Steven Bonnell II (Destiny) Height, Age, Wife, Children, Family, Biography

 

Some Lesser Known Facts About Steven Bonnell II

• Steven Kenneth Bonnell II was born in Omaha, Nebraska. He was raised in a conservative Catholic home and attended Creighton Preparatory School, a private Jesuit high school for boys.

• When he was a pre-teen, his mother’s home daycare business collapsed, and his family’s home was foreclosed.

• A few years later, his parents moved to take care of an aging relative, and he lived with his grandmother until 18.

• In 2007, he enrolled at the University of Nebraska Omaha and studied music while working as a restaurant manager at a casino.

• He worked mostly at night but struggled to balance work and studies, so he dropped out of college in 2010. Within a year, he was fired from his job because of workplace politics and difficulty understanding others’ emotions.

• He later worked as a carpet cleaner, worked 12-hour days for commission, and earned $3–4 an hour on average. In 2011, he quit his job and started streaming Starcraft II matches full-time on livestream.com, ustream.tv, and Justin.tv.

• In October 2011, he joined Quantic Gaming and placed fourth in the MLG Global North American Invitational. He became known for an abrasive and confrontational style and used offensive humor during Starcraft II streams.

• He identified as a libertarian until 2012 and then shifted toward social liberalism after hearing a homophobic slur from another streamer.

• From 2016, he hosted political debates with internet personalities on Twitch. In March 2017, he debated YouTuber JonTron on immigration and assimilation after JonTron supported anti-immigration comments by Steve King. In summer 2018, Twitch suspended him for 30 days for using a homophobic slur.

• In 2017, he debated Lauren Southern and used Germany’s GDP growth to counter her claims about refugees and welfare systems.

• In November 2018, he co-hosted The DT Podcast with streamer Trihex. In December 2018, he moved from Nebraska to Los Angeles. In October 2019, The DT Podcast ended after a confrontation between the co-hosts.

• In 2019, he debated in favor of capitalism against socialists and communists. In 2020, Twitch ended his partnership agreement for comments endorsing violent action against rioters during the George Floyd protests.

• Destiny and streamer Mychal “Trihex” Jefferson ended their joint show in 2019 after a disagreement about racial language.

• Destiny had argued that white people could use the n-word in private situations, which caused criticism and the end of their podcast.

• He later apologised for his tone in that argument but did not take back his original statement. A video clip also spread online where he said he had “choked” a past partner, which created controversy.

• He later said that his words were exaggerated and that he had become calmer with age and financial stability.

• In 2020, he supported Joe Biden’s presidential campaign and organized canvassing efforts for Democratic candidates Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock.

• He streamed for long hours, often up to sixteen hours a day, combining gaming, debates, and political discussions.

• By 2020, his Twitch account had more than five lakh followers, and about ten thousand viewers watched his live streams daily.

• He earned between three lakh and four lakh dollars each year through streaming, advertisements, and donations from viewers.

• He lived in a small apartment in Glendale and followed a simple lifestyle despite his high income. His computer setup included two monitors, a microphone, studio lights, and paintings made by his partner, Melina Göransson.

• He owned a Ford Focus RS car, which was one of his few expensive items. He often skipped breaks during streams and usually ate only one or two meals per day.

• He said he rarely faced any physical problems or body pain even after sitting for long streaming sessions.

• Destiny presented left-leaning political views in a gaming community that mostly leaned toward right-wing or libertarian opinions.

• He debated with several right-wing speakers, including Lauren Southern and Nick Fuentes, using statistics and logic to argue his points.

• He supported social democratic ideas but also accepted capitalist principles in his discussions and online debates. He focused on practical outcomes and said that real-world results were more important than moral arguments in politics.

• He described his own communication style as direct and logical, influenced by early online rationalist culture.

• He said that a strong and confident debate style helped him reach audiences normally influenced by right-wing creators.

• Researchers such as Josh Citarella said that Destiny’s debates helped move online viewers toward moderate and liberal content.

• Streamer Hasan Piker credited Destiny for helping to clean up negative gamer culture and for promoting open political conversations.

• Destiny met his partner, Melina Göransson, after she contacted him on Instagram in 2019. She appeared on his streams sometimes but received online harassment and negative comments from some of his viewers.

• He said that such viewer behaviour came from jealousy among his fans who disliked his relationships. People who met him in person described him as quiet and socially awkward compared to his online personality.

• During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Twitch viewership increased by more than seventy percent, and Destiny’s audience also grew.

• By that time, most of his viewers were below twenty-three years of age and watched his streams regularly.

• Destiny became one of the few streamers who mixed gaming, political debates, and social discussions for young online audiences.

• His volunteers knocked on an estimated 17,500–20,000 doors in Columbus, Georgia, during the Senate runoffs. In 2021, he debated Marxian economist Richard D. Wolff, defended capitalism, and criticized socialism’s historical record.

• In 2021, he led canvassing efforts for Mark Gudgel’s Omaha mayoral campaign, but Gudgel cut ties after Bonnell’s riot-related comments.

• In late 2021, he relocated to Miami, Florida. In December 2021, he married Swedish streamer Melina Göransson in an open marriage.

• In March 2022, Twitch banned him indefinitely for hateful conduct, possibly because he streamed with banned streamer Nick Fuentes or made comments on trans athletes.

• In 2023, after the Hamas attack on Israel, he supported Israel and argued against the Palestinian right of return. In September 2023, he interviewed U.S. Representative Ro Khanna about youth political participation and progressive policies.

• In December 2023, he and Göransson separated and filed for divorce.

• In March 2024, he debated the Israeli–Palestinian conflict on the Lex Fridman Podcast with Norman Finkelstein, Benny Morris, and Mouin Rabbani.

• In early 2024, he co-hosted the “Bridges” and “Anything Else?” podcasts. In 2024, he endorsed Kamala Harris and debated YouTuber John Doyle, who supported Donald Trump.

• In February 2024, he organized canvassing efforts in Cincinnati, Ohio, for Sherrod Brown’s Senate race. After the first 2024 assassination attempt on Donald Trump, he said Trump and his supporters “reap what they sow“.

• In late 2024, members of his Reddit and Discord communities started a campaign against Twitch and pressured its advertisers and leadership. Some campaign activists, including his co-host Dan Saltman, harassed Twitch employees and journalists.

• Saltman was banned from Twitch in November 2024 for extreme harassment.

• On 9 September 2025, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson shot and killed conservative activist Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University.

• Soon after, he appeared on Piers Morgan Uncensored and refused to condemn the killing. He said conservatives should be afraid of getting killed and urged them to “turn the temperature down.”

• His remarks went viral and sparked backlash on social media. Elon Musk called for his arrest and said he could stream after serving jail time. Twitch then banned Destiny for hateful conduct, and he publicly shared the ban statement.