These days, it seems controversy follows Kylie Jenner wherever she goes. The latest trouble? This year’s first Kylie Jenner Halloween costume–which critics of the 18-year-old’s behavior say is both culturally insensitive and in poor taste.
Just a day after Kylie found herself under attack for being named to Time‘s “30 Most Influential Teens” list for the second straight year, the presence of the Kylie Jenner Halloween costume set off a social media firestorm. On Friday, Kylie went to a pre-Halloween party, and shared several photos of herself in costume on Instagram. As you can see, she decided to go as an Eskimo:
This is troubling, according to critics of the notion, since Eskimos, contrary to popular belief, are not costumes, but are real people. (It’s probably also worth pointing out that any Eskimo, Inuit, or other denizen of the frozen north would likely not go outside bare-legged.)
This particular Kylie Jenner Halloween costume made a third appearance on Kylie’s Instagram feed later that night, when she shared a mid-party photo:
Critics further pointed out that Kylie’s vast social media influence–her 60 million followers was one of the reasons Time named her to its “Most Influential Teens” list–is actually doing more harm than good, since, in this case, the 18-year-old is perpetuating a harmful stereotype.
Kylie wore a totally different, Xena-esque costume for Halloween itself, and later changed one of her “Eskimo” hashtags to read “Snow Princess.” By then, though, her critics had plenty of ammunition:
Kylie Jenner has her whole bullying campaign going on but dressed as an “Eskimo” for Halloween like ok sure.
— sad girl por vida (@tee_madison) November 1, 2015
Smh. Then we have, @KylieJenner appropriating Eskimo culture. https://t.co/jDenJQzZtU
— brittány (@minajxknowles) November 1, 2015
The fact that @KylieJenner is wearing an “eskimo” costume is pretty insulting to the Natives surviving in the arctic #mycultureisnotacostume
— Matthew Sanchez (@MJEANS99) November 1, 2015
*likes all the posts dissing @KylieJenner ‘s “”eskimo”” costume*
— camille (@nottforyourears) November 1, 2015
so kylie jenner dress up as an eskimo for halloween… does she want to be hated more??
— afifa (@bengalixo) November 1, 2015
What do you, the viewers at home, think of the Kylie Jenner Halloween costume controversy? Is it as bad as the #PillCosby controversy? Not a big deal at all? Or something else entirely?
(Photo credits: Kylie Jenner Halloween costume via Instagram)
