As some of you may know 4/20 a.k.a. National Weed Day was this week and a lot of people participated in the festivities. Even Kylie Jenner, although her participation got her into a little trouble.
Snapchat is always known to change their face filters from day to day and this time they decided to go with a Bob Marley face filter for 4/20.
Kylie decided to play with the filter and posted a video to her Snapchat story saying, "4/20 yaaaahhss bitch yaaahhhhsss!"
According to The Guardian the filter pastes Marley's face to the user's face, adding cartoon dreadlocks and a cap.
Soon after this was posted social media blew up and accused Jenner of cultural appropriation, putting Snapchat at fault for creating the filter.
Please avoid using the #Snapchat Bob Marley filter. Blackface is blackface. (& if you think blackface isn't racist we got problems)
— Matt Nazario-Miller (@MattMNazario) April 20, 2016
Shame on #Snapchat for this Bob Marley filter. He was known for actual important things. Not this stupid "holiday" and weed. @Snapchat
— Elani (@_ElaniR) April 20, 2016
hoooooooly shit @Snapchat what the fuck were you thinking with the Bob Marley blackface filter?
— Rosie (@rsiereilly) April 20, 2016
This is not the first time Kylie was accused of cultural appropriation.
Last year, she posted a selfie wearing cornrows with the caption,"I woke up like diss" to her Instagram.
Hunger Game actress, Amandla Stenberg came across Jenner's post and found it highly offensive.
“When u appropriate black features and culture but fail to use ur position of power to help black Americans by directing attention towards ur wigs instead of police brutality or racism #whitegirlsdoitbetter," said Stenberg.
It as if Kylie doesn't actually know that some of the things she does can come off offensive to other cultures. However, since she has been accused of cultural appropriating more than once, she should educate herself on the actual meaning. That way she'd understand why she's getting backlash from it.
Even though Kylie is a public figure and she should know better than to post things that could start controversy, Snapchat is the one at fault here.
When asked if they thought about whether or not this filter would be harmful or offensive to some people, Snapchat took a more respectful approach and said that the filter was created to give tribute to Bob Marley.
"The lens we launched today was created in partnership with the Bob Marley Estate, and gives people a new way to share their appreciation for Bob Marley and his music. Millions of Snapchatters have enjoyed Bob Marley’s music, and we respect his life and achievements."
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