Kylie Jenner has faced accusations of cultural appropriation and “blackfishing” for years, and she’s triggered critics yet again after a recent Instagram story video. This latest video shows Jenner, who is pregnant with her second child with partner Travis Scott, sitting in a luxurious car and showing off her growing baby bump. It’s Jenner’s skin tone, however, that’s caused a bit of controversy.
Reality star turned makeup mogul Kylie Jenner is known for her plumped up pout and perma-tan, but those famed features have often landed Jenner in hot water with critics. The entire Kardashian/Jenner family have been accused multiple times in the past of appropriating black culture, but Jenner specifically has been a lightning rod for these accusations.
In the recent Instagram Stories post, Jenner wore a black bodysuit that hugged her many curves like a dream. The fabric extended all the way down her arms and covered her hands like fingerless gloves. Her hair looked equally dark and hung loose around her shoulders.
Despite the outfit, the Keeping Up With The Kardashians star looked startlingly tan, even for a California native such as herself. Something tells us the extreme tan is at least partially explained by a filter the reality star used on the video, since she became several shades darker after adjusting the camera to show her face from a different angle. Just take a look at the video for yourself:
“It’s crazy how celebrities can openly wear blackface with zero consequences. This hell never ends huh,” one person tweeted in response to Pop Crave’s reposting of the video.
Others were quick to chime in. Many commented that Jenner looked like she was essentially wearing blackface since her natural skin color was much paler than what was shown in the video. One even tweeted a photo of Rachel Dolezal, who infamously pretended to be biracial even though she was born a white woman.
Another commenter posted a photo of Jenner without all the makeup and filters, showcasing a much paler skin tone. Again, the message echoed others that not only was she trying to completely changing her looks, but her race as well.
The video has since disappeared from Jenner’s Instagram account, but it’s unlikely that this latest backlash will result in any changes to how the reality star presents herself. After all, this is definitely not the first time Jenner has encountered these exact criticisms.
We’d love to see an honest discussion with Jenner about this topic so she has a chance to defend herself and maybe even learn a bit from people with opposing views. Maybe it will be addressed eventually, but we’re certainly not going to hold our breaths waiting on it.