Kim Kardashian has come out with a new line of beauty products.
This seems like a logical step for the former sex tape actress, but the business venture has already landed Kardashian in trouble for two reasons:
ONE, she’s been accused of straight up copying Kylie Jenner, considering Kim’s half-sister has been dominating the cosmetics game for years now.
Then again, Kylie is getting her own reality show on E! this summer, which one could easily view as the 19-year old following in the footsteps of her sister.
So the safest assumption here may just be that Kim and Kylie are working together to ensure each pushes her brand as strongly as possible.
(Note: By this, of course, we mean that Kris Jenner is the one doing all the working and negotiating and controlling the careers of all her children behind the scenes.)
The SECOND controversy centered around Kim Kardashian Beauty, however, is a bit more serious.
A handful of social media users have taken a look at a Twitter photo released by the star in promotion of her product line and wondered:
Why is Kim Kardashian going blackface?!?
#KKWBEAUTY Creme Contour & Highlight Kit 6.21.17 http://KKWBEAUTY.COM, wrote Kim as a caption to this controversial photo.
This is a pretty serious accusation.
The term “blackface” stems from the 19th century.
Back then, it was a form of theatrical makeup used predominantly by non-black performers to represent an African-American individual.
The practice rose popularity during the over 100 years ago and contributed to the spread of racial stereotypes such as the “happy-go-lucky darky on the plantation” or the “dandified coon.”
Back in 2015, Kylie actually faced the same allegation after she posed in some very dark makeup for a photo spread.
Perhaps most famously in Hollywood, Julianne Hough was slammed for her Halloween costume in 2013 after she darkened her face and features to dress up like a character from Orange is the New Black.
Did Kim mean to stoke racial fires via the pictures above?
We strongly doubt it.
But take a look at a few reactions below to see how she’s done so nevertheless.
This backlash comes just a few days after Khloe Kardashian was accused of “appropriating designs and fashion directly from a black woman with a small business” from designer Destiny Bleu for her Good American clothing line.
So it’s not a great time to be a Kardashian sister at the moment.
It’s not a controversial opinion to state that these siblings are attracted to African-American men. That’s just a fact. Take a look at their dating history.
How does this jibe with their occasionally insensitive actions when it comes to race?
It’s impossible to say.
It’s also conceivable that the Internet is way overblowing its responses to these photos and that Kim had no intention of darkening her face.
Of all the reasons to criticize Kim Kardashian, this one seems like a reach.
But we’re gonna leave it alone. We’re gonna let readers decide and debate.
Do you think Kardashian owes the world an apology for these inappropriate pictures?
