Shifting Identities

S H I F T I N G I D E N T I T I E S

A MOMENT WITH TWISTEDANGEL

INTERVIEW BY ALAERYN EMLU'RATHIAN

TwistedAngel is a sharp, high-spirited console Simmer, writer, and streamer with a deep appreciation for her pagan and Native American heritage. Fascinated by fantasy, TwistedAngel delves deeply into ancient mythologies to tell her stories and create her characters. Angel’s story is of changing identities, of self-rediscovery, and of the blending of many cultures to shape a dynamic personality.

Sims Nation Magazine connected with TwistedAngel to learn more about her Native heritage, her unique experience as a Simmer, and the various ways that the Sims community can create a more inclusive experience for Native players.

Alaeryn: It is such a pleasure to connect

with you! Tell us your story! What brings you to the Sims community?

Angel: I have been playing Sims since the early 2000's. I was interested in the building and the character creation aspects, particularly the Zodiac signs. I actively joined the community when Sims 3 came out, but most of my activity was on modding websites. I created a couple of recolors of things for Sims 2 and 3 as CandyHarlequin, but I really started sharing content on Sims 4. I may not have many files up on the Gallery, but making things look good on the Xbox takes a ton of time.

Alaeryn: Where are you from? How do you

infuse your identity into your gaming or social media experience?

Angel: I am from the great Pacific NorthWest, specifically Lakewood Washington. My identity, aside from being a walking contradiction, is rooted in fantasy. I infuse fantasy into my CAS and Build creations because I am inspired by the legends of my Native American heritage, in which normal humans can do supernatural things. However, I also love fantasy because on top of being Native American, I am also Pagan. This is noted everywhere on my social media profiles.

Alaeryn: You are part Native American. Tell

us more about what this means to you.

Angel: Finding out about being Native American, as someone whose DNA is a cultural cauldron, is something that helped me better understand things about myself. I was adopted; so my interests in mythology, cuisine, culture, and religion never made sense to me; my adoptive family had no interest in those things. Now [that I know my heritage, my interest in fantasy] makes sense. More than that however, being Native American gave me a cultural background to connect with more than being a "Heinz 57" ever could.

Alaeryn: What is your favorite part of Sims?

Are you a Stylist? A Builder? A Storyteller? A little of all three?

Angel: I don't have a favorite part of the Sims. I enjoy all the variety that the game offers. Having said that, I primarily am a Builder and Stylist. I like to storytell, but my stories are reserved for my family as a kind of family game night.

Alaeryn: This month, Sims Nation Magazine is highlighting the experience of indigenous people everywhere. How has your heritage shaped who you are today?

Angel: I absolutely love this question for its complexity in my circumstance. I am Iroquois, and the way my cousin explained it is that we are a blend of multiple tribes collectively known as the Iroquois Nation. She also said we are cousins to the Cherokee. This information plays a big role in who I am because it was very strange to spend over 20 years of my life classifying myself as white/Caucasian to then switch to classifying myself as a Person of Color. Skin tone can be quite deceptive, as when around other PoC - they think initially I am white because I look white. I just laugh and explain that I may look like a pasty white woman but I am part Native American. I am proud of my Native heritage, even though I am not as knowledgeable about it as I would like to be.

Alaeryn: How does your heritage, as a Native, affect your experience in the gaming community?

Angel: I think it is a positive asset overall. I mean, yes there have been issues on various platforms. However, I feel that being Native, and being open about who I am and what I enjoy is a very positive experience. I am proud of who I am, and I encourage others to be proud of their heritage as well.

Alaeryn: What do you think most people misunderstand most about the experiences of indigenous people?

Angel: I think the largest issue people have with the experiences of indigenous people is that frankly history is written from the perspective of the victor. Additionally, despite ample similarities in various indigenous peoples' experiences - it isn't all the exact same. Indigenous people and PoC have been marginalized, oppressed, treated as less than an "amoeba on a flea on a rat" and it is aggravating to feel like you don't matter. Now, in some situations things have improved, but those improvements do not undo or excuse the wrongs that have been done. We cannot change the past, but we can change the future. I think people are working toward a more positive future for everyone and that gives me hope.

Alaeryn: How can Sims 4 better represent

Native people?

Angel: I think that the best things [the Sims team] can do is as follows: first and foremost, [while] I understand kits are another way to make money and I fully agree that people should be paid for their work, [the Sims team should] stop putting cultural representation in kits. [Cultural representation] should be a free update. Secondly, [the team should always] bring in people who belong to the desired, represented culture to provide insight and help with the design process. Finally, [the Sims team should enlist] more creators from the Sims community to work on the various packs and kits. Not only would this encourage cultural acceptance, but it would also excite both the people chosen to help and the rest of the community. These actions would show that we matter, that our thoughts and diversity are important to the franchise, and that [we are] being accurately represented.

Alaeryn: Who are some of your favorite

streamers? Modders? CC creators?

Angel: Okay, I legitimately laughed at this question because if I were to list them all you could easily fill two pages with this one answer! That said, as a console player I cannot list modders for the Sims 4 because we can't use mods sadly. For Sims 2, 3, and 4 - check out Mod the Sims for some very talented modders and CC creators. A favorite CC creator for Sims 2 and 3 on TSR is D2Diamond. For great streamers I recommend Vectruhh, KawaiiFoxita, Nechole _ the _ Sim, Starrfold, Plumbaleena, QueenEggie, Architekh, NutsSweets, HootoftheSims, SphereArcana, ShellSmiley, ImThatPeanut55, Zavocadoplays, strawberrymomma1, SaltynSassy, SizeUpQueen, Nicole _ e88 ... and I'm gonna stop there because otherwise I'll list everyone I enjoy watching. With that said, you can find all my favorite streamers on Twitch (I love you all).

Alaeryn: How can our readers best support you? How can our readers better support indigenous people in general? Is there anything else you’d like us to know?

Angel: The best ways to support me are to download from my Gallery page, leave a comment, and to follow me on Twitter and on Twitch.

To support indigenous people in general, be kind, follow them, and interact with them. This hate malarkey going round needs to stop. It's 2021, we're better than this.

Support indigenous cultures by buying products from them, follow them on social media, but most of all be kind and respect one another.

I'm sporadic, chaotic, and to quote Ava Max "sweet but psycho. ” I'm a walking contradiction, an artist, a gamer, a mama, a sister, and a wife. I love RPGs, and I'm a sucker for steak and potatoes or chicken fettuccini alfredo. I'm a chocoholic, and I absolutely LOVE blended iced mocha Frappes.