Kim Kardashian is many things: a savvy businesswoman, a makeup queen, a fashion icon and a billionaire, what she is not, however, is relatable. And the reality star has come up against backlash for once again failing to recognise her “wealth privilege” during a recent interview with Allure.
As part of the August issue of the magazine, for which the Skims founder is the cover star, the newly-blonde Kardashian discussed the fact that despite "genuinely caring about looking good", she is finally "at peace" with being imperfect, something she has previously struggled to accept.
She also went into detail about the beauty treatments that she currently uses, including giving herself “laser treatments” once she has put the kids to bed. In fact, several of the star's comments in the article were heralded by fans as “refreshing” from one of the Kardashian-Jenner clan, with fans praising Kim's honesty about the work she has had done and the parts of her body she struggles to accept.
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However, one comment in particular received less than a warm reception. When asked if she feels “responsible, even guilty, for setting an unrealistic, unattainable beauty standard", KK replied “If I’m doing it, it’s attainable."
Adding: "There are so many different beauty standards — whether it’s Gwen Stefani, Jennifer Lopez, Marilyn Monroe. When I was a teenager, [the look] was just blonde waifs.
“I got psoriatic arthritis, so I couldn’t really move my hands.”
“My mentality was never like, you see them on TV or in magazines and pick who you want to be. It was always: Be yourself, find beauty in everything."
And it's this view of herself as a relatable role model that has really whipped up anger among those who have read the interview, with people calling out Kim’s “out of touch” and “delusional” claim that her beauty standards could be achieved by anyone.
“Attainable my arse. Only for those in her air bubble. And rich celebrity types similarly wrapped up in their own worlds,” one person tweeted. “Laser treatments when her kids are in bed? Lol I barely have time for a shower a day as a mother & carer.”
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Another person replied to a post on Instagram, @'ing the star: “Yeah no it’s not @KimKardashian you have wealth privilege. Many people, including myself, don't. Tone deaf and out of touch.”
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Many online also drew parallels to Molly Mae's comments earlier this year on the Diary of a CEO podcast, where she insisted that everyone has the “same 24 hours in a day” and so no one has an excuse not to be successful.
“Why is this normal?”
“Sorry but Kim’s comments on her beauty standards being attainable feel like the same sort of gaslighting as when Molly Mae told us all we had the same 24 hours in a day. Her standards are not attainable but she’s too far removed from reality to know that - this is the exact reason why we have to stop asking the mega rich and famous for their advice or opinion, it literally has no link to our own realities,” one Instagram user wrote on their story alongside a screenshot of the magazine cover.
Perhaps the problem is not that Kim sets unattainable standards and lives in a billionaire bubble that many of us couldn't even comprehend - that's her lot in life - it's her, and other celebrities, insistence that they are still ‘one of us’ and that anyone can follow in their footsteps.
Kim Kardashian herself has yet to comment on the backlash, instead she's been busy promoting an exclusive first look at the second season of the family's hit Hulu show, The Kardashians. Though we can't claim the star is your average girl next door, there's no denying she knows how to make good TV.
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