The star-studded 2022 Met Gala saw a number of ravishing stars, however was dominated by one star in particular and her controversy - her iconic Marylin Monroe's "Happy birthday, Mr. President" dress from 1962. Fashion critics along with social media negatively went ablaze with the Reality TV star turned business mogul wearing such a historic and important garment, but even more than that, people couldn't take the fact that Kim unhealthily lost a significant amount of weight to fit into it, after first being unable to fit into it.
Kim's physical transformation did not only make headlines, but the SKIMS founder received a lot of backlash and criticism for publicising and being very open about her dramatic and absurd weight loss to fit into the dress, which took just three weeks. At the Met Gala, Kim spoke with Vogue correspondent Lala Anthony on the red carpet, telling the extreme exercise routine and restrictive diet she followed in order to fit into the dress. "I didn't starve myself, but I was so strict," she told Vogue.
In the latest season of "The Kardashians," six months later the topic has come to light again. In an episode that aired on 10th Nov. on Disney+, which was filmed leading up to the Met Gala, Kim is shown obsessing over her weight ahead of the event. "So, I am down to 118 [pounds] again. I got up to 120 [pounds], which was tripping me out," she told her personal trainer in the episode.
Following the Met, people took to social media to call out the problematic and dangerous nature of Kim's weight-loss regime. "Riverdale" actress Lili Reinhart (who's been open about her own struggles with body image) was loud and clear on her opinion, and took to her Instagram Stories and made a statement, however not explicitly naming Kim Kardashian: "To walk on a red carpet and do an interview where you say how starving you are . . . because you haven't eaten carbs in the last month . . . all to fit in a f--king dress?" she wrote on her Instagram Story on 3rd May, according to E! News. "So wrong. So f----d on 100s of levels. To openly admit to starving yourself for the sake of the Met Gala. When you know very well that millions of young men and women are looking up to you and listening to your every word. The ignorance is other-worldly disgusting."
In the latest episode of the reality show, the mother of four, defends her decision, and reasons it to an actor preparing for a movie role. "When I thought to go in Marilyn Monroe's dress — and I know how precious and fragile the dress is — I knew I had to lose at least 10 pounds for it to even go up on me," she said. "This is exhausting, but it feels like a movie role. How an actor will lose weight for roles — this feels like my role is Marilyn Monroe. I am determined."
With a huge social media fan following, and young women and men looking up to her for setting trends, no matter what justification Kim gives, such talk about weight loss can be harmful on a massive scale, with thousands negatively being inspired to follow it. For example, after the Gala, Mik Zazon, blogger and creator of the #NormalizeNormalBodies movement, posted a video on Instagram sharing her personal experience with attempting to fit into a dress for her sister's wedding, trying celebrity tips touted for weight loss. "But it backfired; I started binging," she says, adding that this combination of events led her to develop a binge-eating disorder.
Former registered dietitian, certified intuitive eating practitioner and eating-disorder-recovery coach, Laura Cohen, previously told a publication that one of the biggest risks associated with any type of restrictive dieting is that it's a slippery slope that can easily lead to an eating disorder.
It is a known fact which is backed by medical science that if one attempts to loose weight quickly by starving themselves, it will all be gained back sooner or later. Following Kim's Met Gala moment and the second wave of impact through the "Kardashians" episode, the star, once known for her curves, appeared on the Today Show on 21st June and talked about how she continued to lose weight even after the Gala. In the following month, Kim posted about her body-fat percentage and undergoing stomach-tightening laser treatments on Instagram, which again left everyone aghast and bewildered. Her appearances at the 2022 LACMA Art+Film Gala and the 2022 CFDA Awards also saw Kim highlighting her shrinking figure.
The fact is, Kim has become obsessed with weight loss and she cannot just stop flaunting it and talking about it. She continues to show off her shrinking figure rather proudly, and this is the same person who once was quite worried on sister Khloe Kardashian's rapid weight loss following her partner's cheating scandal.
Kim Kardashian has a 333 million fan following on Instagram alone, and she can very easily use it for positive change, rather than toxic diet culture and to promote unrealistic and unhealthy body and beauty standards. Wearing Monroe's dress to the 2022 Met Gala is a thing of the past - but continuing to glamorize unhealthy weight loss or idealising thinness has become Kim's recent obsession and it is time she puts a stop to it. Weight loss if done in a healthy manner is all good, but being a worldwide star she should review her statements and set her goals straight.
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