Blizzard announced a new legendary skin for Mei in Overwatch, and Twitter is triggered.
The skin, called MM-Mei, sees our Chinese hero sporting cornrows (a traditionally “Black” hairstyle) and Twitter won’t have it.
Put 'em up, MM-Mei is stepping into the ring 🥊
Secure this legendary Mei skin TODAY, just in time for the #OWL2021 May Melee!
Read more ➡️ https://t.co/4UFOc1uQJq pic.twitter.com/f5PnW9TQE4
— Overwatch League (@overwatchleague) April 28, 2021
The official Overwatch League Twitter account made the post on April 28, and the pushback was almost immediate.
“This was not a good choice, it screams tone deaf. The skin is just bad, the idea is bad, and the only people I can imagine defending it is white people,” says one Twitter user.
Another says “Why did you give her cornrows? You should listen to the black people complaining that you gave her a black hairstyle and change this or remove it. This is not good.”
However, cornrows on non-Black MMA fighters is actually pretty common. It’s a practical hairstyle that makes it harder for opponents to pull hair, and it doesn’t come loose and interfere with rigorous physical activity.
But this is Twitter in 2021 we’re talking about, and that’s the same Twitter that was outraged over “space buns” in Animal Crossing: New Horizons.
Check out the peanut gallery for yourself…
WHAT IN THE ACTUAL F… OWL???
it's 2021 ya'll…
CORNROWS ON A NON BLACK PERSON IS LITERALLY NOT OK… Like you could have picked ANY OTHER MMA hairstyle…— whatshertoes (@whatshertoes) April 28, 2021
Who at Blizzard thought it was a good idea to give Mei a hairstyle that her hair texture could never pull off and would have no reason to??? Like clearly the Overwatch team is intentionally trolling Black people, cuz y'all still haven't learned.
— Little Miss NYC Gaymer (@raffyregulus) April 29, 2021
https://twitter.com/k3ybIade_/status/1387508880574455817
Some defenders did point out that yes, many non-Black female MMA fighters do adopt the hairstyle.
It's not a black hairstyle, it's an everyone hairstyle pic.twitter.com/WHf0x7DOG2
— Jordan D (@Jordan_Dewing45) April 29, 2021
A Chinese woman can't wear cornrows? I dare someone to tell this lass that. pic.twitter.com/v4rRPwLpKM
— Johr Dasat, Male/Man, VT Elf 🇺🇸🇵🇱🇺🇦🇻🇦 (@Papataku75) April 29, 2021
While others pointed out that Blizzard could’ve chosen many alternatives.
Didn't really expect this to blow up but I did come to the conclusion that specifically white people will fight tooth and nail to simply not let black people exclusively have things.
— HalfPastCakeTime 👽 (@NintendHoe_69) April 29, 2021
Some publications, like Polygon, have taken issue with the way Blizzard has handled “diversity and inclusion.”
They point out that Dorado, a Mexican map, was based on an Italian city and that Sigma had harmful and outdated mental health tropes. Overwatch 2 will see the introduction of a Black Canadian woman named Sojourn as a playable character, but Polygon points out that there hasn’t been a Black female hero in 5 years.
Blizzard has yet to comment. But do they have to? Just… don’t buy the skin if it offends you.
But that’s too easy.
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