Kim Kardashian, reality “star,” and thirsty mother of two decided to commemorate International Women’s Day by tweeting an old (possibly Photoshopped) selfie of herself in nothing but her birthday suit last week. The Kardashians have made a killing off of leaving nothing to the imagination, so really this was just another day in the life of needing attention, having children and being actual role models be damned.
Because Twitter is a big fat pot of ever roiling opinion, it caused quite a tempest in a teapot. My favourite smackdown came from the glorious Bette Midler, who basically said the only way Kim can show us a part of her we’ve yet to see is if she now swallows a camera. Miss Bette don’t play. She did have a point: the only thing the Kardashians haven’t yet done is bend over and cough for all and sundry.
Now I’m all for celebrating womanhood, but have vagina – will travel is not the way I’d play the game. Kamp Kim then claimed this was a way of empowering all women and that she was allowed to be sexy. I guess we’ve burned all our bras so now we need to burn all our clothes too, because empowerment! I knew I should’ve held off on the power suit. Anyway, to no one’s surprise, she also played the “shaming” card. (Ironic since she doesn’t really seem to have any.)
A common peeve for me is running into someone I haven’t seen for years and getting the dreaded “you got fat!” first thing. I own a mirror and I’d rather not be reminded. At least wait twenty minutes later to mention it. It’s also rude, but is that shaming? I don’t think so. If I’m honest with myself, I may feel a twinge but that’s because the truth sucks. For the most part, people mean well when they do this. (Yes, they also gloat but I’m trying to believe in humanity here.) If no one said anything about obvious weight gain, some people might just assume it was okay and do nothing about it.
You know being politically correct has officially hit rock bottom when telling the truth makes you the bully. Can we not just call a spade a spade anymore without being accused of shaming someone? If the truth makes you feel shame, then whose problem is that? Why is it acceptable to attack other people for telling it like it is? Bette Midler was pilloried by some for saying what most of us think: getting naked on social media is a ploy for attention. Just because the other party can’t handle the truth and needs an excuse to justify aberrant behaviour doesn’t make Miss Bette a bully and someone who isn’t friendly to other women. Why is this now a bad thing? If you’ll do practically anything to court attention and people call you out on it, that isn’t shaming. That’s simply pointing out the truth. Claiming that one is being shamed is overused and I call BS on a mentality that persists in believing that one is always the victim.
Saving for Botox 