Musician Antwan André Patton (known as “Big Boi,” or one half of duo Outkast) performed during this year’s Super Bowl halftime show wearing a full-length fur coat. The musician’s fans took to Twitter to express their disdain for his poor choice of clothing. “Please stop wearing the skin of beautiful animals who wanted to live and died in the [most] brutal, painful way possible,” one Twitter user said. “You’re in the spotlight. You have the power to persuade simply by what you choose to wear,” another said. “Consider the impact you could make by choosing not to wear fur.” Patton often tweets photos and videos of puppies, an action several of his followers pointed out was hypocritical as dog fur is sometimes found in clothing made from other intelligent animals. In addition to the Twitter backlash, animal-rights groups have responded with online and in-person protests condemning the singer’s cruelly begotten coat. “Our hearts sank when you took the stage during the Super Bowl in a fur coat,” a letter sent to the rapper by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) read. “You have many, many fans here at PETA and around the country who love your music, and were thrilled when it was announced that you’d be involved in the halftime show. Can we please convince you to make that your last appearance in a fur coat?” Animal fur has fallen out of favor in recent years among consumers, designers, and fashion brands alike. Last year alone, brands such as Chanel and Donna Karan/DKNY banned fur in future collections, designer Donatella Versace said, “It doesn’t feel right” to kill animals for fashion, and Los Angeles banned the sale and manufacture of fur within city limits—with a California-wide ban currently under consideration by state lawmakers.
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