Kim Kardashian-West is a Cultural Problem



A portion of this post was originally shared on Styled.

I want to take back any and every nice thing I have ever said about Kim Kardashian. 
Confession: I used to root for her. Seriously. I liked how she turned her influencer status into a multimillion-dollar lifestyle. 

However, Kim has shown, despite her propensity to attempt to rescue (and take credit) for Black folks unfairly treated in the justice system, that she is simply is not a good person. 

She has shown it in her blatant disregard to learn from her past mistakes. 
She has shown us in how she has treated those who are running the charity formerly known as Donda's House, a philanthropy dedicated to Kim's husband, Kanye West, who West and Kim all but abandoned. When they were called out for their abandonment, Kardashian-West launched into a Twitter tirade on the leaders of Donda's House, threatening to remove the very leadership that kept Donda's House alive in order to make it her "mission to take Donda’s House from you and let my children run it the way it should be run!" 
Recently, Kim has relaunched her scam queen ways (guess she wasn't getting enough attention for the good things she was doing) for two separate but similarly ridiculous things.

First, following the ridiculous failed smear campaign of Jordyn Woods (Kylie Jenner's BFF) after she and Tristan Thompson (Khloe's ex) were caught kissing at the end of a party, during the Kardashian/Jenner's show, Kim tells her sisters, specifically Kylie that " "Kylie, she provides for her whole family off of what you have given her," Kim said on the call. "And the disrespect of, just, like, she has to know that there's a problem."

Kim, what are you talking about? Jordyn was wealthy and well connected long before your family ever entered her life. These women went to the same private school together, lived in the same zip code, were around the same celebrities, that is how they met.

But this type of language and sentiment shows how Kim, and possibly the rest of the family may feel about the Black people in their lives.

I'm sure that due to their failed smear campaign, the Kardashians are feeling some type of way watching Jordyn thrive without them (because, well, she really is better off. But it is interesting that these women are attempting to destroy the reputation of Jordyn at any cost. Mind you that each of these women (not including Kylie and Kendall) are well into their 30's and are bullying a very young Jordyn Woods. Also, keep in mind that both Kim and Khloe have been caught full on cheating with men who were in relationships with other women. So this could be considered Karma as far as Khloe is concerned. Also keep in mind that Kim might have not even had a career, nor her family even been as popular as they are if it weren't for that Ray-J and Kim sex tape that was "accidentally" released.

So...yeah.

Her White Savior tendencies make me very nervous, especially because, for all intents and purposes, that she is raising what the world considers to be 4 Black children because we yet live in a world that allows people of color to be of more than one heritage.

However, while Kim has revealed her white savior ways on her show, she has shown, once again, her ability, as a white and wealthy woman, to completely ignore the cultures and traditions of people around the world.

Another day, another Kardashian or Jenner appropriating someone else's culture.

And she did so with the announcement of her new shapewear line. No, it's not the shapewear itself or the hues causing the trouble. It's the name of the shapewear line, called Kimono. Kimono, as in the long, loose robes with wide sleeves tied with a sash that was originally worn as a formal garment in Japan. Chosen because, well, Kim is part of Kimono. Duh.

Kardashian-West started a social media firestorm when it was reported that she attempted to trademark "Kimono," meaning that actual Kimono cannot be called Kimono despite the fact that they are Kimono because Kim's shapewear is called Kimono. Nevermind the thousands of years of Japanese history surrounding this garment and its vital and honored place amongst the Japanese people. Because Kim is trademarking it, should the trademark go through, this will be the future for Kimono.



Needless to say, folks really were not having it. Folks had things to say:


In fact, Kim's attempt at trademarking Kimono was so prolific, even the mayor of Kyoto, in Japan, wrote an official letter begging her not to do so:



But while everyone is expressing their rage and disgust over Kim’s shapewear brand stealing from Japanese culture, where was that same rage when she so often and so blatantly appropriated Black Culture?



Numerous times, both Kim and her Kalabasas-Klan blatantly culturally appropriated Black Culture. From taking the hairstyles that are so embedded in the culture (like cornrows, more specifically Fulani Braids; which, during the time of slavery, enslaved peoples would braid communication, even maps for the Underground Railroad in their styles) take it, wear it numerous times, and then have the nerve to call them Bo Derek braids. Textbook appropriation.

But because it’s Black Culture, popular culture feels entitled to it. At one point, cornrows, baby hairs, rap music, even wearing gold was considered tacky and ghetto.

Now gold bamboo hoops dangle from White Women’s ears who are donning gold-nameplate necklaces as they walk into Urban Outfitters, Marc Jacobs appropriates Bantu knots for an “edgy” runway, renaming them as “mini buns;” dashikis, traditional shirts worn in West Africa, being dubbed as the "new caftan" by a popular magazine and stolen by a well-known fashion house; and so many other instances, we could have a full website on how often and relentlessly Black Culture has been robbed and appropriated.



While I can say without a doubt that Kim Kardashian-West is definitely guilty of cultural theft and stand with the people of Japan in calling it out, I also want folks to keep that same energy when Black folks call out this in others as well.

Cultures are to be respected and celebrated, not stolen from for the sake of looking cool, edgy, or interesting. Elements of culture have deep, sacred, even spiritual meanings that stand on hundreds if not thousands of years of history. Maybe instead of stealing them for our own personal gain, we should show them respect for the global community's gain.

Recently, after all of the backlash, Kim shared the following:






A post shared by Kim Kardashian West (@kimkardashian) on

But what is there to learn, Kim? This is one of those things that should have NEVER happened. It literally makes no sense to name your shapewear after a treasured garment and then attempt to trademark said name. You don't get any brownie points for fixing this. You don't get brownie points for doing the right thing after you personally caused so much grief and anger. You don't get brownie points for making a good decision as a result of public dragging for your bad one. If you were truly learning, you would have never done this, to begin with. Period.

Kim Kardashian-West is a problem for culture. She cares nothing for the people or the entire cultures she tramples for the sake of expanding her own reach and name. It really is a shame, because, at one point, I was really, truly rooting for her.
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