How a video game streamer became a central figure in the politics of harassment
In short: Clara Sorrenti, known as Keffals, transitioned from playing Team Fortress 2 to hosting political commentary. Her journey through the digital landscape highlights the volatile intersection of identity politics, targeted online campaigns, and the real-world consequences of internet-driven harassment.
Originally a gaming streamer on Twitch, Clara Sorrenti shifted her focus to political commentary following a wave of anti-trans legislation in 2021 and 2022. Her platform became a space for discussing transgender rights, particularly in response to actions by Texas Governor Greg Abbott regarding gender-affirming care. A total of US$205,000 was collected by her during April 2022 to aid the Campaign for Southern Equality's efforts for transgender youth.
The volatility of her digital presence was marked by intense, organized harassment. In 2022, Sorrenti faced a campaign she attributed to the site Kiwi Farms, involving 'swatting'—the filing of false police reports to trigger emergency responses. In August 2022, a swatting incident in London, Ontario, led to her arrest at gunpoint. During this event, Sorrenti alleged that the London Police Service used her deadname and misgendered her, though an internal police investigation in December 2022 found no audio or video evidence to support the claim of audible deadnaming by officers.
The harassment extended to physical disruptions, such as 'pizza bombing' her hotel after her location was discovered via a Discord photo. The intensity of the campaign eventually led to significant infrastructure shifts; in September 2022, pressure regarding the harassment led Cloudflare to terminate services to Kiwi Farms, though the site was later restored via VanwaTech. After periods of retirement and a hiatus for rehabilitation in 2023, Sorrenti announced her return to streaming on Bluesky in March 2025.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Keffals
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