'Feminist' op-ed on Kim Kardashian assault doesn't seem very feminist
Is it possible to call yourself a feminist and in the same breath, dismiss another woman's violent ordeal?
According to Australian newspaper The Daily Telegraph, it's possible and it's gold. The paper ran columnist Vanessa de Largie's SEO-friendly piece "I wanted Kim Kardashian to die" Monday and we dare say, Kim Kardashian would have some strong words to say about it.
Or at the very least some massive eye rolls.
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The piece starts with a confession: "When I heard the news the Kim Kardashian West had been gagged and robbed at gunpoint in her private Paris apartment last week, my first thought was 'Why couldn't they have killed her?'"
The writer goes on to say that her own subconscious murderous thought shocked her (good to know) then proceeds to doll out the generous compliments.
The story is built on the shaky foundation that Kim Kardashian is soulless and has no opinions -- perhaps forgetting about that recent time she wrote an open letter on the Armenian genocide for the New York Times, or that other recent time she used social media to search for a bone marrow match for someone in need.
The piece goes on to say she doesn't deserve to be called a feminist icon and that she's "vapid, vacuous and narcissistic." Because she loves naked selfies? Whoever among us hasn't taken a naked photo of ourselves, let them cast the first stone.
All in all, the article is a uplifting piece on sisterhood and the power of women to uplift each other in dark times. Kidding.
Here are some highlights:
"Admittedly, I've never liked Kardashian West. Any human being who has the time and inclination to take 1200 selfies a day, is lost on me. I have zero interest in anything without a soul."
"I can't connect to cookie-cutter celebrities, Botox, and reality TV. They make me want to chunder. Give me real people. Give me people who can move their faces. Give me people that have views and opinions."
"Feminist-Icon-Land only reserves places for women like Camille Paglia, Germaine Greer, and Gloria Steinem. Oiling up your butt-implants for a glossy doesn't get you a guernsey. Sorry, Kim!"
"Kardashian West is vapid, vacuous and narcissistic. As a society, we should be disturbed that people like her actually have influence over our young."
"I was not surprised when I went on social media and read thousands of comments echoing my initial thoughts of the robbery. The masses wanted her blown away."
"It must've been absolutely terrifying what Kardashian West endured. Having to plead for your life. Thinking you may never see your children again. They say tragic events build character in people. I'm holding out hope for Kim."
Jerico Mandybur is the editor of Mashable Australia. Previously, she worked as a digital editor at SBS, Oyster Mag, MTV and ASOS. Tweet her at @jerico_m.
