Listen y’all: don’t call Ava DuVernay an “auntie.” The director of When They See Us said she doesn’t feel sufficiently old to hold such a title—even when it’s said out of respect.

DuVernay was chatting with reporter Van Lathan about her latest Netflix series, which tells the story of the 1989 Central Park jogger case and the five men who were wrongfully accused and later exonerated.

Still, when Lathan, who said he’s “from the south,” began calling DuVernay “Ms. Ava,” she opened up in regards to the other labels of respect that folks attempt to bestow upon her, including “Auntie Ava.”

“To start with, I even have an actual issue with recently I’ve been getting called on Twitter ‘Auntie Ava,’” the 46-year-old began. “Why?! Why?! Am I that old? Because I don’t feel that old.”

When Lathan clarified that folks are likely giving her the auntie title due to “the burden that you simply bring” to the culture through all of her film projects, DuVernay said that she “appreciate[s] that.”

“I’ve been feeling some kinda way about it,” she still admitted.

After the interview, when the term “auntie” began trending on Twitter, DuVernay issued a clarification.

“For the record, I happily reply to: ‘Hello, Ms. DuVernay,’ ‘Hello, Sis,’ ‘Hello, Queen,’ ‘Hello, Family,’ ‘Hello, Ava’ (safest bet),” she wrote. “Ms. Ava is tremendous in case you’re under 18.”

She added, “Thanks for showing me respect regardless, Van. Had a good time talking to you. Wishing you all good things.”

Since then, a complete conversation in regards to the term auntie used on Black Twitter and within the Black community erupted on social media. While some commentators embrace the term “auntie,” others simply aren’t here for it.

DuVernay has been hard at work promoting her latest Netflix series, When They See Us.

The director told ESSENCE that she remembered “hearing in regards to the crime itself” when the story first broke back within the 80s. She hopes that this case will help us interrogate the media and the justice system.