Using the term “Spirit animal” IS racist, though. Your lack of understanding that the term is racist comes from settler privilege, and not having had to deal with centuries of continued genocide, both physical and spiritual, on your own homeland. There are over 562 federally recognized indigenous nations in “America” alone, and some of those nations DO celebrate spirit animals as incredibly sacred. When people flippantly make jokes about things that are ACTUALLY VERY SERIOUSLY SACRED (see: “tina belcher is my spirit animal!”) it does real, tangible damage to our struggles for survival as indigenous people. YOU do not get to decide if it is racist. WE are capable of deciding that our ceremonies, sacred objects, songs and dances, as well as practices are not up for grabs. By you or any other settler.