emphasises on keeping her personal life separate from her professional one, as everyone has a right to privacy. She also hinted at those viewing this as a means of lying to her fans, as she clarified:
"I understand some people want to relate this to donations but you can also argue that one can make a lot of money by publicizing the relationship or making content out of it."
"I personally want to be able to experience my relationships without the scrutiny of an online audience and if you disagree, that's totally alright, you don't have to support me or my content."
Though there was a clear sense of restraint in her words, one cannot deny that Pokimane's statement pretty much implied that she does indeed have a boyfriend. At the end of the day, it is an entirely personal matter and should rightfully be respected.
Reactions online
As soon as word got around that Pokimane had issued an official apology, the internet was abuzz with a plethora of reactions to this latest development.
Her statements on the boyfriend drama are what piqued the interest of most, as the audience took to social media to share their responses to the same.
Check out some of the reactions below:
While some were supportive of her apology...
...others, mostly simps, did not take too lightly to this particular piece of information:
It remains to be seen if Pokimane's latest video ends up doing more harm than good in the long run, as the internet comes to terms with her apology and the impact of her revelatory statements.
You can watch the video below from the 11:55 mark, where Pokimane speaks about her personal life and the boyfriend rumors:
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