I don't know about anyone else, but I'm someone who has been a youtube geek since 2007. I've followed so many youtubers from their very first video, to their most current ones. People like Shane Dawson, the Shaytards, and SuperMac18 are just a few icons i can remember from my childhood. However, since the days of "charlie bit my finger," and "evolution of dance," youtube has changed and there's now a whole new sector of "youtube drama" (BUM BUM BUMMMMM)!

All of this youtube drama mainly stems from one specific youtuber, "onision," or Gregory Jackson. As someone who's been watching his videos since tweenagehood, I must say I am not surprised that he's now known as a "drama channel." One of his biggest targets is Youtuber Eugenia Cooney whom he has been constantly making videos of since the beginning of May, at first being sympathetic and satirical to the people who would bully her on the internet. However, not long after making a video showing solidarity, he made a complete 180 and is now not only harassing, and encouraging harassment towards her, but he has now become one of the bullies. He says he makes the videos because he "cares about her" and is "trying to help," but he is clearly doing the opposite of that at this point. This is my opinion on the matter.

For a while, I would brush off Onision's countless videos where he'd only repeat the same thing he said in his last video. More recently, he came out with a video titled "Eugenia Cooney's Cooking Show" which is point blank, unacceptable. It's one thing to constantly make videos making false claims, throwing around hypotheticals, missed information, and accusations, it's another to straight up make a bullying video. The entire video was nothing but a personal attack, made for views and publicity. While I'm reluctant to give him the attention he so clearly craves, I feel someone needs to state the reality of the situation.

Firstly, whether or not Eugenia Cooney has an eating disorder, or some kind of health problem is not the people of the internet's problem. Since we've been following youtubers for so long, we are so eager to know every bit about their personal lives and exploiting their physical and mental illnesses. Some are comfortable with doing that, and that's totally fine, but some are not. While Eugenia Cooney is the sweetest girl on the internet, we as people can not force a human being to come out with an illness, be it physical or mental. As it is, most of us don't even tell our friends when we're having a bad day, so why do we expect a public figure to do so, so willingly?

In addition to all of this is the issue of the petitions to have her youtube deleted, or to have her demonetized. Firstly, I have known eating disorders from both binging and purging, and not once was taking away anything a form of "rehabilitation." Any kind of mentally ill person will not get help without first wanting help. That's how it is, that's how it always will be. Forcing anything will only ever make things worse. Second, we can not go around censoring people because we're simply offended by how they look. There are people on youtube who are overweight, have marks from self harm, and people who are physically altered from an accident. If we start plucking people off the internet for how they look, then where will we stop?

To those saying, "she's 'triggering' people into eating disorders," I feel you need to take a look around you. An eating disorder is not formed from seeing one single person that is their ideal body type. Eating disorders are a severe mental illness that develops over many many years for a myriad of reasons. If Eugenia Cooney wasn't their martyr, someone else would be, and she is not responsible for how people respond to how she looks. As I said before, there are people on youtube some could consider just as "offensive" or "triggering," but the internet is a free space for people to express and connect to an audience. For all we know, Eugenia's youtube and live streams could be her outlet.

Nothing about Eugenia's rhetoric involves hate speech, influencing drug use, anorexia, self harm, or bullying. She does not even curse in her videos. Every youtube guideline is followed. This is something we can not fully say is true for Onision's videos.

Furthermore, massly disliking her videos will do literally nothing. That's all I have to say on that matter.

While I know privacy might be a concept foreign to onision, some people greatly enjoy theirs. Some people enjoy their privacy so much so, that they chose not to exploit their entire life history and personal details with the world. Some people simple make youtube videos for their own personal enjoyment without needing views or clickbait.

It's simply not our job to judge the situation and decide what is best for her. What is or is not going on with her is not our problem. What she does or does not want to do is not our decision. Eugenia Cooney is a Human being, and should be treated as such.

Dear Eugenia Cooney (or anyone else going through a similar situation), whether or not you are going through a mental or physical illness, I am in solidarity with you. This endless harassment is unacceptable and you do not deserve it. Secondly, if you feel it is getting out of hand or uncontrollable, you should not be afraid to take legal action against Greg. He has slandered you, (yes, slandered by giving false information to the public about you), bullied you, and has had people try to go against you. You can take matters into your own hands. Do not be afraid, because the people who know you are truly a kind and honest person, will be here for you in solidarity.

I wish I could say I still respect Onision, because some of his views on certain topics, I do agree with and I truly feel he is usually well intentioned. If I could say one thing to Onision right now, it would be this: No one needs your (or anyone else's) approval. Not people with eating disorders, not skinny people, not people who are overweight, not people who have average sized bodies, and not people with mental illness. Your video's where you judge pictures of girls bodies under the onision.xyz forum is putrid. It is sending the message that, yet again, women need the approval of the white cis man to feel good about themselves. Your message shouldn't be "love your body because I think your body is great, and I'm a man who's attracted to girls so i should know." rather it should be "love your body because your body is yours, it's all you'll ever have, and it's beautiful."

Of course, this is an opinion article, and my ears and heart and mind are always 100% open to other thoughts and opinions, so please feel free to comment or share letting me know what you think!