Let me start off by saying that I’m not trying to suggest that either Kim Kardashian or Dan Bilzerian are outstanding human beings. But I recently noticed something quite odd and, to be frank, quite enraging.
Consider for a moment the so called “King of Instagram”, Dan Bilzerian. A quick Wikipedia search reveals (because a quick Wikipedia search is quite honestly needed) that he acclaims his fame to being a “professional poker player, actor” (he has appeared in just 5 movies throughout his 34 years) “and internet social media personality.” Basically he is hailed as a God amongst men for his raucous, wild and downright dirty Instagram account.
Now, when considering Kim K we all know what kickstarted her fame – the explosive scandal of a leaked sex tape involving her and partner of the time, Ray J. This, coupled with her famous last name (thanks to her lawyer father), provided the right mix for Momager Kris to turn her 5 minutes of fame into a lifetime’s worth. So what type of content does Kim (the unintentional pornstar) share with her fans?
Oh hold on a minute, that actually belongs to the “actor” Dan Bilzerian’s account. Here we go:
This content compared to Bilzerian’s is perhaps surprising when considering how Kardashian got her start, but not when we consider all that she has done since. In all intents and purposes, Kardashian can be considered as an entrepreneur given her clothing line, her line of hair and beauty products, her insanely profitable video game and her recent lifestyle app. But of course, her Instagram profile does not consist of solely happy family, fully clothed snaps, she does partake in posting risqué shots:
But the majority of these raunchy posts are done so in an entirely different tone than those of Bilzerian’s. While exposing flesh, it is done so in a more high-fashion, autonomous way, and usually for the purpose of a photoshoot. Although she has of course some exceptions …
However in Bilzerian’s case, the tone can only be described as pornographic, as one Instagram user commented:
“this is porn, lmao like definition of porn”
(Please note the use of “lmao”). There is a definite sense that these girls are not taking control of their bodies in an autonomous way, but are instead overtly obsessed with a purely male gaze.
So why then, do Kim and Dan receive drastically different responses from the public? Arguably, both have received a helping hand from their parent’s money (a fact which recently caused Bilzerian a little trouble thanks to the illegitimacy of his father’s funds), both have been touted as being famous for “no reason” and both bear a penchant for nudity.
The key difference in their media coverage, as well as responses from the public, is that Bilzerian is (more often than not) applauded as a “Bro Hero”, while Kardashian is frequently slated as degrading herself. This is starkly obvious when comparing comments left on their Instagram accounts in response to nudity:
“lol yo this is my guy!!!”
“I envy this guys life”
“Haha I f**king love it”
“that’s what I’m all about … lmao wow”
In stark contrast to:
“Is there a need”
“Literally wtf”
“Your buts so big it makes you look like you’re pregnant backwards”
“Wtf! Terrible and fat”
You don’t need me to tell you which comments belong to which Instagram profile. I understand that the Kardashians don’t exactly contest their time in the spotlight and that a lot of what Kim says, posts and does is not ideal for someone who has a huge influence on young girls, but what I cannot understand is why it should be treated as worse than Bilzerian’s actions.
To sum things up, Kim K (who admittedly achieved fame in a terrible fashion) has utilised her position to kick start many entrepreneurial endeavours but is often branded as nothing more than a bad mother, and let’s face it, a ‘slut’. While Bilzerian is often celebrated for using his wealth to glorify guns and objectify women. So why is it funny for Bilzerian to share pornographic content (remember said “lmao”) but disgusting for Kardashian to celebrate her own body? It’s possible it has a little something to do with a construct called gender.
