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| ‘Don’t wear them if you're white’: Animal Crossing gamers accused of CULTURAL APPROPRIATION over virtual afro puff hairstyles | ‘Don’t wear them if you're white’: Animal Crossing gamers accused of CULTURAL APPROPRIATION over virtual afro puff hairstyles |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Animal Crossing: New Horizons players found themselves at the center of social justice scorn after being accused of cultural appropriation for wearing an in-game hairstyle some say was only for black people. | Animal Crossing: New Horizons players found themselves at the center of social justice scorn after being accused of cultural appropriation for wearing an in-game hairstyle some say was only for black people. |
| After new hairstyles were added to the game this past week — including afro and cornrows, to the celebration of black players — those of all races took part in attaching the new pieces to their avatars. | After new hairstyles were added to the game this past week — including afro and cornrows, to the celebration of black players — those of all races took part in attaching the new pieces to their avatars. |
| Though non-black players meant no harm in utilizing the game’s new features, they were soon scolded for using the styles — most notably the “afro puffs” — and were instructed to remove them in a scene similar to the viral harassment of a white student for wearing dreadlocks in 2016. | Though non-black players meant no harm in utilizing the game’s new features, they were soon scolded for using the styles — most notably the “afro puffs” — and were instructed to remove them in a scene similar to the viral harassment of a white student for wearing dreadlocks in 2016. |
| After one player from the UK posted a picture of her character in “space buns” to Twitter, other Animal Crossing fans — many of whom were white themselves — complained about the woman’s “very offensive” decision. | After one player from the UK posted a picture of her character in “space buns” to Twitter, other Animal Crossing fans — many of whom were white themselves — complained about the woman’s “very offensive” decision. |
| “This hairstyle was made for people of color so they had more hairstyles in the game,” snapped one user in a since-deleted tweet, adding, “so please respect that this hairstyle isn’t for you to wear.” | |
| “They’re not space buns, please don’t wear them if you’re white !!” declared another, while user @acnhcelestial wrote, “They are afro puffs not space buns. Nintendo didn’t add them for white people or any other race that doesn’t have them in their culture. Please educate yourself.” | “They’re not space buns, please don’t wear them if you’re white !!” declared another, while user @acnhcelestial wrote, “They are afro puffs not space buns. Nintendo didn’t add them for white people or any other race that doesn’t have them in their culture. Please educate yourself.” |
| Many of the angry users have since set their accounts to private following the backlash, however their comments were captured in screenshots. | Many of the angry users have since set their accounts to private following the backlash, however their comments were captured in screenshots. |
| Others made more general comments about white players who were thinking about using the new hairstyles. | Others made more general comments about white players who were thinking about using the new hairstyles. |
| “i dont want to see one white person give their animal crossing characters any of the new hair styles besides the bald one,” one man warned. “dont even think about it” | “i dont want to see one white person give their animal crossing characters any of the new hair styles besides the bald one,” one man warned. “dont even think about it” |
| But not everyone had a negative reaction. | But not everyone had a negative reaction. |
| “im black. my sister is black wear whatever the f**k you want the hair looks super cute on your islander,” one Twitter user declared, while another encouraged, “as a person of color the buns look super cute on ur character :D you aren't appropriating anything, you can wear whatever hairstyles you want on animal crossing :)” | “im black. my sister is black wear whatever the f**k you want the hair looks super cute on your islander,” one Twitter user declared, while another encouraged, “as a person of color the buns look super cute on ur character :D you aren't appropriating anything, you can wear whatever hairstyles you want on animal crossing :)” |
| Since its release on Nintendo Switch in March, Animal Crossing: New Horizons has consistently been in the news. | Since its release on Nintendo Switch in March, Animal Crossing: New Horizons has consistently been in the news. |
| Just this week, Nintendo issued a ban on politics in the game after Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential campaign used it to their advantage — putting Biden-Harris signs in the virtual world and even creating a Biden HQ island. | Just this week, Nintendo issued a ban on politics in the game after Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential campaign used it to their advantage — putting Biden-Harris signs in the virtual world and even creating a Biden HQ island. |
| In May, animal rights group PETA organized a digital raid on a museum containing fish in the game’s world, demanding that the fish be freed. | In May, animal rights group PETA organized a digital raid on a museum containing fish in the game’s world, demanding that the fish be freed. |
| Think your friends would be interested? Share this story! | Think your friends would be interested? Share this story! |