It’s logical to fear that any politician with a semblance of humanity will eventually disappoint us. But somehow, in defiance of our low expectations, freshman Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez just keeps getting cooler. This evening she became perhaps the first Congressperson to ever appear on a Twitch stream, and certainly the first Congressperson to guest on a charity Twitch stream supporting trans rights.
To the collective internet’s shock and joy, AOC joined Youtuber H.bomberguy to discuss trans rights during his epic, 50-hours-and-counting Donkey Kong 64 stream. The money raised during his stream will go to support Mermaids, a UK charity for trans children that has been the subject of a moral panic.
Ocasio-Cortez initially tweeted about the stream, before joining it herself.
The look on H.bomberguy’s face when he realizes he’s speaking to Ocasio-Cortez is genuinely heartwarming. A streamer captured the moment:
She also spoke about why N64 is the best gaming platform and how discrimination hurts trans people’s ability to remain financially stable.
“[Discrimination] makes these issues much more acute in their crises... it’s important that we talk about these issues in an economic frame, but not let go of the fact that discrimination is a core reason for economic hardship,” Ocasio-Cortez said.
The stream was initially inspired by Irish writer and comedian Graham Linehan, who wrote popular sitcom The IT Crowd. He regularly criticizes the charity and trans people in general. Linehan is one of several prominent UK entertainment figures who are critical of gender dysphoria treatment for young people, which can include delaying puberty. He was previously warned by the police following harassment of a trans woman on Twitter.
It sure looks like the joke’s on Lineham, because H.bomberguy’s quest to play Donkey Kong 64 to 101 percent completion has now raised more than $250,000 for Mermaids. And the stream isn’t over yet.
Shout out to AOC, the only good politician.