Have you ever said something you wish you could take back? Well, by now we have all heard about the controversial statement Kim Kardashian made during an interview with Variety earlier this year, which had many wondering if Kim K would take back what she said.
If you need a refresher, she said: “get your f***ing a**es up and work” which was her best advice directed to women in business. It was only days later that Kim addressed the backlash she was receiving on Good Morning America (GMA) saying that the statement was misunderstood.
Now, the rest of the Kardashian family has gone public with their response to the statement in an episode of The Kardashians. Here’s how they responded…
Previously on …
On the episode of The Kardashians, which aired in mid October, we see what actually happened between the time of the interview with Variety and Kim’s appearance on GMA. The backlash was quite severe but in my opinion, I think it was taken further than neccesary. Maybe it’s my view of wanting to see the good in people but I think that that statement needs to be re-evaluated and looked at with an open mind.
When you first heard the comment, it’s understandable to think that Kim was speaking from a place of great privilege, which made the comment sound offensive to the majority of working women. Although Kim Kardashians lives a life of privilege, it’s important to give credit where credit is due as well because hard work played a role in her success too. I commend her for her hard work and for creating a mogul name for herself, while still understanding that what she measures as hard work might not be the same as the next ‘non-celebrity’ person.
Yes, having financial privilege and freedom helps but I believe she has portrayed a high level of hard work to become who she is now beyond just piggybacking off of a surname.
@kardashianshulu/Instagram
Did Kim deserve the hatred that was portrayed through the backlash? Personally, I don’t think so. At face value, the statement was harsh but there are many factors to consider, including that there might’ve been more to the statement.
Timing plays a huge role in what she said as well as how she said it. Maybe the word choice wasn’t great and the statement required some more thought before saying it. There is so much truth in the quote: “think before your speak.” Still, we love the Kardashians for not policing their tongues – it’s largely what put them on the map in the first place.
The family’s views
In the latest reality series of The Kardashians, we see the family depicted in a different way, a better way in my opinion. There is a deep family-orientated feel and real support for each other, which is pleasant to see as opposed to the drama-filled show Keeping Up with The Kardashians. When I watch the new series, I see a sense of maturity in everything they do and the way Kim’s family responded to her backlash was no different.
It was clear that Kim was very unhappy with what was being said about her in the backlash. She said she was ‘mortified.’ Kris Jenner told Kim that the backlash was not her fault. People ‘misunderstood’ where Kim was coming from.
With no end to the backlash in sight, Kim felt responsible and asked her sister Khloe Kardashian if the backlash would ever end. Khloe responded in a supported manner saying: “No. It won’t end until… I don’t even want to say until we end. It will never end, babe. But guess what? We are built for this,” Sadly Kim responded by saying: “I don’t know if I am anymore” Kim later told Khloe and her sister Kendall the backlash was “exhausting.”
I cannot imagine how exhausting, not only this backlash but the consistent hatred and negative comments this family goes through. Yes, they created their name but at the end of the day, they are also human and should be treated as such. No one deserves to have said what is often said about them especially if the intention is not to harm.
Did Kim say something that was not ‘nice’ and perceived incorrectly? Yes, she did but this has only opened my eyes to thinking about all the ‘incorrect’ things I might have said, that we’ve all said.
Will we continue to make mistakes? 100% yes but that doesn’t mean we have to throw slander against what the next person says simply because you don’t agree.
Everyone has the right to their own opinion. How I look at it now is that Kim meant women can go very far with constant hard work. For most, success isn’t simply handed – even if you’re in a privileged position. Great things come with hard work. I’d like to think Kim was actually commending the woman in her life and all women for their hard work and it could be seen as motivation to keep on working hard. Later in that same statement, she speaks about toxic work environments and to “show up and do the work.”
@kardashianshulu/Instagram
In this day and age, I cannot agree more, it’s very difficult to stay motivated and ‘happy’ in what you do because we are often doing jobs just to make it through. I think it is a great honour and privilege in itself to love your job. My dad always told me: “what you put in is what you get out” and it has guided me my entire working career. Your work ethic speaks volumes as a person. You too can reap the benefits of hard work as long as you, show up, portray your work ethic, be kind to yourself and support others because their hard work is not the same as yours but at the end of the day, it’s still hard work. We are all trying our utmost best with what we have.
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Featured Image: @kardashianshulu/Instagram
