Kim Kardashian responds to criticism of blackfishing

[Teletubby 122,351]

Jeremy: So I want to ask how you have navigated criticism around things like blackfishing?

Kim: Obviously, I would never do anything to appropriate any culture. But I have in the past got backlash from putting my hair in braids and I understand that. Honestly, a lot of the time it comes from my daughter asking us to do matching hair. And I’ve had these conversations with her that are like, “Hey, maybe this hairstyle would be better on you and not on me.” But I also want her to feel that I can do a hairstyle with her and not make it that big of a deal either if that’s something that she’s really asking for, and really wants. But I’ve learned and grown over the years, and figured out good ways to communicate with all my kids about all this. I’ve definitely learned over time, and I’ve tried to pass that culture of learning onto my kids too, but then there’s also a history of braiding hair in Armenia, and people forget that I am Armenian as well. 

[QUEENH 711]

Jeez Louise.. Let the woman wear her hair how she wants! I'm biracial and I think people really love to get on their high horse about this stuff just to be offended. People love to be offended. 

[Chic 20,830]

I mean that’s fair enough but I think the extreme tanning injections she uses are the bigger problem here

[DelusionalGaga 29,261]

Not her using North as her shield 

[GAGAVENUS 591]

3 minutes ago, Chic said:

I mean that’s fair enough but I think the extreme tanning injections she uses are the bigger problem here

that's exactly what I was thinking...the hair isn't even half of it

[ShayCristoforo 10,280]

I don't think she blackfishes. She does have Armenian lineage, and I don't think Kim's intention is to "look black".

Kylie Jenner blackfishes for sure. And I think her intention is to look black.

I'm more concerned with how they all commodify black men as "partners".
I mean- as "handbags". 

[myluis617 5,220]

5 minutes ago, xlx said:

Not her using North as her shield 

She is not using her as a shield but okay. 

[Sepsami 17,523]

52 minutes ago, Teletubby said:

there’s also a history of braiding hair in Armenia, and people forget that I am Armenian as well. 

People don't know that's a thing in Armenia and they also don't care enough to learn about it. They'd rather stay wilfully ignorant so they get to point their woke fingers and feel superior 

[Andy McQueen 4,484]

28 minutes ago, Chic said:

I mean that’s fair enough but I think the extreme tanning injections she uses are the bigger problem here

True!

 

 

[Fanta 5,019]

It's the tan, it's the braids, it's the baby hairs, and it's her (and her sisters) doing it consistently and refusing to acknowledge it. I also don't like how 1. she is using her daughter as a shield and 2. she still refuses to flat out say "I did not mean to appropriate black culture and if I did I apologize". It's not 'some cultures', it's black culture and those are the only times she's called out when it comes to appropriating (besides that one time about naming her brand Kimono).

Khloe, for example, literally 'rocked' Bantu knots - a traditionally African hairstyle. They are very aware of what they're doing, and while I am not a black person I personally think she is FoS. The least she can do is admit she took inspiration from black culture because she thought it was cool, got educated on why it may be offensive, and vows to learn better. However, she can't even do that because she knew and ignored it. This is the 'best' she can do.

EDIT: I linked a cool article that goes into depth about why Kim K black-fishing/appropriating black culture is actually way more harmful than some of you think. Her response is tragic.

https://time.com/6072750/kardashians-blackfishing-appropriation/

[calpky 321]

Kim, that answer was kind of a copout.  

Just admit to being inspired by the beauty of another culture. I don't get why borrowing looks or style from another race is such a bad thing. As long as you're paying homage to it and not being disrespectful, where is the issue? Isn't it flattering if anything? 

[moonsago 5,435]

2 hours ago, QUEENH said:

Jeez Louise.. Let the woman wear her hair how she wants! I'm biracial and I think people really love to get on their high horse about this stuff just to be offended. People love to be offended. 

This. People love to just be offended nowadays and fight for the culture they don’t even engage in for the most part but all of a sudden are mad whenever they see someone enjoying something. This entire world is made out of appropriation if we are really going to have this conversation, but it’s very convenient to limit the topic to hair and clothes because all these people that have a problem with it don’t have to give up the mexican food they just had last night for example, you know? Or their cottage inspired home decorations, or is it that white people don’t have culture so it’s okay to take whatever? Ow yes, I forgot, white people don’t own sh*t in their opinion because of SOME ( not all, don’t include ALL white people in this conversation ) european’s countries history of racism. Or their Brazilian or asian hair extensions... LITERALLY another race’s hair... I am applying the same logic ya’ll apply but to everything, as we should if we really wanna do this. So we either have this energy with everything or we don’t, you don’t get to cherrypick what’s culture and what’s not in accordance to your comfort sweety. And believe me, if EVERYBODY was to take back what their race/country invented ( because it’s also unclear if its about race or country cause ya’ll mix it up too ), we would live in a very COLD and empty world, everybody deprived of essential stuff. The culture appropriation ya’ll preach is FAKE and SHALLOW, and its limited to just clothes and hair, because it’s very convenient. And if ya’ll care about exploitation sooo much, because that’s the part that bothers ya’ll then why don’t you fight for the slaves in asians countries working their existance off to make you that pretty fast fashion dress you wear? Just one example. Imagine being a delusional american, being so privilaged to create such stupid problems for the most part because you have the comfort to do so. Ya’ll make a mockery of what appropriation and exploitation really is. Go to Africa and see people deprived of food and water, do you think their problem is somebody wearing their hairstyle? If you care about your people so much like you preach, do something about THAT, a real problem. And that’s one example ofc. In your fight against privilage, you don’t realize the privilage you abuse too, especially when you create problems that don’t exist, or in this case, don’t entirely exist as you present them. 

[Fanta 5,019]

5 minutes ago, calpky said:

Kim, that answer was kind of a copout.  

Just admit to being inspired by the beauty of another culture. I don't get why borrowing looks or style from another race is such a bad thing. As long as you're paying homage to it and not being disrespectful, where is the issue? Isn't it flattering if anything? 

Black people have been ridiculed and shamed for their bodies, big lips, features in general. Their hairstyles and nail art were labelled 'ratchet, ghetto (which is a place), unprofessional'. Their bodies were stereotyped (hips and booty) and in history ridiculed and assaulted, Google Sarah Baartman (warning, extremely graphic and sad).

The reason it is a big issue with the majority in the black community is because it's white people (or non-black celebrities like Kim K) that are not only being credited for these 'trends' but also making them popular and cool because they're on a non-black woman. Kim said her braids were 'Bo Derek braids', Khloe sported Bantu knots (African hairstyle), Kylie allegedly saying she made wigs popular and was being praised for her long nail art. After black women were ridiculed and disrespected for many years, it is a slap in the face for a troll like Kim K (and her family) to show up and claim ownership over what has been considered beautiful in their culture since forever. It is even more dangerous because Kim K does influence millions of girls/women worldwide, which is why we've seen this wave of white girls being obsessed with looking 'exotic' or racially ambiguous since being white and skinny is no longer in.

It's double the insult when Kim is still refusing to address the black community (that she is clearly offending) directly. She's not even paying homage to anyone or even claiming to do so, and while I'm not a psychic I'm sure the reaction would not be as negative had she been clear from the start that she loves and admires the black community's beauty trends, and that they are a major inspiration point for her especially as a mother to biracial black children.

[Fanta 5,019]

Just now, Fanta said:

Black people have been ridiculed and shamed for their bodies, big lips, features in general. Their hairstyles and nail art were labelled 'ratchet, ghetto (which is a place), unprofessional'. Their bodies were stereotyped (hips and booty) and in history ridiculed and assaulted, Google Sarah Baartman (warning, extremely graphic and sad).

The reason it is a big issue with the majority in the black community is because it's white people (or non-black celebrities like Kim K) that are not only being credited for these 'trends' but also making them popular and cool because they're on a non-black woman. Kim said her braids were 'Bo Derek braids', Khloe sported Bantu knots (African hairstyle), Kylie allegedly saying she made wigs popular and was being praised for her long nail art. After black women were ridiculed and disrespected for many years, it is a slap in the face for a troll like Kim K (and her family) to show up and claim ownership over what has been considered beautiful in their culture since forever. It is even more dangerous because Kim K does influence millions of girls/women worldwide, which is why we've seen this wave of white girls being obsessed with looking 'exotic' or racially ambiguous since being white and skinny is no longer in.

It's double the insult when Kim is still refusing to address the black community (that she is clearly offending) directly. She's not even paying homage to anyone or even claiming to do so, and while I'm not a psychic I'm sure the reaction would not be as negative had she been clear from the start that she loves and admires the black community's beauty trends, and that they are a major inspiration point for her especially as a mother to biracial black children.

 

2 minutes ago, moonsago said:

This. People love to just be offended nowadays and fight for the culture they don’t even engage in for the most part but all of a sudden are mad whenever they see someone enjoying something. This entire world is made out of appropriation if we are really going to have this conversation, but it’s very convenient to limit the topic to hair and clothes because all these people that have a problem with it don’t have to give up the mexican food they just had last night for example, you know? Or their cottage inspired home decorations, or is it that white people don’t have culture so it’s okay to take whatever? Ow yes, I forgot, white people don’t own sh*t in their opinion because of SOME ( not all, don’t include ALL white people in this conversation ) european’s countries history of racism. Or their Brazilian or asian hair extensions... LITERALLY another race’s hair... I am applying the same logic ya’ll apply but to everything, as we should if we really wanna do this. So we either have this energy with everything or we don’t, you don’t get to cherrypick what’s culture and what’s not in accordance to your comfort sweety. And believe me, if EVERYBODY was to take back what their race/country invented ( because it’s also unclear if its about race or country cause ya’ll mix it up too ), we would live in a very COLD and empty world, everybody deprived of essential stuff. The culture appropriation ya’ll preach is FAKE and SHALLOW, and its limited to just clothes and hair, because it’s very convenient. And if ya’ll care about exploitation sooo much, because that’s the part that bothers ya’ll then why don’t you fight for the slaves in asians countries working their existance off to make you that pretty fast fashion dress you wear? Just one example. Imagine being a delusional american, being so privilaged to create such stupid problems for the most part because you have the comfort to do so. Ya’ll make a mockery of what appropriation and exploitation really is. Go to Africa and see people deprived of food and water, do you think their problem is somebody wearing their hairstyle? If you care about your people so much like you preach, do something about THAT, a real problem. And that’s one example ofc. In your fight against privilage, you don’t realize the privilage you abuse too, especially when you create problems when they don’t exist, or in this case, don’t entirely exist as you present them. 

Your post is extremely problematic, but I'll play devil's advocate and just assume you're ill-informed on this serious and important topic. I attached my recent post to give you some clarity and insight as to why the black community, specifically black women, takes issue with celebrities like Kim K exploiting beauty trends they started.

[moonsago 5,435]

2 hours ago, calpky said:

Kim, that answer was kind of a copout.  

Just admit to being inspired by the beauty of another culture. I don't get why borrowing looks or style from another race is such a bad thing. As long as you're paying homage to it and not being disrespectful, where is the issue? Isn't it flattering if anything? 

Period. Imagine ganging up and bullying on someone for simply enjoying a hairstyle or liking to tan or wearing a certain outfit... And then these same people preach mental health and a better world. The hypocrisy is REAL. 
 

EDIT: The wording was off and harsh but I still stand behind the idea that not everybody should be portrayed as problematic and an appropriator for genuinely enjoying something as this entire world is made out of what we call today appropriation. Go down the history line and you will see just that. If we are all to take back what each of our races/countries made, we would be at a disadvantage, to say the least, deprived of the most essential things. And yes, some of you do bully these people. You can make a point and not call them names and mock them, as a general idea not just related to Kim. Thank you.