This Amber Heard Meme Landed Pokimane In Hot Water
The ongoing trial of Depp v Heard has created a new Twitch meta, with streamers sharing information about the case and even watching it as it streams live. These online personalities typically provide commentary for the trial – although few, if any, of them are qualified to provide legal counsel – and fans are clamoring for more. Even typically nonconfrontational Pokimane got in on the new trend, watching and reacting to xQc's commentary on the case. Even though Pokimane claimed to not know much about the case or the background of the proceedings, that didn't stop her from posting a meme about the situation on Twitter, landing her in a bit of hot water with fans.
It should be said that Pokimane isn't alone in her assessment of the Depp/Heard case, nor is her meme the first time she's commented on the case itself. Pokimane previously spent some time watching the trial on her stream, joking that Amber Heard "Googled how to look sad" before the trial. Pokimane also commented on Heard's nose-blowing technique, suggesting that the actress was posing for the camera and being overly dramatic for cameras.
While fans seemed more or less content with Poki's comments on the trial itself – or streamers' reactions to it – but one meme on the streamer's Twitter account seemed to be a step too far.
Many fans were furious with Pokimane
Though Pokimane has since deleted her tweet (according to Dexerto), plenty of Twitter users have documented the meme and reshared screenshots of it. The meme shows hands holding out two nearly-identical pictures of Amber Heard from the trial's evidence, each picture with slightly different lighting. The meme asks the reader to spot the differences between the two pictures, and a picture of Pam from "The Office" says, "They're the same picture." The meme refers to an incident in the Depp/Heard trial where Depp's lawyers claimed Heard had edited photos of herself to make them appear as if she'd been bruised. Depp's lawyers claimed that the two images presented in court were the same, but Heard denied the accusation, insisting that they were two separate photos.
Pokimane's meme poked fun at the in-court conversation, which could have very real implications for the trial's outcome. Fans didn't take the meme well, and many commented, claiming that the post made them see Pokimane in a different light. One viewer said, "and to think this woman talks often about the sexism in gaming and how incels are always after her." It's true that Pokimane has long discussed the toxic messages she receives from viewers and random trolls. She's even created a secret Twitter group to help build a community of positivity around herself. However, Pokimane's meme led some viewers to believe she wasn't as unbiased as she said she was in the title of her Depp/Heard stream.
One viewer questioned not only Pokimane's meme, but the entire meta of streamers watching the Depp/Heard trial. "It's ridiculous how many I see on my front page of twitch of GAMERS giving their opinion on this... like stay in ur lane...," they said. At least one viewer said that the meme earned Pokimane a block and unfollow from them.
But she had her defenders, too
However, all fans weren't upset about the meme. Some even found it funny. While Pokimane hasn't commented on her deleted meme, many fans are supporting her regardless. One fan adamantly defended Pokimane, writing, "And? So what if she posted this?
Nothing wrong with it, it depicts the truth. AH has repeatedly faked evidence in order to gain the upper hand. You can't be that delusional up until this point, with all the evidence against her." Another viewer claimed Pokimane shouldn't have taken down the meme at all, as there was nothing wrong with it.
However, some say that portraying the ongoing trial via memes and humor is potentially damaging to domestic abuse survivors. Patricia Grisafi wrote about the case for NBC News, explaining that the trial is supposed to be an examination of potential domestic abuse and that making light of it could have damaging effects for survivors seeing the public's reactions. Grisafi also commented that the case was indicative of a larger problem, where people don't believe women who claim to have been abused by their partners. It's unclear what Pokimane intended by posting the meme, and fans can't be sure of her own opinions about it until she comments on the matter. That being said, the meme complicates the meta even more, showing that fans aren't quite sure what to make of the ongoing trial.
If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.