Khloe Kardashian shows off ‘unfiltered’ body after unedited photo became a scandal: ‘What I want to share is my choice’
Khloe Kardashian has opened up about her body image issues and public scrutiny she has faced over years, following reports that her team is “working hard” to remove an “unwanted,” unedited photo of the reality show star from the internet.
In an Instagram post on Wednesday, April 8, Khloe shared photos and a video of herself that showed off her body in its “unretouched and unfiltered” glory.
She said that the unedited photo of hers that came out earlier this week is “beautiful.” But she went on to explain that “as someone who has struggled with body image her whole life,” she should have “every right” to ask for a photo of hers not to be shared. Particularly, when the photo “isn’t flattering, in bad lighting or doesn’t capture your body the way it is after working hard to get it to this point.”
The Keeping Up With The Kardashian star added: "In truth, the pressure, constant ridicule and judgment for my entire life to be perfect and to meet other's standards of how I should look has been too much to bear.”
Khloe noted how others have ridiculed her over her body: "'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.’"
The 36-year-old reality star also 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 that everyday by the world.”
“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.”
Khloe said that one never gets used to being told how unattractive you are. “But I will say, if you hear anything enough then you start to believe it.”
"This is how I have been conditioned to feel, that I am not beautiful enough just being me.”
Khloe said she will “unapologetically” continue to use “good filter, good lighting, and an edit here and there” so she can present herself to the world “the way I want to be seen.”
“My body, my image and how I choose to look and what I want to share is my choice,” she said. “It’s not for anyone to decide or judge what is acceptable or not anymore.”
This comes after Page Six reported that her team is trying to remove a photo of Khloe which was said to be posted to social media by an assistant by mistake.
According to Page Six, the image—which has been shared on Reddit, Twitter, and other social media platforms—shows Khloe by a pool, wearing a bikini, “without the heavy editing and airbrushing that are mainstays of photos Khloe normally puts on Instagram.”
The report added that copies of Khloe’s photo have been taken down “under legal threats from the Kardashian camp.”
“The color edited photo was taken of Khloe during a private family gathering and posted to social media without permission by mistake by an assistant,” Tracy Romulus, chief marketing officer for KKW Brands, said in a statement published by Page Six. “Khloé looks beautiful but it is within the right of the copyright owner to not want an image not intended to be published taken down.”
Khloe’s family showed their support for her social media post. Her mother Kris Jenner commented on her Instagram: “Khloé you are the kindest most loving, most supportive, most beautiful heart I have ever known, and I adore you and am so proud of you.... you are an inspiration to all of us and I appreciate and love you each and every single day. Thank you for teaching the rest of us to be kind and to not judge.... you are one of a kind.... what a blessing you are. You are a gift.”
Sister Kendall Jenner wrote: “Yes! You beautiful, strong, HEALTHY queen.”
Banner photo from Instagram/Khloe Kardashian