Hi guys, I have a confession to make: until I started writing here, I didn’t really get the whole spiel behind the Kardashian Empire. I never really understood the allure behind Kim, the real captain of the (mostly) alliterative crew that engineers the U.S.S. Kardashian. But Kimmie just dropped a whole lot of truth bombs about body-shaming, all of them made in a recent statement regarding the nude selfie she posted on March 6, and shit, guys, I think I’m finally starting to get it. And even if I don’t entirely get it, I can now say that Kim Kardashian made me tear up in a post perfectly timed for the feminist animus that embodies International Women’s Day.
I’m not going to talk about Bette Midler, or Chloe Moretz, or Piers Morgan. I’m not going to talk about Miley Cyrus. Instead, here’s Kim’s message in its entirety below, because today—and every day— women should be able to speak for themselves, and more importantly, be heard.
“Hey, guys. I wanted to write a post elaborating on my tweets last night. In all seriousness, I never understand why people get so bothered by what other people choose to do with their lives.
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?
It always seems to come back around to my sex tape. Yes, a sex tape that was made 13 years ago. 13 YEARS AGO. Literally that lonnng ago. And people still want to talk about it?!?!
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.
Let’s move on, already. I have.
I am empowered by my body. I am empowered by my sexuality. I am empowered by feeling comfortable in my skin. 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.
I am empowered by my husband, who is so accepting and supportive and who has given me a newfound confidence in myself. He allows me to be me and loves me unconditionally.
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.
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.
#happyinternationalwomensday”
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Image via Getty.
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Still here. Still without airbrushing. Still with teeth.
