Pride Month: "Players Are Scared to Come Out" says PSPC Final-Tablist Thumm
June is Pride Month. Dedicated to celebrating and commemorating LGBTQ+ pride, Pride Month is over 50 years old and started after the Stonewall riots, a series of gay liberation protests in 1969.
PokerNews will release a series of articles to mark Pride Month, showcasing the role LGBTQ+ individuals play in our industry and the discrimination they have faced. They will also highlight what they feel can be done to foster greater inclusivity for the LGBTQ+ community in poker.
Poker is a game for everyone, and everyone should feel safe, welcomed, and included, no matter how they identify.
Introducing Thumm
To kick off Pride Month, PokerNews spoke with Niclas "flushiisback" Thumm.
Thumm is gay and is best known for his sixth-place finish in the 2023 PokerStars Players No-Limit Hold'em Championship. He recently final-tabled the EPT Monte Carlo Main Event, again finishing in sixth place.
Thumm first got into poker through a fellow German: Felix "xflixx" Schneiders.
"It was his strategy content that I enjoyed the most," said Thumm. "But also the social aspect of the game. Meeting people got me into poker as much as the challenge to make good decisions at the table."
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Heading to the PSPC
As Thumm's love for the game grew, so did his increased appetite for playing. In 2021, he entered the PokerStars 'Dare to Stream' competition, and although he didn't win, he received the community award for his efforts. His prize was a Platinum Pass which he received from Schneiders at a Road to PSPC event in Liechtenstein.
From there, he headed to the Bahamas, making it all the way to the final table, but became the target of online trolls after he was shown kissing his boyfriend on the livestream.
"I was with my boyfriend Timo at the PSPC final table, and we were targeted by some hate when we kissed. There was a lot of hate speech in the Twitch and YouTube chat. We don't really care about what other people say, but it still hurts.
"I know there are allies out there, in the community and in the chat, which is very positive. I'm very grateful for that."
Target of Online Hate
However, this wasn't an isolated incident, as even online, he has been the target of insults. During this year's Spring Championship of Online Poker, Thumm posted a screenshot of a player's chat message to social media, where he was called a slur by one of the other players at his table.
"The player is a long-time crusher and should know how to behave respectfully at the table," Thumm said. "I was really offended. It's the worst thing to say to an LGBTQ+ person because it's a term that dehumanizes us. I was playing a session with many tables and I tried to keep calm, but the next 1-2 hours I still felt uncomfortable.
"Tilt is never an excuse for sending hateful messages"
"They sent the hate speech after I won most of their chips — it happened on tilt, but tilt is never an excuse for sending hateful messages. They exposed themselves as being hateful. By sharing it on social media, we can show them and others that this isn't acceptable."
The reaction from his community was instantaneous, with many sending messages of support.
"When other people spread hate, we need to spread love instead to outweigh their behaviour," said Thumm.
The PokerStars Support account posted that they "took the necessary actions on the account." In a follow-up email, PokerStars that the player's chat privileges had been suspended.
"Their language was totally inappropriate and abusive to others," the email read. "Our games are to be kept clean, fun, and a comfortable environment for everyone. We cannot tolerate this type of behavior at our tables."
Players "Scared to Come Out"
Despite his experiences, Thumm hopes others aren't impacted and wishes people weren't too afraid to come out in today's poker environment.
"I know there are some people in the poker world who have chosen not to come out because they are scared"
"I am worried for people who see the hate speech and who aren't out yet. I know there are some people in the poker world who have chosen not to come out because they are scared of it. I'm worried it will scare them away.
As for what can be done, Thumm is always keen to shine a light on the LGBTQ+ community wherever possible within the poker industry.
"It's super important — whether that's highlighting them in streams or having pride card decks. Just to be seen is hugely important to the community; how great would it be to have an award for biggest ally in poker? Or a special Pride Month tournament series? We need to stay strong as a community."
For Thumm, positivity is the key to ensuring that everyone continues to feels welcomed and included in the game.
"I say hello to everyone when I get seated at a table, just to show everyone is welcome. I also try to say positive things to people who seem uncomfortable at the table.
"It's great when there are allies at the table; you just have to stay calm and deal with the situation.If there is any hateful behaviour, you just have to try and de-escalate and support people who are targeted."
