Cultural appropriation in the form of Native American headdresses has now joined the list of banned items at Outside Lands — meaning it's no longer just an insensitive faux pas, its completely prohibited.
"Out of respect for Native American heritage and culture, we do not allow headdresses at Outside Lands," organizers said in a statement. "We are committed to creating a safe, respectful and inclusive environment for all."
As KPIX notes, other banned items include selfie-sticks, totems or flags, coolers, and umbrellas. See the full list here.
And new this year is a requirement that all bags brought into the gates be made of clear plastic — a trend in requirements at other festivals, including the recent Clusterfest in San Francisco.
Controversies about white people wearing Native American headgear at music festivals dates back at least five years, when the Bass Coast Festival chose to ban such headdresses out of respect for the fact that the festival was occurring on tribal lands. But the blog Native Appropriations has been calling out festival-goers since 2010. In 2017, one young woman who was called out on Instagram by Native Appropriations for her Coachella headdress issued a public apology that was picked up by Teen Vogue.
Photo: iamsi_photography