Streamer Ludwig Ahgren has delivered an emotional rebuke of anti-trans rhetoric following the death of one of his earliest viewers and community members, KanaBana.
The 30-year-old Twitch and YouTube creator was streaming during the Halo World Championships in late October when he saw a message in the chat that read: “RIP KanaBana.” At first, Ludwig questioned whether it was a joke or a name change — but as the reality set in, so did the emotion.
“Are you f**king with me? Or did KanaBana just change her name?” he asked the chat, visibly stunned.
The mood quickly shifted. Ludwig paused, sat in silence, and eventually turned off his webcam feed to process the loss privately. When he returned ten minutes later, he addressed the tragic news, visibly emotional.
“She was one of my most OG viewers… I think she watched during, like, one of my first years ever,” Ludwig said.
“It’s Tough Living on Earth — Especially if You’re Trans”
Speaking candidly about KanaBana and the broader challenges trans people face, Ludwig criticised the political targeting of transgender communities.
“It’s tough living on Earth,” he said. “But it is also a gunshot reminder how extremely difficult it is, especially now if you’re trans. That sh*t is like New Game plus plus plus.”
He condemned how trans lives are treated as political talking points, calling out what he sees as cynical, manufactured culture wars.
“There’s such callousness towards the livelihoods of people who just want to live their life. It’s such a f**king stupid focal point of politics — literally just to build a base and get elected. There’s no other reason. It’s the most pathetic part of the resurgence of right-wing politics.”
Honouring KanaBana’s Legacy
Following the livestream, Ludwig shared a heartfelt tribute to KanaBana on the social media platform X, writing:
“A couple weeks ago I found out one of my oldest viewers passed away. She started following when I had 100 viewers. She was super active in chat, funny, and helped turn my goofy dream of being a streamer into a full-fledged career.”
Ludwig also shared that as a trans woman, KanaBana often told him that his online community was “one of the few places she felt comfortable expressing that in.”
In honour of KanaBana’s memory, Ludwig announced he would host a charity livestream to raise funds for The Trevor Project, a leading LGBTQ+ organisation in the United States.
“Thank you to anyone who tunes in or donates,” he added. “RIP KanaBana.”
