Overview:
We're mad at Kim Kardashian for her work advice, but why don't we bat a fake eyelash at her beauty advice that's potentially dangerous?
That’s the tweet from author and activist Glennon Doyle about Kim Kardashian’s recent viral advice for working women as part of a Variety interview shared on their social media account.
Doyle, who is known for being outspoken and direct, but not unkind, summed up how many of us are feeling.
Kardashian’s hot take is not necessarily bad advice.
“I have the best advice for women in business: Get your f—ing ass up and work. It seems like nobody wants to work these days.”
But it’s certainly not “the best.” Clearly, Kardashian is not familiar with the actual best work advice.
I digress.
It’s true that getting up and working hard is sort of how you get things done. And I kind of get her frustration. I’ve made my own Gen-X fueled comments, mostly in jest, about how my millennial and Gen Z counterparts don’t understand what work truly is (cue my story about having to use microfiche to research a paper).
I also greatly appreciate this reply from RachieMeg, which comes from a place of empathy.
There’s been lots of commentary about why we should be taking work advice from Kardashian, who in some peoples’ eyes came to fame on the coattails of her famous father, and her infamous sex tape. And as much as she has worked, which, by the way, I don’t disagree with at all—she is a very hardworking woman—she was already starting at a very high level of privilege, that most of us will never even see, no matter how hard we work.
But what I find fascinating is that while we all scoff at the notion of her offering work advice, we are more than willing to take beauty advice (and in some cases, health advice) from her and a few of her sisters, when it comes from the same, completely unrealistic place.
And worse, that could actually have dangerous consequences.
Kardashian telling us to work hard doesn’t have potentially negative effects on body image and self-esteem. But their hawking of diet pills and waist trainers could. Just like when they end up on the cover of Health Magazine.
And yet, the same rules should apply. The Kardashians’ concept of “health” is skewed, just like their concept of “work.”
I’m not going to lie. I reluctantly bought a Skims bra, and it’s actually pretty great. Kylie Jenner’s make-up line isn’t too shabby either. Khloe knows how to make jeans (with the tagline “Representing Body Acceptance” oddly enough).
But I understand what I’m getting into when I purchase one of their products or watch one of their make-up tutorials. Or watch a video of them giving work advice.
I can easily roll my now beautifully-lined eyes and take it with a grain of salt.
The problem is that I’m not sure I can say that about a lot of Americans, especially young people—women, in particular—who idolize the Kardashian family and aspire to be like them.
So when we hear work or health advice like this from Kardashian or anyone in a place of privilege, we need to remember the context. And instead of getting yelled at, we need to yell back.