I like to pride myself on being a strong and empowered 21st-century woman. At least, I try to be. I still spend the occasional night or two (or ten) “keeping up with the Kardashians.” Regardless of your opinion on these social media superstars — let’s be honest, you probably have one — these women have snapped, selfied and shoved their way into all of our lives with their impeccable style and killer contour. Every day, the Kardashians show us that you can be beautiful, gracious and hardworking while still having a sense of humor. So, in rebuttal to the naysayers who think the Kardashians are only a group of ditzy, spoiled and overly made-up media sensations, I present seven reasons the Kardashians are powerful and emboldened female role models we can all learn something from.
1. The Kardashian-Jenner family is a group of strong and successful women headed by a woman.
Kim, Kourtney, Khloe, Kendall and Kylie may not be as we know them today without their mom, Kris. Having grown up with a powerful woman to look up to, it’s no wonder why the Kardashians today are a force to be reckoned with. Each Kardashian may have crafted their own unique paths and risen to stardom in their own ways, but these paths all started with their mom.
2. They’re all incredibly successful businesswomen.
Their financial situations could give them the ability to sit around and never work another day in their lives; but, the Kardashians are all involved with other jobs (and they do a pretty good job). Kylie Cosmetics alone is worth $420 million. With a paycheck of $22 million, Kendall was the highest paid supermodel in 2017. Khloe and Kourtney, on the other hand, run their Dash clothing stores; they are also executive producers of Keeping Up With the Kardashians. Beyond the show, Kim has made numerous smart business decisions. She’s done so much, including her Kimoji app, own makeup line, her book of selfies and, of course, the Kim Kardashian Hollywood game. It’s no wonder that, at about $175 million, Kim has the highest net worth out of all her sisters. Finally, we have to thank Kris for the 2007 pitch of a reality show that literally just follows a group of insanely wealthy girls.
3. They show us that motherhood isn’t a weakness.
Remember all the successful careers I mentioned earlier? Kris, Kim, Kourtney, Khloe and Kylie are all doing it as mothers. They show us that you can be successful in your career on top of being a family woman. They’re not solely defined by motherhood in the slightest; they are all successful and have incredibly rewarding jobs. The Kardashian women are crushing stereotypes left and right. They’re redefining what it means to be a successful woman.
4. They’re in complete control of their publicity.
I don’t know if you heard, but Kylie Jenner recently had a baby (and everyone lost their minds!). After months of speculation, Kylie revealed that she’s a mother now. Despite being one of the most watched people in pop culture, Kylie was able to go through her pregnancy in peace without the entire world finding out. The Kardashians have the power to command the publicity surrounding them; Kylie, too, showed a great deal of maturity and capability when she avoided unwanted publicity during a pregnancy. With the aid of their show, their websites and apps, the Kardashians have managed to accomplish being almost entirely and exclusively in charge of the press that goes out about them.
5. The Kardashians are reclaiming agency to the female body.
The Kardashians are known for several assets with which I’m sure we’re all familiar — it has become a distinctive part of their brand. The Kardashians are rewarded for embracing their bodies, and they show girls everywhere that it’s okay for them to embrace theirs too. If someone as famous as Kim can have a curvy figure and flaunt it, then so can we. The confidence behind every selfie and photo shoot is inspiring; you can’t help but notice the level of confidence they all carry with their bodies. The Kardashians are dismantling unrealistic expectations for women’s looks and actions. By showing the world what they want and what makes them feel good, they’re sending a healthy and powerful message to young women that are trying to understand the importance and worth of their bodies.
6. They are as tight-knit of a family as they come.
Regardless of who does what, who makes more and who wore what, all Kardashian women are with each other through thick and thin. Their bond can’t be broken by anything, and we need to promote and publicize these examples of women supporting each other. Girls need to support other girls! The petty stereotypes of pitting women against other women are toxic; they distract from strong bonds like these. Each woman in the Kardashian klan is able to succeed while still helping each other. It’s an rare win-win situation.
7. They’re human too!
The Kardashians girls ugly cry, crave McDonald’s and bicker with their siblings just like the rest of us. Take away the huge Calabasas estate and just a few million dollars, and you’ll find a lot of ways us everyday people relate to the Kardashians. They, too, have insecurities and struggles; and they, too, have pretty wicked senses of humor. The Kardashians are as human and flawed as anyone else. Feminism is all about treating women as fellow human beings.
This loving, supportive and entertaining group of women has taken over our televisions, our social media and our conversations. The Kardashians have experienced successes of unimaginable heights, and they’ve done it while supporting each other (and looking great in latex). We’ve seen a lot of the Kardashians, and we’ve watched them be the unapologetic, selfie-snapping women they are.