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The president met with Kim Kardashian on Wednesday, but the New York Post Kardashian and Trump cover gave no indication that they were meeting about criminal justice reform. Instead, the cover made light of the meeting by referring to Kardashian as "Kim Thong Un," in a move that Twitter users widely denounced as "sexist."
After months of back-channel discussions with Jared Kushner, Kardashian made her way to the White House on Wednesday to discuss prison reform with Kushner and Donald Trump. Most notably, Kardashian attempted to secure a pardon for Alice Marie Johnson, a low-level drug offender who has served more than 20 years in prison. Although Kardashian and Trump both tweeted about the success of the meeting, the newspaper decided to go a different route.
The cover, which was published on Thursday, described Kardashian and Trump's meeting as "The Other Big Ass Summit" — an allusion to Trump's tentative summit with North Korea's Kim Jong Un. The New York Post also dubbed the meeting "Trump Meets Rump," leading many Twitter users to criticize the newspaper for referencing Kardashian's physical appearance three times on its cover.
Even social media users who conceded that they weren't fans of Trump or Kardashian expressed their discomfort with the cover; they criticized the newspaper for focusing more on Kardashian's butt than on her advocacy for criminal justice reform. This is what the cover looked like:
As the following tweets indicate, the cover may have had some fans, but it had just as many — if not more — critics.
"Sexist And Pathetic"
This sentiment was echoed by many Twitter users, who found the New York Post cover to be in poor taste.
Going To Bat For Kim K
This was a common criticism of the cover; many Twitter users reluctantly came to Kardashian's defense due to what they felt was blatant sexism on the newspaper's part.
"Blatant Sexism Played Up For Pun"
Journalist Alex Bruce-Smith acknowledged that Kardashian's meeting with Trump was a bit confusing — especially because Trump recently attempted to cancel his meeting with a different Kim — but explained that this nonetheless did not justify sexist puns about Kardashian's physical appearance.
"I Hope An Editor Set This Right"
As this Twitter user pointed out, the real focus of any story about Wednesday's meeting should have been Johnson, a 63-year-old great-grandmother who is serving a life sentence for a first-time, nonviolent drug offense. Instead, the cover focused more on Kardashian's appearance.
Centering Alice Marie Johnson
Echoing the previous tweet, journalist Alyssa Newcomb attempted to recenter Johnson in the narrative about Wednesday's meeting between Trump and Kardashian.
"Misogynistic Dehumanization"
Meanwhile, Twitter users like political analyst Yousef Munayyer acknowledged that people could be critical of Kardashian's advocacy while still recognizing the New York Post cover as misogynistic.
Double Standards?
CNN's Kate Bennett suggested that some people have perceived the New York Post cover as acceptable because they don't like or respect Kardashian. Bennett then insinuated that this is a double standard — that feminism shouldn't "go out the window" just because "a female subject" is not particularly popular.
"No Woman Deserves This"
Actress Alyssa Milano also came to Kardashian's defense, criticizing the New York Post for its "unacceptable sexism" and its choice to "lead with her ass."
What Caused This Cover?
Some Twitter users nonetheless managed to find humor in this situation. This writer, for example, suggested that the editors who produced the cover would blame Ambien — a medication used to treat insomnia — after Roseanne Barr employed a similar excuse for tweeting a racist statement. The makers of Ambien have since made it clear that racism is not a known side effect, and they would likely say that sexism isn't, either.
Kardashian Shouldn't Be "Reduced To A Body Part"
Numerous Kardashian critics have stepped in to defend her, arguing that she was trying to take advantage of her platform to advocate for prison reform and that this was the responsible thing to do.
An Endless Cycle of Sexism
And even as Twitter users criticize the New York Post for what they have described as a sexist cover, they have been on the receiving end of even more sexist comments. As journalist Allison Carter wrote in this tweet, "life is too short."
