In March 2016, Kim Kardashian – reality TV darling, self-proclaimed breaker of the internet and one of the most famous, albeit controversial, women on the planet – posted a nude photo on Instagram that has divided opinion. The photo in question, a mirror selfie in which only superimposed black blocks preserve Mrs. Kardashian West’s modesty, has thus far been liked over 1.8 million times; at first glance you may presume that this is a decidedly celebrated photo indeed.
Yet a brief scroll through just a few of the thousands of comments regarding the photo provide an acutely different story. Whilst there are an abundance of supportive comments, specifying the extraordinary body confidence that Kim is demonstrating in particular, there are just as many negative and hateful remarks. Many remind Kim of the fact her young children – North and Saint – may stumble across these pictures when they are older, and even more contend that this sort of image should be reserved for the eyes of Kim’s husband only. Sadly, an even greater volume taunt Kim in the crude, sexist terms that we see employed far too often on social media.
It’s not only Instagram trolls chastising Kim for this risqué post. A bitter war of words commenced on Twitter when actress Chloë Grace Moretz added her opinion to the mix, tweeting Kim: “I truly hope you realize how important setting goals are for young women, teaching them we have so much more to offer than just our bodies”. Chloë’s cutting comment has resulted in nearly as much controversy as the initial picture itself. Was Chloë simply asking Kim to use her platform in a positive way? It’s possible. Kim certainly has a responsibility to encourage her legion of impressionable young female fans to get a good education, work hard and pursue their dreams in a society that is still disproportionately dominated by men. Kim has been accused of instead enforcing the age-old message that women are simply sexual objects, worth no more than the sum of our body parts.
However, Chloë’s tweet can just as easily be seen as an attack on a woman who does, in many ways, embody all that a modern woman aspires to be. Kim Kardashian has taken a lamentable experience (having had an explicit tape featuring her and her then-boyfriend published for the world to see) into an opportunity to propel herself and her family into the world of riches and celebrity. Kim is a successful entrepreneur, having branched out from reality television in recent years to launch business exploits including a clothing line with her sisters – the ‘Kardashian Kollection’ was stocked at Dorothy Perkins in the UK – and even an app – ‘Kim Kardashian: Hollywood.’ These savvy business moves contributed to Kim’s tremendous earnings of $52.5 million (pre-tax) between June 2014 and June 2015. Even the harshest of critics would find it to hard to argue that Kim is not a symbol of what can be achieved with a little determination.
Kim’s nude selfie can, therefore, be understood as a move encouraging women to love their bodies for what they are, through a social media platform designed to create controversy and discussion. Whilst Chloë’s comment can’t be overlooked – it’s fundamentally important to teach young girls that we are worth so much more than just our bodies – perhaps, Kim Kardashian is a far better role model than her Instagram account might suggest to some.
Edited by Jenine Tudtud
Image Sources:
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