Behind the Virtual Veil: Why Kim Kardashian Flashing Her Heiney Is not Empowering Anyone
Unless you've been living under a rock somewhere, you've probably seen the infamous pictures of Kim Kardashian from 'Paper' Magazine. One has her in a skin-tight dress, shooting champagne into a glass balanced on her prominent derriere. The other features a completely nude Kim from the back, glistening in oil, her bare bottom taking center stage.
Kim Kardashian seems pretty comfortable taking scantily clad pictures of herself. She even claims she finds it empowering. Well, maybe.
On the one hand, women should feel comfortable in their own skin. And if they feel comfortable enough to be confident about their own sexuality, so much the better. The thing is, I'm not convinced that Kim actually does exemplify this confidence, or that she should be the standard for women looking to do the same.
The pictures are obviously air brushed and photoshopped, to the point that her figure looks almost like Jessica Rabbit's in terms of its cartoon-y proportions. There are no stretchmarks, no folds or wrinkles, no imperfections. Nothing.
Part of being comfortable in one's body is learning to accept one's imperfections and flaws. I haven't been able to this yet. I am very self-conscious about the way I look -- and this is due in part to the impossible-to-attain standards set by the media for women, with gratuitous air-brushing and touch ups and Photoshopping. Women don't even look like real women by the time they hit the newstands.
I don't think a celebrity who spends most of her time hiding behind the virtual veil can really claim to be empowered or empowering. Especially when you stop to take the time to really consider why she is doing this in the first place -- for herself, or for the people who spend money to look at such images? Is that empowerment? Or is that perpetuating the objectification of women in a capitalist society?
Kim Kardashian seems pretty comfortable taking scantily clad pictures of herself. She even claims she finds it empowering. Well, maybe.
On the one hand, women should feel comfortable in their own skin. And if they feel comfortable enough to be confident about their own sexuality, so much the better. The thing is, I'm not convinced that Kim actually does exemplify this confidence, or that she should be the standard for women looking to do the same.
The pictures are obviously air brushed and photoshopped, to the point that her figure looks almost like Jessica Rabbit's in terms of its cartoon-y proportions. There are no stretchmarks, no folds or wrinkles, no imperfections. Nothing.
Part of being comfortable in one's body is learning to accept one's imperfections and flaws. I haven't been able to this yet. I am very self-conscious about the way I look -- and this is due in part to the impossible-to-attain standards set by the media for women, with gratuitous air-brushing and touch ups and Photoshopping. Women don't even look like real women by the time they hit the newstands.
I don't think a celebrity who spends most of her time hiding behind the virtual veil can really claim to be empowered or empowering. Especially when you stop to take the time to really consider why she is doing this in the first place -- for herself, or for the people who spend money to look at such images? Is that empowerment? Or is that perpetuating the objectification of women in a capitalist society?
No comments have been added yet.
