Samie Robinson, an Australian model, posted an Instagram photo today of her friend in blackface, dressed to look like Lil Wayne.
When another Instagram user criticised the image, the 18-year-old model replied by calling them racist. "Would it not be more racist to portray him as a white man, which he clearly isn't?" she wrote.
After repeatedly defending the image, Robinson eventually deleted it.
The friend shown in blackface, Lillian Garrett, is a frequent YouTube user who has multiple videos featuring blackface and yellowface.
Garrett generally parodies music videos, dressing up as artists like Kanye West and Nicki Minaj.
When reached for comment, Hans Stauch of IMG Models, Robinson's agency, told BuzzFeed the company had nothing to do with the model's personal accounts.
"It's her personal Instagram and we don't have any comment. I understand the sensitive nature of the post but it has nothing to do with IMG Models, it's a personal account," he said. "Samie is not there to cause any problems and she has deleted the post."
Although the picture has been deleted, social media users are still expressing anger.
To have a #blackface costume shows your ignorance about racial understanding. Cultural appropriation is never meant to be funny
Hey @IMGModelsAu you may be about to have a shitstorm on your hands... https://t.co/3zX4ArVrq3 #blackface #racist #racism #samierobinson
The photo has been taken down. Something tells me the media has seen this....
@TheTwoChairs @Ebswearspink Racism is intrenched and a part of the national psyche - a week is optimistic. A day - unlikely. A minute - may
@Ebswearspink if Chris Lilley can get away with it on #abctv why not. #imbecile #racism #hideous #notforme
