This is a topic that comes up in improv a lot - actors want to play a character of a given background (gender, orientation, ethnicity), but don't want it to come off as offensive.
The fact is, it's always possible to be offensive no matter what the actor does.
Anecdotally however, playing a character of a given background becomes offensive when the actor portrays a caricature of the background or the actor speaks or acts in a way that takes away the character's humanity. Therefore, it's typically okay to play a character of a specific background, as long as you stay true to how the character thinks or acts as a human, and not as a caricature or cartoon.
The fact is, it's always possible to be offensive no matter what the actor does.
Anecdotally however, playing a character of a given background becomes offensive when the actor portrays a caricature of the background or the actor speaks or acts in a way that takes away the character's humanity. Therefore, it's typically okay to play a character of a specific background, as long as you stay true to how the character thinks or acts as a human, and not as a caricature or cartoon.