It’s been over a month since my post about Khloe Kardashian went viral on Instagram, and the topic still seems to completely divide opinion – understandably so. In fact, it arose again this weekend after Khloe posted a selfie on Instagram to thousands of comments about her changing face, with one user commenting 'Money well spent'.
Khloe jokingly replied 'The shade of it all', leading to huge debate about her face-changing habits, from filler toFaceTune. So, let’s discuss.
First, check out this side-by-side picture of Khloe – one side shows the picture she uploaded to Instagram, while the other shows her unedited version that was never posted. You might have already seen it in August; it’s certainly did the rounds – I saw it pop up several times on my Instagram explore page, reposted by countless meme accounts with millions of followers and even shared in some of my group Whatsapps. All with, if not overt shaming, an undercurrent of shaming. People were delighting in the inevitable embarrassment that Khloe will feel at the release of the ‘unedited’ picture. It felt giddy and gleeful.
And look, I get it. I understand why it was being shared. As are almost all of her selfies these days. The comparison is shocking, and it creates unrealistic beauty standards for the millions of people who follow her. I do not condone it whatsoever – anyone who knows me, and my work, knows that I’m very vocal against editing and FaceTuning.
But shame and public humiliation - what’s that going to solve? Do we really think it’s going to stop her and other celebrities retouching their photos? I’d bet my bottom dollar that it won’t. It might prompt her to be more careful about any ‘unedited’ versions getting out again, but I reckon that’s about it.
Also, I very much believe that shame is probably the reason she edits her photos in the first place. When her sister Kim shot to fame, the rest of the family became well-known by proxy. This resulted in very public scrutiny for the entire family, and Khloe appeared to bear the brunt of it. She was mocked for her appearance, called ‘the fat sister’, ‘the ugly sister’ and essentially dehumanised in the media all across the world. She was – and still is – snapped everywhere she went, with the most unflattering pictures published and subsequently pulled apart. Is it any wonder her insecurities run so deeply that she feels the need to manipulate her photos to this extent?
Aesthetics define women in this society; our looks are valued above all else. Especially celebrities – their appearance is their currency, their worth. And when they don’t look how society expects them to - like Khloe when she first became famous - that then becomes their identity. Which is why Khloe became hurtfully known as ‘the fat one’, or ‘the ugly one’ and was ridiculed and pitied.
But here’s the thing: we cannot tell women that their worth in life lies with how they look, and then condemn them for trying to make their looks as ‘good’ as possible. They are simply trying their best to navigate life in the framework society has offered them. In other words, we can’t tear Khloe down for how she looks, to then tear her down for trying to change how she looks.
It makes no sense, and it certainly doesn’t solve a problem. Shame rarely does solve problems, often serving to perpetuate them. So, what’s the solution? Well, compassion and understanding, I believe, would be an excellent start. Understanding that Khloe’s circumstances have been extremely unusual and that, if we were in her position, we would likely be editing our photos, too.
Khloe doesn’t deserve shame for this. This stuff runs deep. It’s painful. And I know what you’re thinking – why should we feel sorry for this star, with so much fame and fortune that she can do, essentially, whatever she wants? I think the picture illustrates why. It’s someone clearly very unhappy in her own skin. You can’t just money that away.
You still might not agree with it – and that’s ok. I know this is nuanced and grey and a complex subject. But I think it’s important to hear an alternative to the ‘oh isn’t Khloe awful for doing that to her pictures’ or ‘haha look at that, how embarrassing’ shaming narrative that seems to be everywhere.
Because ultimately, Khloe is not the real problem behind this. Our society is. And we have the power to change that – but shame won’t help.
Click through for some inspirational Instagram accounts you should fill your feed with...
Inspirational Instagram Accounts You Should Follow
1 of 24Women In Comics
Illustrating inspirational images and depicting women in comic form, this account will brighten up your timeline with some home truths in the form of pretty pictures.
2 of 24Adwoa Aboah
This insanely beautiful model founded GURLS TALK, an online community where women from all backgrounds can share their personal experiences in a safe space.
3 of 24Alicia Garza
Alicia is an editor and activist who co-created #BlackLivesMatter. Her feed is a mixture of relatable memes, unfiltered selfies and educational posts to keep you woke.
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4 of 24Amandla Stenberg
You might recognise this actor from The Hunger Games, when she played the character only character we cried endless tears for, Rue. Now, while still acting, she's a full-fledged activist posting about everything gender, feminism and black culture.
5 of 24MuslimGirl/Amani
Amani created the fast-growing activism account @MuslimGirl, another one you should definitely follow. She has spoken across the world about Muslim women and posts everything from badass selfies to stats you need to know.
6 of 24Amber Amour
Amber created @CreatingConsentCulture which aims to educate people on rape culture and support rape and sexual assault survivors. She's also outspoken about racism and sex work, her feed will be endless many dinner party talking points.
7 of 24Amber Rose
You may only know Amber Rose as Kanye's ex, but think again. Amber is a sex positivity icon, with her own pocast 'Loveline with Amber Rose' up until 2018 that aimed to promote healthy sexual relationships and self-love. If you can get past the fact she advertised flat tummy tea once (fgs Amber), you'll love her feminism-filled feed.
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8 of 24Beverly Bond
Author of 'Black Girls Rock', Beverly's posts will have you both inspired and enraged, filled with commentary on everyday injustices.
9 of 24Bree Newsome
You may recognise Bree as the activist who took down the confederate flag from a flagpole outside the South Carolina Capitol building. She's continuing her activism with inspiring art you need to see.
10 of 24Cameron Russell
An american model who called out the fashion industry for sexual harassment and assault, she started the #MyJobShouldNotIncludeAbuse hashtag. Her instagram is full of inspiring stories and educational videos exposing different injustices within her industry and beyond.
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11 of 24Iskra Lawrence
If your not already following Iskra, your living under an Instagram rock. The body positive model started her own business, everyBODY with Iskra, to give health and fitness advice beyond just getting super skinny. You need her body posi vibes in your life.
12 of 24Jessamyn
Another super body positive account to follow, Jessamyn is a yoga teacher regularly posting about the emotional and physical benefits of body positivity and practicing yoga.
13 of 24Joanna Thangiah
Shun your timeline of filtered selfies and over exposed holiday destinations. It's time for some feminist, mental health aware art! This account is amazing for cute cartoons that say everything we're already feeling.
14 of 24Judy Reyes
You'll probably remember Judy as Carla from Scrubs, or one of the other thousand TV show she's been in throughout her insanely successful career. Unlike most Hollywood actors, her Insta is full of activism and news you need to know.
15 of 24Logan Browning
Activist and actor, Logan Browning is the lead of Netflix hit Dear White People. Posting powerful content and links to charities you can donate to so you can turn your online activism into action- she's a force to be reckoned with.
16 of 24Makers Women
MAKERS is a storytelling platform for women, posting quotes to keep you inspired throughout the day. Stay up to date with gender injustice, while also feeling hopeful with the powerful words these amazing women have to say.
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17 of 24Nimisha Bhanot
Another artist you need to follow, Nimisha creates amazing prints (which you can buy) critiquing societal perceptions of South Asian women. She's based in Canada, but these prints can brighten up your timeline anywhere.
18 of 24Muslim Girl
Muslim Girl, where 'muslim women talk back' is an account ran by Amani. Advocating for issues facing muslim women, both accounts are an inspiration and necessity on your feed.
19 of 24Project Consent
There's no time like the present to be educating people on consent. This account does exactly that, and gives you the perfect explanations, comebacks and reminders to throw out at a dinner party if the issue comes up.
20 of 24Rowan Blanchard
Gone are the days of Disney stars going off the rails, this actor and activist is a beacon of positivity- especially online. Fighting gender and race injustice and beyond, she's one to watch.
21 of 24Rupi Kaur
Rupi made headlines in 2015 when she posted pictures of her on Instagram with visible menstrual blood. Her posts were blocked by Instagram, causing backlash against the social media platform. She continues to break boundaries with her writing and poetry.
22 of 24Sophie King
This UK based embroidery artist is an up-and-coming star, embroidering feminist slogans onto everything from bras to roses. Bring her insta to life with her slogan t-shirts, or just stare at the pretty pictures, either way she's someone you should follow.
23 of 24The Vulva Gallery
Our favourite of all the accounts, the vulva gallery promotes self-love in an area SO often ignored. With two-thirds of women avoiding smear tests, life-saving procedures, because of the look of their vagina, it's time we stopped all of the self-loathing around genitals. Providing a regular reminder that all vaginas are beautiful, if you only follow one account of this list, it should be this one.
24 of 24Trash Is For Tossers
Lauren Singer lives an entirely waste-free life. Yes, you can actually do that. As #plasticfree takes over our news feed, it's time you had some daily advice on how exactly to reduce your waste. Save the planet!