YouTuber Dream’s Face Reveal: Backlash and Fatphobia

On October 2, a famous YouTuber went viral on Twitter. Clay, a 23-year-old gamer, streamer, and YouTuber known as Dream, went viral after posting a video revealing his face.

Dream is an American YouTuber from Orlando known for creating content in which he plays the hugely popular game Minecraft. Although this channel started in 2014, he rose to fame during the Covid-19 pandemic by creating Minecraft ‘speedruns’ and ‘Let’s Play’ videos. 

Arguably the most notable feature of his channel was that he filmed his videos ‘undercover’. The dream was known for wearing a white mask with a black smiley face on it, which covered his entire face and kept him anonymous.

During a interview with fellow YouTuber Anthony Padilla, Dream explained that there was no hugely significant reason for concealing his appearance. When he started recording videos, he created a simple avatar based on a design from his girlfriend. But when his channel took off in popularity, the black and white smiley face had become part of the community, so he kept it. He had also said that when he first started recording, he felt somewhat insecure, so the mask gave him confidence. 

So, why remove the mask now? Dream declared that he wanted to reveal his real identity to be able to meet up with his friends and fellow streamers, like GeorgeNotFound, and be able to record content together. He also said that showing his face would allow him to create other kinds of content, meet up with fans, and collaborate with brands and YouTubers.

Since Dream has a large fanbase, there was a lot of internet hype surrounding his face reveal. But sadly, when Dream uploaded his first ever video featuring his actual face on Sunday, he was met with backlash. Shortly after the video was public, the hashtag #HESUGLY began trending on Twitter. Many fans and followers were disappointed about Clay’s physical appearance, calling him ugly and disgusting. 

In reality, there is nothing strange about Dream’s face. He is an entirely normal-looking man. And yet, his fans are outraged. The reason behind this reaction seems to lie in the fact that there was a lot of mystique surrounding his appearance. Many fans had believed and hoped him to be exceptionally handsome – even model-like - and were thus disappointed.

Furthermore, this is not the first time Dream has faced backlash about his appearance. Back in 2021, an alleged photo of Dream was leaked, resulting in a wave of fatphobic response. The image circulating through social media was that of a teenage boy from Orlando, the YouTuber’s hometown. The small details fans knew about Dream’s personal life seemed to match the origin of the leaked photos, so many believed it was real. People consequently began sending Dream hate, including body-shaming and fat-shaming.

Ultimately, Dream’s face reveals and leaked picture story highlights a huge issue in the online world. It can be highly toxic and hateful, promote bullying, and make many feel that they can be cruel online without consequence, thanks to the ability to remain anonymous. 

Dream’s experience thus emphasizes the importance of practicing kindness. Much of his value lies in his ability to make content people enjoy - not in his looks. Although the story of his face reveals is upsetting, fans can hope that he will get through it and continue making content for the enjoyment of both himself and his followers. 

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