Earlier this week a bikini photo of Khloe Kardashian went viral. The unedited image showed the reality star poolside, wearing a string bikini and little or no makeup. Although she looked incredible in the candid shot, it was a stark contrast to the perfected photos we’ve come to expect from Khloe.
Fans started circulating the photo on social media, praising Khloe’s natural and healthy appearance. However, despite fans loving it, Khloe’s team immediately sprung into action, working to get the unauthorized image scrubbed from the internet—and that’s when the criticism began.
Apparently, the photo had been shared accidentally by an assistant and Khloe wasn’t keen on people seeing it. Fair enough? Well, not to everyone. A lot of people started shaming the star for not accepting her appearance and wanting only Photoshopped images publicized.
After laying low for a few days and letting her team do their thing, Khloe has spoken out about the backlash. On Wednesday, she issued a response to the leaked photo, sharing videos and a statement to Instagram. “PS Yes I did a live to show you all this isn’t photoshopped,” she started the caption.
“Hey guys, this is me and my body un-retouched and unfiltered,” the statement reads. “The photo that was posted this week was beautiful. But as someone who has struggled with body image her whole life, when someone takes a photo of you that isn’t flattering, in bad lighting, or doesn’t capture your body the way it is after working [too] hard to get it to this point – and then shares it to the world – you should have every right to ask for it not to be shared – no matter who you are.”
She continued: “In truth, the pressure, constant ridicule, and judgment my entire life to be perfect and to meet other’s standards of how I should look has been too much to bear. ‘Khloé is the fat sister.’ ‘Khloé is the ugly sister.’ ‘Her dad must not be her real dad because she looks so different.’ ‘The only way she could have lost that weight must have been from surgery.'”
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Khloe went on to acknowledge her privilege and made it clear that she isn’t asking for sympathy. Rather, she is seeking empathy. “I’m not going to lie. It’s almost unbearable trying to live up the impossible standards that the public have all set for me,” she said.
“For over a decade now in photos, every single flaw and imperfection has been micro-analyzed and made fun of to the smallest detail and I am reminded of them everyday by the world,” the Revenge Body star continued. “And when I take that criticism to use as motivation to get myself in the best shape of my life and to even help others with the same struggles I am told I couldn’t have done it through hard work and I must have paid for it all.”
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Khloe finished her post with a message for those who continue to critique her every move: “My body, my image, and how I choose to look and what I want to share is my choice. It’s not for anyone to decide or judge what is acceptable anymore.”
“I have realized that we cannot continue to live life trying to fit into the perfect mold of what others have set for us,” she shared. “Just do you and make sure your heart is happy.”
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