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A YouTuber has raised over $340,000 for a UK transgender charity by playing Donkey Kong 64 for 55+ hours.
Harry Brewis – who goes by Hbomberguy online and is best known for their gaming analysis videos – originally set out to 100% the game online in order to raise money for UK charity, Mermaids, which supports transgender children and their families. In December, the organisation was targeted by a malicious campaign that may result in it losing a £500,000 donation from the UK’s National Lottery Fund.
"I chose to support [Mermaids] because as a person living in Britain, I find the media discussion around this issue to be woefully misinformed, and I’d like to do my bit to help support the people who do the hard work of contributing to people’s thinking on an issue," Brewis said, talking about why he had organised the charity drive.
"When [Mermaids] were designated some funding via the National Lottery, Graham Linehan, a comedy writer who did some work on a good show 20 years ago, a very normal man who is very angry about trans people all day nowadays, went on Mumsnet and told them to email the National Lottery en masse," they added. "Well done, Graham… now, tons of people know about Mermaids, and support them just to spite you!"
"Thank you all. So much. I didn’t plan for this, and I never could have done," Brewis tweeted later. "A lot of more specific thanks are in order when I can get to them, but first and foremost for the sake of best keeping track, donate from now directly to @Mermaids_Gender."
"We’re just stunned. It was completely out of the blue," said Mermaids CEO, Susie Green, talking to the BBC, who only found out about the fundraising event after it had begun. "It’s a massive boost for the kids. Seeing cash being donated like this was transformational for us."
