Square Enix: Please reconsider putting the Native American war bonnet attire in-game.

[Anselmet]

Silly op, did you NOT note how there isn't any feathers in your supposed 'war bonnet'? For someone who seems they can be offended for the sake of a certain demographic, you seem to not know about the headdress called the roach. Some were worn by male warriors only, however in many tribes they were sport wear to dance wear. They are not spiritual in most tribes.

They come in all sorts of shapes and sizes and is probably a big inspiration for the new gear. http://reznjun.com/content/roach-headdresses/

[Archaell]

If we remove the items from the game now after they were announced we are gonna have much bigger group of people offended by that "politically correct" gesture.

And what if the gear is related to some tribes of Ala Mhigo? Would you rip it away from their culture? Forcing your beliefs on Ala Mhigans seems heavily racist imho.

[D-chan]

There's a dichotomy here because I've seen a couple people (on tumblr, mind you, not here) voice that this is offensive because it could* be lumping aspects from several different cultures together under the blanket idea of a "Native American" or "tribal" outfit. Yet, chances are FFXIV probably didn't want the costumes to hold any direct ties to clothing from any one specific group because A) If they messed up any miniscule detail, people would be enraged and B) It could be cause for argument that a specific culture is being "appropriated" when there is a direct tie to a real life group of people. My guess is--with not just this outfit but everything else, such as the Thav sets or Ul'dahn culture--that they didn't want to carbon copy from any actual group of real life people and their culture.

*I say "could" because I have seen no one specify exactly what tribe(s)/culture(s) this is/could be from.

[Masquerade]

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

[D-chan]

This is probably not meant to be a "Cherokee outfit" or a "Sioux outfit" or whatever you want to fill in the blank, but instead a "tribal outfit." We have beast tribes (the Ixali and Vanu in particular having their own ornaments similar to the new gear), we have Seeker of the Sun tribes, we have Au Ra tribes... "tribal" is a pretty common theme in the XIV universe. I think we need to bear in mind this is a fantasy setting with fantasy cultures/places/people and while it obviously takes inspiration from real life locations, cultures, and religions, it is not meant to actually depict these things.

[Khalithar]

War bonnets are extremely sensitive cultural items that are generally "restricted" items. That is, it is offensive for non-Native Americans to wear them, or anyone to wear them who hasn't earned the right to do so.

They are earned through acts of heroism and putting them in the game where player characters can access them at all is trampling all over Native Americans.

The beliefs and customs behind the headdress are of absolutely no concern to me whatsoever, if I think the headdress looks cool I'm going to wear it.

[Aryalandi]

Jakoh Wahconda mithran chieftainess of Kazham
Does not seem to worry about if people are offended by her headgear


Neither do Perih Vashai or Romaa Mihgo for that matter, because those things are a part of /their/ culture.

It is perfectly acceptable to bring elements of real life cultures in to a video game that has groups that are sometimes based off of real life cultures, personally I have been waiting for the inclusion of more of this sort of gear forever, up until now the only set I have /loved/ for my miqo'te besides the thavnairian set was the skyhunter/lancer/ect set.

It will be wonderful to be able to finally get closer to the original theme i had in mind for my character who has had relatively little in the way of glamor in her life.

And I can agree with something else too, the warrior of light has /earned/ their gear. no one in the history of any world deserves it more >.>

[D-chan]

And that's not even touching the other issue of representation. OP's husband also said on tumblr that he "side-eyed" the afro when it was added in game. If we can only add in features, clothing, and items related to white people and western/European cultures because anything else is "appropriation" or "racism," we end up with a white-washed setting that will surely earn much more just complaints of racism. PoC and minorities need respectful representation. If they find this offensive on their own, that's one thing, but we don't need OP trying to speak for them and even worse--call them racist if they don't believe something representing their own culture being put into the game is "appropriation."

[CaptainLagbeard]

And that's not even touching the other issue of representation. OP's husband also said on tumblr that he "side-eyed" the afro when it was added in game. If we can only add in features, clothing, and items related to white people and western/European cultures because anything else is "appropriation" or "racism" we end up with a white-washed setting that will surely earn much more just complaints of racism.

We'd end up with pretty much nothing, because you can make these appropriation bullshit arguments on just about everything, because people in different parts of the world independently of each other had the same ideas, and they seem to run on the idea that because someone else also thought of it nobody should be allowed to have it.

[Bebekurenai]

So what about Halloween or Carnaval (in Europe), when kids dress up as Cowboys and Indians, with cowboy hat and pistols and indian war bonnets? That ain't offensive?
Please, just because you feel offended doesn't mean you're right or entitled to anything.
Is this meant to offend? Is SE taking the piss of native americans and that's why they are releasing this bonnet? No? Then why are you offended? Are we supposed to ban things so you don't get offended? What if they created this to show respect to the people? What if they created it for no reason? Just by showing or wearing something doesn't mean it's done with the purpose of offending you know.
I'm offended that you are offended!