kim kardashian desi twitter

@kimkardashian/Instagram

Kim Kardashian faces backlash from Desi Twitter after wearing Indian jewelry

Recent photos show her wearing traditional Indian head jewelry.

 

Tiffanie Drayton

Internet Culture

Posted on Apr 27, 2020   Updated on Apr 27, 2020, 1:59 pm CDT

Kim Kardashian is receiving backlash for cultural appropriation—again. This time, it’s from the Desi community, which encompasses people of Indian, Bangladeshi, or Pakistani descent living in the U.S.

On Thursday, Kardashian tweeted pictures of herself in a grey crop top and maxi skirt. Although her look highlighted her famous attributes, it was her jewelry of choice that created a buzz.

In the pictures, Kim wears golden bangles on her wrist and a maang tikka, which is a traditional Indian headpiece.

Members of the Desi community on Twitter fired back with accusations of cultural appropriation.

“Culture vulture appropriating everything she sees, how very cute of you,” one user wrote sarcastically.

https://twitter.com/ot7sIut/status/1253357452092780545
https://twitter.com/queenlishers/status/1253646716613660672
https://twitter.com/GayAndBroadway/status/1253594406474715136

Other Twitter users, however, debated the claim of cultural appropriation. They called the use of the jewelry simply a look or “aesthetic.” One person even claimed cultural appropriation “made the world go round.”

Members of the Desi community were left fighting to justify their anger and educating naysayers on the jewelry’s cultural significance.

“Its called cultural appropriation and desis are allowed to be angry at it,” one user wrote. “If u aren’t desi dont tell us what we should be or should not be angry about.”

https://twitter.com/tinyoongiee/status/1253609831811837953

One user shared a personal anecdote.

“I grew up afraid to wear desi attire, even on Eid, because kids would make fun of me and my weird ‘indian’ clothing,” she said. “It makes my blood boil to see @KimKardashian clearly appropriating desi culture.”

https://twitter.com/malaikaxtareen9/status/1253411218259193856
https://twitter.com/fairyhopemin/status/1253476538080727040

It’s not the first time Kardashian has offended the Desi community. In 2018, she stirred up controversy after appearing on the cover of Vogue India. Detractors said the move perpetuated the underrepresentation of Indian women in media.

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*First Published: Apr 27, 2020, 1:54 pm CDT