Blake Lively thought she was just having some fun when she posted two side-by-side pictures of herself on Instagram. One showed her front and the other showed her back as she walked the red carpet at Cannes.
The caption, which reads, “L.A. face with an Oakland booty,” is a line from the Sir Mix-A-Lot song “Baby Got Back.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/BFhx9lGR4Jj/
But the Internet is too woke for Lively’s shenanigans. Jezebel observed that the caption “touts a diametrical opposition: that Los Angeles can be equated to elegance and/or beauty (read: whiteness), and that Oakland is its foil (read: blackness).”
Lively soon received opposing floods of criticism and support on Twitter.
Blake Lively is so problematic lately, but at least she's no one's fav pic.twitter.com/W1hWY6AKLG
— Lauren Duca (@laurenduca) May 18, 2016
Blake lively does indeed have both of those attributes and quoted a song that we all sing along to. What's the problem?
— $hmaya (@shmayacuya) May 18, 2016
The Instagram controversy comes right after Lively defended Woody Allen against criticism from his son Ronan Farrow about his widely alleged history of sexual abuse.
“It’s very dangerous to factor in things you don’t know anything about,” Lively told the Los Angeles Times. “I could [only] know my experience. And my experience with Woody is he’s empowering to women.”
The Internet didn’t particularly like those comments, either.
I just cannot support celebrities who defend racist/criminal behavior. Which is sad– I liked Blake Lively.. but rape apologist have to go.
— Shanelle Little (@ShanelleLittle) May 13, 2016
We’ll be waiting to see whether Lively apologizes for her Instagram caption or doubles down on it.