Kim Kardashian West’s White House meeting with Trump exposes our sexist, slut-shaming culture
News of reality TV star Kim Kardashian West’s visit to the White House to meet with President Donald Trump about prison reform and the case of Alice Marie Johnson, who’s served 21 years on a life sentence without parole for a nonviolent drug offense, have been met with incredulous reactions. The shock makes sense considering that five years ago, both were known more for their prowess at self-promotion than their political opinions.
However, it’s now 2018, and politics has changed. While many have thoughtfully criticized the mere idea, let alone the reality, of Trump taking a meeting with Kardashian West (The New Yorker called it “palpably creepy”), or pointed out better qualified prison reform experts, the meeting’s insufficiency, or Trump’s penchant for A-list celebrity attention, others have gone a more typical, sexist route: slut-shaming. Although she’s since gone on to build a highly successful multi-million dollar empire that shows little sign of slowing down, for many, Kim Kardashian West will only ever be known for one thing: taking her clothes off on camera.
