I was scrolling through Twitter recently when I came across a post with a white girl using a gif that contained a black woman. Some people found this offensive and labelled this as “cultural appropriation.” They told her she shouldn’t be able to use gifs with people of color.

I think that this had to have been the dumbest thing I’ve seen in a while.

Should there be limits to what we label as cultural appropriation? When is it taken too far?

The literal definition of cultural appropriation, according to the Cambridge Dictionary, is the act of taking or using things from a culture that is not your own, especially without showing that you understand or respect that culture.

I wasn’t aware that using a gif originated from black culture.

The term that has been established in society for white people using gifs that contain people of color is called “digital blackface.”

Some people assume that when white people use a gif containing a person of color, they are making fun of them or stealing culture. But usually people just use gifs as a tool and method of expression and reactions.

I really don’t believe that this can be categorized as digital blackface. That’s definitely taking things too far.

Everyone needs to get out their feelings when it comes to this.

In no way am I bashing people of color because I, myself, am a person of color. But sometimes we just need to sit back and chill out. Using a GIF containing a black woman, is never that deep.

Here’s an example of actual cultural appropriation, in my book.

Halloween is coming up and that means lots of costumes can be insulting to many different cultures. One example is the Native American costume.

I’ve seen so many cases where people have dressed up as an “Indian chief”or often sexualize Native American women by making revealing costumes.

This is a case in which I say is cultural appropriation.

This is the equivalent of using blackface, believe it or not. It’s not only stealing practices and styles from one culture but also disrespecting it. So many people are ignorant to this especially costume stores who literally label costumes like, “Sexy Indian Woman.”

These are prime examples when I say it’s ok to labeling something as cultural appropriation, but to go so far as to say using gifs containing African-Americans is culturally appropriating a culture is really pushing it.

In no way am I saying that cultural appropriation is okay because it’s definitely not by any means.

Sometimes we just have to chill because not everything is “racist” or “culturally appropriated.”