If you haven’t heard, the Obamas are no longer America’s first family; the Kardashian-Jenners are. The highly controversial Cosmopolitan magazine released the cover of its November issue with six of the Kardashian-Jenner women on the cover next to an exclusive title reading “America’s First Family.”
While the Kardashian-Jenners have easily made themselves a household name by infiltrating the media with their superficial looks, controversial relationships and lamentable parenting skills, they’ve managed to generate such a following that their popularity surpasses that of political figures, or in other words, presidents.
Since the release of the cover for the November issue, social media has been an easy outlet for users to voice their very strong opinions about the controversial cover. The issue with labeling the Kardashian-Jenner clan as “America’s First Family” falls on what they represent — a vapid sense of vanity. They are associated with nothing more than plastic surgery, designer brands and appropriating black culture.
Coming from such a drama-filled family, one would think that advocating for LBGTQA rights, raising awareness for self-acceptance and working with women’s charities, or even supporting the Black Lives Matter movement would motivate them to make a difference. But it hasn’t; instead they’ve managed to use their fame to benefit themselves. The only thing the Kardashian-Jenner family has successfully managed to do is create a society which accepts superficiality over authenticity. This is no family; this is a clan of females who are benefiting from underserved success.
The title of “America’s First Family” is a title that only applies to the kin residing within the four walls of the White House. And in this case, it’s the Obamas. President Barack Obama and his family represent more than just a country; they represent progress. Being the first black president of the United States shows that our country has learned to overcome its troubled racist past by building on the legacy of dreams and aspiration of others.
Trivializing the title not only makes a mockery of President Obama’s position, but it also raises concern that this is a race-related issue. Through our many terms of presidency, an issue such as this has never presented itself until we’ve had the first black president. Now this could very well be considered as “reaching,” but looking at the Cosmopolitans questionable past on race, it’s clear how this magazine feels about people of color.
In April, Cosmopolitan was under fire for an article titled “21 Beauty Trends That Need To Die.” Though this article was harmless in context, it was difficult not to notice that all of the trends that “needed to die” were displayed on women of color. This article caused major backlash on social media, even from celebrities. Runway model Joan Smalls, whose picture was featured in the #RIP section of the article, tweeted to Cosmopolitan magazine questioning them about the origins and their implications.
Cosmopolitan has been on the radar of many for quite some time now. Some stores around the U.S have requested that the magazine be stored and sealed next to other pornographic material due to its extremely vulgar and objectifying articles. Whether they’re teaching “seven ways to please your man men in bed” or “how to become the women of his dreams,” it’s no surprise that people who idolize the Kardashian-Jenners are the suitable audience for such misleading information.
It’s disheartening that in this day in age, society continues to suffer from lack of vision. We are so blinded by all the glitters that we’re unable to value the true golds we’re presented with. The first family is supposed to be an accurate representation of the American people; hardworking, omnipresent and ever-changing. While the Kardashian-Jenner family tries incessantly to remain relevant with tasteless tactics, they will never come close in earning the coveted titled of America’s first family.
