There were two reactions to Kim Kardashian’s nude Paper Magazine cover photo released last week — that from those who didn’t care and that from those who were hypocritical, dirtbag misogynists.
However, when reviewing Kardashian’s latest photos, it’s important to consider a few things.
Millions of men throughout history have painted nude females. What makes people uncomfortable about Kim Kardashian isn’t that they can find out what her naked body looks like with a simple Google search. People are uncomfortable that Kim Kardashian is the one profiting from her nudity.
No one is going to go through an art museum and question the artists who profit off of paintings or pictures of nude females, unless the female herself is getting the paycheck.
Take the over-simplified popular idea that Kardashian’s only claim to fame is her sex tape with ex-boyfriend Ray J. When the tape surfaced in 2007, no one seemed to care if Kim was devastated. She soon realized her lawsuit against the entertainment company who was distributing the tape wouldn’t benefit her the way selling her rights to the tape for $5 million would.
Kim Kardashian isn’t the empty-headed ditz everyone makes her out to be. She’s a female who realizes that in our world, sex sells, and she’s been working her ass off (pun absolutely intended) to profit.
This magazine cover may have not been the first time we’d seen Kim Kardashian nude, but it was the first time since giving birth to daughter North West.
When Glee actress Naya Rivera commented on a photo posted to Kim Kardashian’s Instagram with a subtly outraged “I normally don’t. But … you’re someone’s mother … ” she violated Kim’s right to her own body. Giving birth doesn’t make your body property of your children, and it certainly shouldn’t keep any woman from continuing to freely explore their sexuality. After all, I doubt North West will grow up confused about how her mom and dad made her.
I also doubt North West will be brought up to feel ashamed of her body. There’s this idea that females must cover up certain parts of their body and only reveal them to their partners. But if those partners exploit them or otherwise take advantage of them, we’ll shame them for being a slut and getting naked in the first place.
It’s a lose-lose situation.
It would be wrong to address the cover photo without bringing up the double standard of female versus male nudity. When Texas Rangers first baseman Prince Fielder went nude for ESPN’s 2014 Body Issue, no one mentioned his children or the children of the 21 other nude athletes who were photographed for the magazine.
Finally, for all the feminists out there who aren’t rushing to Kim Kardashian’s defense the same way they did when Jennifer Lawrence and Rihanna’s nudes were stolen and posted online: You’re not being good feminists.
The feminism movement is supposed to celebrate the power of women to make choices regarding their bodies. But when we scorn Kim Kardashian for choosing to reveal herself on a photo spread, we’re not supporting a woman’s choice.
It seems like the world isn’t quite ready for a woman who can be motherly, sexual and business-minded. Unfortunately, Kim Kardashian has proven time and time again she’s not concerned with the world. She’s got a family to look after now, and since Kanye West tweeted her magazine cover with the caption #ALLDAY, I doubt she has anything but full support from them.
If you find yourself angry about Kim Kardashian once again stripping down and stepping in front of a camera, you should take a moment to figure out what your anger is stemming from.
I doubt it’s because a woman chose to get naked.
Instead, it seems like we’re all angry that Kim has figured out a way to benefit from a broken system and is profiting from our continually scandalous response to female celebrity nudity.
Jana King is a 21-year-old communication studies junior from Ponchatoula, Louisiana. You can reach her on Twitter @jking_TDR.