Kim Kardashian and her daughter North
(Picture: Getty Images)The Kardashian family has a long history of being accused of Blackfishing, which is when non-Black people intentionally copy certain features seen in African American cultures such as their hair or darker complexion.
Although Kim Kardashian has previously denied deliberately appropriating Black culture with her fashion and beauty choices, the criticism has only grown louder over the course of many years.
However, Kardashian is now directly citing her daughter, North West, as the main reason why she’s worn braids and cornrows.
The Keeping Up With the Kardashians star told i-D magazine, “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.”
She then continued to reference her daughter, who is half-Black.
“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,’” she said.
“I also want her to feel that I can do a hairstyle with her.”
She explained that she has complied with her daughter’s wishes because she didn’t want to “make it that big of a deal either,” if that’s something that her child is “really asking for and really wants.”
But the Skims founder said she has learned about how to navigate these topics.
“But I’ve learned and grown over the years, and figured out good ways to communicate with all my kids about all this,” Kardashian added.
Sign up to our new free Indy100 weekly newsletter
She also pointed out the fact that she has ethnic roots as well and said that that has also played into her hairstyling decisions.
Kardashian said, “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.”
Clearly, Kardashian has done what she can to celebrate North West’s natural, biracial hair that is unlike hers and it makes total sense that her daughter would ask her mom to style their hair similarly—let’s not act like mothers and daughters don’t match their hairdo regularly.
But still, people were left discontent and unsatisfied by her response. Mostly because of the fact that she failed to address the extra tan and heavy contour that’s factored into accusations of Blackfishing while others pointed out that she had sported cornrows before her daughter was even born.
“@KimKardashian you and certain members of your fam were Blackfishing LONG before you had a kid!!!! Don’t use your child as an excuse, that’s so lame! Fess up to it and move on,” wrote one.
.@KimKardashian you and certain members of your fam were Blackfishing LONG before you had a kid!!!! Don’t use your child as an excuse, that’s so lame! Fess up to it and move on. https://t.co/lUEy2AYaOU
— Love Trouble (@love_trouble69) December 14, 2021
“I would say it's more about the skin darkening rather than the braids themselves,” wrote another.
I would say it's more about the skin darkening rather than the braids themselves
— bri 🦇 (@gotham5h) December 13, 2021
Another said, “she’s STILL, in 2021 using her kids as an excuse for her bs.”
shes STILL, in 2021 usin her kids as an excuse for her bs https://t.co/ltPLY8HmoA
— ENDCSHIPABUSE (@chellespears) December 14, 2021
