After a series of fiery tweets yesterday defending her choice to share two nude selfies on social media, Kim Kardashian is speaking up against “body-shaming” and “slut-shaming”.
In a post on her website shared in honour of International Women’s Day, the 35-year-old touched on her controversial photos and her notorious sex tape, asking why she was constantly made to defend herself against something that happened in her past.
“I don’t do drugs, I hardly drink, I’ve never committed a crime—and yet I’m a bad role model for being proud of my body?” she wrote.
“It always seems to come back around to my sex tape. Yes, a sex tape that was made 13 years ago.
“I lived through the embarrassment and fear, and decided to say who cares, do better, move on. I shouldn’t have to constantly be on the defense, listing off my accomplishments just to prove that I am more than something that happened 13 years ago,” she continued.
Kim went on to say that she felt “empowered” by her body and her sexuality and was unafraid to lay it all bare in front of the world – flaws and all, in what seemed to be a direct response to actress Chloe Grace Moretz’s criticism of the message she was sending to young women.
“I am empowered by showing the world my flaws and not being afraid of what anyone is going to say about me. And I hope that through this platform I have been given, I can encourage the same empowerment for girls and women all over the world,” she wrote.
Kim also made special mention of hubby Kanye West, who she credited for being accepting and supportive and giving her a “newfound confidence” in herself, as well as the women around her.
“I feel so lucky to have grown up surrounded by strong, driven, independent women. The life lessons I’ve learned from my sisters, my mother and my grandmother, I will pass along to my daughter. I want her to be proud of who she is. I want her to be comfortable in her body. I don’t want her to grow up in a world where she is made to feel less-than for embracing everything it means to be a woman,” she wrote.
“It’s 2016. The body-shaming and slut-shaming—it’s like, enough is enough. I will not live my life dictated by the issues you have with my sexuality. You be you and let me be me.
“I am a mother. I am a wife, a sister, a daughter, an entrepreneur and I am allowed to be sexy,” she finished, signing off with the hashtag #happyinternationalwomensday.
While Kim’s controversial selfies have gained their fair share of critics, other stars have spoken out in her defence. Modern Family star Ariel Winter joined the fray earlier today by comparing the uproar around Kim’s photos to the reaction Justin Bieber got when he shared his own stripped-down photo on social media.