I am sick and tired of the pettiness that is pitting women against each other, simultaneously degrading some and commending others. Recently, the Internet has been abuzz with a particular meme that has been shared countless times on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and more. The image in question is this:
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“In a world full of Kardashians, be Diana.”
While it might not seem like a big deal on the surface, when one takes time to really think about what the image is saying, it is evident that the underlying message is misogynistic and distasteful.
Essentially, an entire family of women is compared to one woman. The Kardashians: Kim, Khloé and Kourtney, are reality television stars, businesswomen, models and social media personalities. Diana, Princess of Wales, was British royalty who married into the House of Windsor as wife of Queen Elizabeth’s son, Prince Charles. Sadly, she was killed in a car accident in Paris in 1997. The Kardashians are 35, 31 and 36 years old, respectively. If Lady Di were still alive today, she would be 55 years old. It is evident, therefore, that the lives of the Kardashians and Lady Di are vastly different. Does that, then, merit judging whose life is better, based on whatever terms the image is suggesting?
No. No, it absolutely does not. I am sure anyone with Internet access or a television has seen at least one headline involving members of the Kardashian family’s seemingly controversial life. Yes, Kim made a sex tape. Yes, Khloé has posted material to social media that has offended people and yes; Kourtney’s romance with Scott Disick has drawn criticism in the past. Yes, the Kardashians are rich and a lot of people are confused as to why exactly they are famous.
Lady Diana was dubbed “England’s rose”, and the entire country adored her. However, it is not to say that her life was without controversy either. Her divorce from Prince Charles and whirlwind romance with Dodi Fayed both created tension among the Royal Family and surprised the general public.
Isn’t creating tension and a particular element of surprise what the Kardashians have been doing too? Think about it; they are not hurting anyone or breaking the law. Kim, Khloé and Kourtney simply exist as women (which is difficult enough in today’s society), as Princess Diana did. Controversy does not make anyone, famous or not, a bad person. More importantly, controversy does not make anyone any worse or better of a person than another.
Kim, Kourtney, Khloé and Diana are all lovely, beautiful women that should be celebrated, not pitted against each other. So, the next time something on the Internet promotes misogyny, please, put an end to it.