Fans Called Out Beyoncé Over This Inappropriate Concert Shirt

When it comes to her sense of style, Beyoncé rarely puts a foot out of line. But even the queen of the music industry can't get it right all the time, and while most of the outfits on her "Cowboy Carter" tour won points with fans, one look she donned in Paris in June 2025 was slammed by the BeyHive. The "16 Carriages" singer took to the stage in denim-looking hot pants, a Western statement belt, thigh-high fluffy white boots, and the part of the outfit that has been deemed problematic: a white Buffalo Soldiers T-shirt. 

The graphic tee featured a detailed written description of two regiments of Black men during the American Indian Wars known as the "Buffalo Soldiers," and while they played an important role in Black history, fans noted that the description painted other marginalized groups in a negative and harmful light. "Their antagonists were the enemies of peace, order and settlement: warring Indians, bandits, cattle thieves, murderous gunmen, bootleggers, trespassers, and Mexican revolutionaries," the shirt read.

In particular, some fans felt that this language was inflammatory by positioning Native Americans (referred to as "Indian opponents") and Mexicans as the other and the enemy. Online critics also called out Beyoncé for failing to respond to the backlash at all. "Beyoncé's biggest miscalculation is her silence," one observer noted in a Reddit thread about the tee. "Beyoncé hasn't come out unequivocally against/for anything. Her silence protects her but also invalidates her. This is beyond 'complex and nuance.'" While hardcore fans might hesitate to call out their queen for anything, particularly on fashion when Beyoncé's has been slaying in her trendy country era so far, critics have flooded the comment sections of social media posts to clarify that not even Bey is above reproach, particularly when marginalized voices are speaking their truth. 

The majority of backlash for Beyoncé's Buffalo Soldiers T-shirt has centered around Indigenous voices, some of which took to the "Halo" singer's Instagram post to share their opinions. "But what happened at your show in Paris wearing a Buffalo Soldiers T-shirt with no Indigenous representation was a missed opportunity ... and it hurt," wrote one commenter, who signed off their comment as "An Indigenous Artist." They continued, "The Buffalo Soldiers were used by the U.S. government to push westward expansion and forcibly remove Native peoples from their homelands. To wear that imagery, especially in a moment where fashion is meant to uplift and empower, without acknowledging the pain and complexity behind it without centering Native voices felt like a deep erasure." This take points to the fact that it wasn't just what the shirt said, but also the way that Beyoncé failed to acknowledge the complex history behind it, which has rubbed folks up the wrong way. 

"IMO the big issue about the t-shirt is mainly the use of 'warring indians' and 'enemies of peace,'" a Reddit commenter weighed in. "Black people and history can be uplifted without being racist towards other minorities." Meanwhile, another Reddit user took issue with the timing of the shirt given the political situation in the United States: "Even worse given the ICE raids too which she is another thing she is silent about." Members of the public also expressed their disappointment on the blogging platform LiveJournal, where a commenter called the writing "legitimately heinous" and more folks made it clear that Beyoncé's silence would fuel the fire rather than calm it.

In addition to the Native American voices expressing their concerns over Beyoncé's Buffalo Soldiers shirt, Mexican people and those of Mexican heritage shared their frustrations on social media. "As a Mexican-American who admires your work, I was deeply disappointed by your depiction of my ancestors," one wrote beneath Beyoncé's Instagram post. "Where you and your team cast Mexican revolutionaries as villains, we see them as heroes, defenders of our land, our dignity, and our people. Reducing them to 'antagonists' isn't just a creative choice; it reinforces harmful narratives that erase our history and resilience." Another commenter called for "a formal apology to Native American and Mexicans."

As with any online take, the shirt also spurred on loyal Beyoncé fans who defended the singer in the comments. Their arguments mainly focused on the fact that the shirt was framed from the perspective of Black history. "The reality [in my opinion] is that it's an uncomfortable truth that both are true, Mexicans were fighting for their country and were also villains in someone else's story ... " said one Redditor. "And this is a black show with a black perspective and in that context the shirt makes sense to me." Another added, "History is ugly and I see no issue in showing that. Instead of taking issue with a shirt use the time to read up on the history of the group and how relationships between racial minorities have been shaped by the history of this country."

Despite the array of different opinions, this shirt will probably go down as one of Beyoncé's most inappropriate outfits that we'll never forget, especially if Bey keeps up her standard of "never complain, never explain." If you're looking for less divisive "Cowboy Carter" style inspiration, Beyoncé's country Western-inspired nails are so easy to recreate.