Kim Kardashian’s Casual Bathing Suit Photo Had Fans Calling Her ‘Tone Deaf’ and Insensitive
Kim Kardashian West might be one of the biggest reality stars of all time, an entrepreneur who has become fantastically wealthy — but she still deals with her fair share of controversies. From her infamous sex tape to outcry over some of her associations with basketball players, Kardashian West has landed in hot water on multiple occasions.
Still, it is Kardashian West’s fashion sense that has often gotten her in the most trouble. Most notably, one of Kardashian West’s famous swimming suit shots caused an outcry in her fan base, one that still haunts the reality star to this day.
What is Kim Kardashian best known for?
Kardashian West first rose to fame in 2007, with the premiere of Keeping Up with the Kardashians. The reality series highlighted a family who was privileged, but at the core, had many of the same issues as every other family in the world.
Kardashian West was the runaway star of the series. In short order, she became one of the biggest stars in the United States — even as she received criticism for being “famous for nothing.”
Kim Kardashian’s controversial moments
Kardashian West has been involved in many controversies over the years, beginning with her pre-reality show sex tape that she filmed with her then-boyfriend Ray-J.
She has also come under fire for the original name of her bestselling shapewear line, and for appropriating black culture on multiple occasions — especially for magazine covers and high fashion photoshoots.
For the most part, Kardashian West has always been able to ride out any scandal while still maintaining her popularity. However, in 2016, she encountered a controversy that couldn’t be written off as a simple misunderstanding — and ultimately, it was a casual selfie that led to Kardashian West’s biggest social media scandal.
Why did Kim Kardashian’s bathing suit photo get fans in an uproar?
In early 2016, Kardashian West snapped a casual selfie, featuring the reality star rocking a one-piece bathing suit. She uploads it to social media, but could never have anticipated the backlash that would follow.
In an episode of Only the Rich, podcast hosts broke down why people were so offended by Kardashian West’s photo, detailing how the world was heavily consumed by the Black Lives Matter protests, and that her bathing suit selfie was seen by fans as completely insensitive and tone-deaf.
Critics in the comments of the photo slammed her for not speaking out on behalf of Black Lives Matter, but for continuing to shamelessly plug her sexy brand all while the world is in turmoil. In the end, Kardashian West knew that she couldn’t ignore what was going on in the world any longer.
One fan took to Twitter to say: “Kim kardashian has a black son & black husband. And what is she doing? Posting bathing suit pics on Instagram. Typical.” Another responded to her tweet, which featured the same image, saying: “not right now, Kimberly.”
Shockingly enough, Kardashian West ended up responding to the controversy, albeit indirectly. As the podcast detailed, she later posted a Black Lives Matter graphic to her social media, and wrote a blog post for her website, describing in detail her fears for her own black children in a turbulent world.
Only the Rich points out that this is the first time that Kardashian West decided to speak out on social issues, and that it marked a big turning point in the star’s relationship with her fans and the world at large. These days, Kardashian West is still controversial, and regularly making headlines for various reasons — but she seems to have earned the trust of many members of her community, and is even pursuing a career as a lawyer, working on behalf of incarcerated people.
