Kim Kardashian is no stranger to going viral, but often in the past, the 41-year-old has faced backlash over accusations that she practices blackfishing and cultural appropriation by darkening her skin and wearing traditionally Black hairdos like cornrows and other braided styles. In a recent interview with i-D magazine, Kardashian addressed the criticism, stating that “there’s also a history of braiding hair in Armenia, and people forget that I am Armenian as well.”
“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.” Kardashian told i-D.
Kim Kardashian responds to criticism of Blackfishing in a conversation with Jeremy O. Harris for @i_D:
“Obviously, I would never do anything to appropriate any culture… I’ve definitely learned over time, and I’ve tried to pass that culture of learning onto my kids too,” pic.twitter.com/EqzD82O98G
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) December 13, 2021
Sharing her reluctance to wear matching braided hairstyles with her daughter, the reality television star continued, “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,” Kardashian continued. ”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.”
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Kardashian’s sisters, Khloe Kardashian and Kylie Jenner, have also faced backlash over claims that they’ve darkened their skin tone to appear like a Black woman, and also for wearing similar braided hairstyles.
According to CNN, Wanna Thompson, a writer who called out celebrities online for “cosplaying as Black women on social media,” describes blackfishing as “when White public figures, influencers and the like do everything in their power to appear, Black, whether that means to tan their skin excessively in an attempt to achieve ambiguity and wear hairstyles and clothing trends that have been pioneered by Black women.”
Do you think the Kardashians/Jenners are guilty of participating in blackfishing and cultural appropriation? Let us know why or why not in the comment section.
