Where White Supremacy coddles White Femininity: Still more than 'space buns'.

Strong Warnings for racial, ableist, homophobic and religious slurs. Also warnings for transphobia, homophobia and threats of rape.

(1. A screenshot of stardewleaf/Fifi using transphobic language against someone who called her out. The discussions of transphobia is important to the article. 2.Midori-- a friend and supporter of user Stardewleaf or Fifi, calling a hair style worn by black people 'worms' in an offensive way. Keep in mind, a lot of black kids are made fun of for thier hair and have had their hair compared to worms)

It’s no secret that white women are exempt from actions of racism. Usually coddled, or separated from specific actions themselves--white women have always been painted as innocent bystanders to racist acts.

Whether it be slavery, genocide, or even acts of racism today that still negatively impact people of color and black people as a whole--white women are never the ones to take blame. This also includes if a white woman herself is the source of a specific racist act.

We’ve seen famous white women celebrities get accused of racism and cultural appropriation by various people of color (ex. Scarlett Johansson, Lana Del Rey or even Taylor Swift) only to be defended and excused at large by their fanbases. And in these cases, because these women are regarded as feminists and champions for women’s rights--it’s very difficult to call them out on any form of racism. In situations like this, white liberalism is usually what saves these women from being held accountable for their actions.

Yet in other cases--and in communities and groups where feminism and liberalism are scarce--such as gaming, reddit, 4chan and incel like communities that are known for racism and alt right ideologies, where is the intersection of white femininity, fragility and white supremacy? Meaning, does this idea of the innocent white woman exist in places where misogyny is rampant?

Well for this, look no further than user stardewleaf from Twitter, or Fifi, who has gained popularity for the recent animal crossing hair discourse. For those of you who are unaware, Fifi gained an outstanding amount of support after some black users called her out for appropriating black animal crossing hairstyles that black gamers had petitioned for months to get in the game.

While some believe it just to be hair and a game, others see it as work put in by black women being ignored and taken, and therefore many have dubbed Fifi’s actions as anti blackness and appropriation. Read more about it here.

That said, Fifi has gained over five thousands followers due to this. Now at thirteen thousand followers, who followed her specifically because of the accusations of cultural appropriation and black bloggers calling her out--we can see the correlation. It is clear to see where white supremacy will defend white femininity.

The point is, misogyny is a huge issue in gaming communities. When Animal Crossing New Horizons was released, many gaming communities refused to see Animal Crossing fans as “real gamers” given that Animal Crossing is still heavily associated with women and lgbt+ gamers. Because of these harmful, toxic masculine and alt right ideologies, gaming communities unfortunately are not welcoming to women and queer people in general.

So the fact that Fifi has gained so much support from these types of groups may be shocking at first yet, we must remember that racism in these communities--specifically anti blackness--is one of the pillars that makes them. Coupled with misogyny and homophobia, this time directed specifically at black fans and fans of color--it is again, not really an enigma. Here are some examples of Fifi's followers below:

White supremacy will always be there to protect white femininity. Despite being almost thirty years old, Fifi is still being infantized. She is still being turned into this innocent bystander, a

‘Girl’, this blameless white women who must be protected despite the acts of racism being prevalent right before her.

And Fifi’s followers, her ‘incel army’ as many have dubbed them, are not shy of their views and opinions of people of color and black people. Actions raging from racial and islamaphobic slurs, ableism, to harassment to doxing, to straight up denying racism--have shown us the type of crowd Fifi festers.

(Midori is one of the many people who has been supporting Fifi from the beginning, even sporting black hair styles in support and referring to them in ableist and degrading ways)

On top of that, an article published in support of Fifi is featured on a website called the SausageRoll. From first glance, the SausageRoll clearly supports harmful, transphobic and misogynistic views--and again, these are clear examples of the people who are supporting Fifi.

(Also, SausageRoll claims Fifi was doxed, which is inaccurate and has no basis. However, Fifi's boyfriend and followers did dox someone).

Fifi’s support also comes from reddit and 4chan--sites known to fester racism and white supremacy in gaming communities.

That said--Fifi may not be as innocent as many people have been led to believe. As recent discoveries of an old account possibly run by her is starting to run its rounds. The issues here? Fifi is being accused of saying racial and ableist slurs in her past. From using the r slur, to using the n slur as well in a way to go directly after black people:

Many people dispute the evidence, yet just as many support it. Regardless of what there is to be believed, it's up to you.

Yet, these accusations have shed more light to the event, and in a way divorce Fifi from the helpless victim many were attempting to paint her out to be.

Yet, to supporters who are incels, and who are no strangers to racial slurs and white supremacy--these accusations mean nothing. In fact, there have been some who have said that despite the evidence--her past makes them want to support her more.

On top of that, when it comes to those who have called Fifi out--many of her followers have resorted to racial and religious harassment in order to defend FiFi. Also for context, the blogger who brought up these accusations of Fifi's racist past, Maryam, is Muslim and since then has locked their account due to the racist and islamaphobic harassment. These responses are from Fifi's followers/supporters:

Recent events have even shown FiFi’s boyfriend, Exiled Panda or AJ doxing a blogger by the name of Dylan who has attempted to hold her accountable for her racism--all the while, her followers still support her.

It is also shown, by Fifi herself and friends, that Fifi knew of her boyfriend's problematic behavior toward Dylan and others--but still supported it until it was tied to her. Like Maryam, given the threats on both Dylan, his family and the leaking of his addresses and even his father's obituary, he too has locked his account.

Even in recent updates, Fifi herself has been shown to use harmful, transphobic language by means of mocking the pronouns of people who call her out in addition to making up false accusations, while hiding behind the fact that she is "vulnerable" (something not mentioned until recently) to hide behind her actions whilst keeping up an innocent persona.

(Below if Fifi excusing what she said above--in short, she is excusing and justifying mocking a persons pronouns becuase they got her upset)

All the while homophobic, transphobic and racist followers (that she has not once denounced) continue to support her. These responses are in response to her being transphobic.

Even on reddit (as I’ve early on discussed how reddit, many people do not care about her racist past) many find her racist past as a reason to defend her more. Because of the ‘space buns’ ordeal, Fifi has been dubbed as a role model, a savior almost--and now, as an alt right gamer who is still seen as innocent in the eyes of many.

(A thread from reddit -- praising Fifi for 'triggering' the SJWs)

It’s important to realize that many alt right gamers came from various sites--with no knowledge and or care of Animal Crossing simply to defend Fifi given she is seen as a beacon of racism within gaming communities. Fifi validates what many gamers have wanted for years and that is anti blackness and misogyny that cannot be challenged. Despite her supposed history of racism and ableism, FiFi is able to retain an innocent persona that continues to be propped up by al right crowds.

To conclude, it’s important to recognize the intersection of white femininity, and white supremacy. With this, we need to realize that when it comes to racism--all acts of racism, white women are not exempt nor are they the innocent bystanders many make them out to be.

Fifi’s case isn’t unique, and there have been many instances where white women are not only exempt from their own acts of racism, but also hailed as innocent figures and role models for being racist.

It's important to reflect on the fact that this all started becuase of hair. Because black gamers put in effort to feel represented, and asked for nonblack people not to take what they'd worked so hard on or simply just call the specific hair style by correct term, "Afro Puffs", not 'space buns' or 'space worms'. In response to that, there has certainly been an influx of hatred in the Animal Crossing community, while racists gamers are coddled and even validated.

Hopefully in the future, in not just Fifi’s case but in the case of many white women who are coddled for racism, we can learn to discern innocence from malicious acts of racism--specifically antiblackness. But until then, it’s important to listen to people of color and black people when they speak about racism, and boost their voices.