Jameela Jamil, star of The Good Place and founder of the body-positive I Weigh community, is speaking out about Khloe Kardashian’s recent bikini photo scandal. In early April, an un-retouched photo of the Keeping Up with the Kardashians star was posted on social media, at which point, Kardashian and her PR team not only deleted the original, but allegedly tried to have the photo scrubbed from the internet entirely, with multiple social media accounts claiming they’d been issued cease and desist letters for reposting it.
Jamil lent her voice to the discussion on April 8, calling out the “bullying” and “diet culture” she says Kardashian is up against—but admitted to being “furious” at the star’s famous family, too. Read on to discover what Jamil had to say about the controversy. And for some celebrities feeling confident in their own skin, check out Heather Graham Celebrates Her Bikini Body In New Video.
In a post to her Instagram account on April 8, Jamil opened up about how damaging she thinks Khloe’s bikini photo scandal has been—both to the reality star and her fans.
“They played their fans. But they played themselves worse… and everybody loses. We are all f****d when we buy into diet culture,” Jamil wrote.
She added, “They have to stop with the lies. The PUBLIC AND MEDIA HAVE TO STOP WITH THE BULLYING OVER THEIR LOOKS. It’s just a vicious cycle otherwise.”
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Jamil may have sympathy for Khloe, calling out the media for bullying the reality star, but she also expressed her disappointment in the role the Kardashians have played in maintaining an unrealistic ideal of beauty.
“Even though I remain furious at how much this family perpetuates fat-phobia and impossible beauty standards… I TOTALLY see why they’re so obsessed with presenting as whatever society’s latest ideal of ‘perfect’ is,” wrote Jamil. “Because they were harassed and bullied and scrutinized to within an inch of their lives.”
Reposting a BBC News report that Khloe had attempted to have the bikini photo removed from social media, Jamil called the story “extremely upsetting.”
“This is the kind of hysteria that comes from 10+ years of being made fun of by the media and by the world about your body,” she wrote. “This is why I hate photo editing, because it makes you hate and fear your real face and body, and makes your fans hate theirs.” And for more celebrities who’ve stood up to serious scrutiny, Demi Lovato Says This Body-Shaming Comment Almost Ruined Her.
On April 8, Khloe issued a long statement explaining why she’d removed the photo, saying “you never quite get used to being judged and pulled apart and told how unattractive [you are].”
Jamil responded, telling fans that Khloe had been “bullied into this mind state,” but expressing her hope that the controversy might prompt the family to be honest with fans about how they actually achieve their appearances. “Now is also a really good time to admit to surgeries, thinning photographs and videos, and to stop being part of the culture that makes girls like her hate herself,” wrote Jamil. “No more diet products. No more ‘revenge body.'”
Jamil said she wished that the media and celebrities could “call a truce.”
“I wish those women could know they were all gorgeous and probably happier and less anxious about their appearance before a single surgeon or airbrush artist was in their lives,” she wrote. However, she noted her optimism that the conversation might spark some positive change in the future.
“May a good thing that comes from it be that at least young girls can breathe knowing they’re trying to live up to fake standards, and give themselves a break when they take holiday photos. And may Khloe maybe start to post more unedited photos and be a role model for self-acceptance.”
For more on this famous family, check out Kourtney Kardashian Says She Takes These Supplements Every Day to Stay Fit.