Photo: Shutterstock / Featureflash Photo Agency / Jamie Lamor Thompson
That's really messed up.
By Ashley Darkwa-Anto — Written on Apr 22, 2022
We already know the Kardashian-Jenner family isn’t afraid of a bit of drama.
Still, the latest chapter of their drama-filled life has taken a legal turn, finally facing off in court with Robert Kardashian’s former partner, Blac Chyna.
Chyna is suing members of the Kardashian-Jenner family for “economic damages,” claiming that the family had slandered and damaged her career by orchestrating the cancellation of her spin-off series "Rob & Chyna" back in 2016. The family has rejected the allegations in the lawsuit.
Things took a turn when Kris Jenner became the center of attention due to her comments against Blac Chyna.
Kris Jenner allegedly called Blac Chyna 'ghetto.'
Lynne Ciana, Chyna’s lawyer, alleged that when the show was due to be renewed for a second season, Jenner reached out to E! Network, where ‘Rob & Chyna’ aired, and production company Bunim Murray Productions, and called Chyna "stupid" and "really ghetto.”
Needless to say, the leaked private texts outraged fans, who took to social media, namely Reddit, to label the reality star as a “racist.”
In it's modern sense, the word ghetto has become a means of referring to anything poor, urban, cheap, or substandard. It is not inherently racist but given how frequently the word is used pejoratively to refer to Black people, it's hard to separate the word from its racist implications when it is being used to describe a Black woman.
Online, several people blasted Jenner for her use of the term.
Jenner, in her position of power and influence, chose to use what is generally regarded a racist term in order to ensure a Black woman would be shunned from her own reality TV show.
Many felt that these labels were racially charged and appeared hypocritical, especially since Jenner has seven black grandchildren who can potentially see and access the offensive comments in the future.
Fans pointed out that, though not everyone will agree, “ghetto” is often viewed as a word used to belittle or invalidate someone. As one Reddit user puts it, “[c]alling someone’ ghetto’ has racist connotations regardless of anyone’s opinion here.”
Fans also labeled Kris Jenner a hypocrite for calling Blac Chyna ghetto.
Some even went as far as to point out the problems in Jenner’s family, writing that if Chyna is “ghetto,” then what about her children who act, look, and dress the same.
Of course, some of those comments were of poor taste. No one should ever shame a woman for having children while unmarried or blame a woman for her husband's drug addiction.
However, the point remains that if we are expected to be respectful toward the Kardashians for their choices, then we should give Blac Chyna the same respect.
Ashley Darkwa-Anto is an editorial intern at YoutTango who covers News & Entertainment.