We recently connected with Mia Cruddas and have shared our conversation below.

Mia, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

I don’t think there was a ‘moment’ per se. Since I was a kid, I knew that I wanted to work within some kind of creative role, it was just a matter of finding a place where I fit.

I dabbled in handful creative industries, trying to find my footing, but I think things changed when I found live streaming on Twitch. Having recently started transitioning at the time I was pretty isolated. I found myself in a situation where I was a newly out young trans woman who had lost her friend group, so I was in dire need of community. That’s what streaming gave me. I was essentially performing for my own little community. A found family in a way. I think that’s what lit a spark in me. It finally clicked, I wanted to entertain. I wanted to be that someone I never saw growing up, and connect with people who love the same things as I do. Streaming came naturally, so a move to hosting work and most recently; voice acting, was a natural next step for me.

Mia, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I’m Mia Cruddas, also known as Miabyte across the web. I’m a Content Creator, Host and Voice Actor.

I’m primarily a live streamer and vtuber on Twitch, where I broadcast myself playing a variety of video and tabletop games and discussions with my community. I also produce content for YouTube and TikTok, where most recently I’ve been sharing voice acting content and my love of a new hobby; Magic the Gathering.

Streaming started as a hobby for me back in 2016, it was a way to make friends and connect with other people. I’ve always been passionate about videogames, and streaming has allowed me to share that with my viewers. It’s wonderful interacting with such a diverse and supportive group of people that share a love for the things I’m passionate about. As a transgender women on the platform it’s always been important to me that I build this inclusive community, and I try my best to make my content approachable and enjoyable for everyone. As I often say, it’s my job to make peoples day just a little bit better.

During the pandemic my streaming work also led to me collaborating with queer publication Gayming Magazine, where I hosted the Gayming Magazine Podcast magazine. I also became their in house host and producer for all live content, including events such as the yearly Digipride and Gayming Live.

The work I’ve done with Gayming has been incredibly fulfilling. Gayming’s Podcast has given me a platform not just to chat about queer gaming news, but to raise awareness about the importance of diversity and inclusivity in gaming. I’ve been able to pave the way to create events that provide a platform for LGBTQ+ gamers to share their experiences, be themselves and raise money for queer causes.

More recently I’ve been dabbling in a new side of my career by pursuing voice acting. My position in the industry has connected me with so many creatives, many of them voice actors. They encouraged me to use my talents as a performer. It’s something that I’ve been rolling into content for short form content platforms like YouTube and TikTok. It’s still very early days but I’ve secured some small roles in video games. So I’m excited to see where it takes me.

You could say I have my fingers in a lot of pies. It’s challenging to juggle everything but it’s incredibly rewarding to spend my time on things I am so passionate about.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

I’m not going to sugar coat it. Being a trans woman in the gaming industry can really suck. The gaming industry, both in its traditional and online spaces, struggles with inclusivity and has a history of exclusion. During the years I’ve been creating content online I’ve been subjected to absolutely horrendous and often dehumanising messages. It took me time to adapt and set up systems to ensure I’m supported, meaning I’m at the point now where it’s essentially water off a ducks back. Don’t get me wrong, it does affect me, but I’ve had to develop a thick skin to carve out a space for myself.

Recent years has seen a growing contingent of the gaming community with these fringe attitudes set on ostracising and demeaning women and other minorities with far more fervour. Both within games themselves, and aimed at members of the industry. It’s worrying to see a lack of active challenge from some of the larger creators. In fact in some cases their seems to be an acceptance and adoption of this behaviour.

It continues to prove why a push for representation is so critical in gaming. It’s important that we as a community actively counter misinformation, educate people with these harmful views, and stamp out that behaviour if necessary.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

As a closeted queer kid, video games, animation and movies were my escape. It was only natural that they would play some part in my career. Whether tangentially or directly, I wanted to be part of the creation of those stories and worlds that are so meaningful to people, the way that they have been so meaningful to me.

I now essentially work for myself and I love the freedom that comes with that. Pursuing my passions has always been incredibly important to me and I’m incredibly lucky I get to be in a position where I can do that. I get to connect with so many different kinds of people through the work that I do. Whether that’s interviewing members of the gaming industry, or building a space where people can connect and not only enjoy the content I create, but finding friendships within that space. It’s been incredibly rewarding to not only create, but advocate for these spaces.

Though I think the most rewarding thing for me, is receiving messages from other trans people who have told me that finding me online and watching my content made them realise aspects of their own identity, and come to terms with their gender. That was never my intention, I just wanted people to see other people like themselves. So I’m always in disbelief, but honoured that I could help someone else find themselves like that.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.miabyte.co.uk
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/miabyte/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/miacruddas/
• Twitter: https://x.com/miabyte (inactive)
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@miabyte & https://www.youtube.com/@CommanderDmg (Magic the Gathering content)
• Other: blueky: https://bsky.app/profile/miabyte.bsky.social