Reality star Kim Kardashian promoted a jarring magazine cover spread of her 13-year-old daughter North West on Tuesday, sparking a wave of backlash directed at the celebrity mother.
The shocking photos show North rocking heavy makeup, bright blue hair, long fake fingernails, multiple piercings on her face, and a teal grill for her teeth. Kardashian posted the cover photos to multiple social media accounts, where she has hundreds of millions of followers, and captioned it, “Northie for Dazed,” adding a blue heart emoji.
northie for @Dazed 🩵 pic.twitter.com/KY1RpDZWp7
— Kim Kardashian (@KimKardashian) August 24, 2026
Quickly, people online expressed their concerns over Kardashian’s parenting, and what they viewed as exploitation of North.
“I have a daughter the exact same age and I was so disturbed to see what this poor girl’s parents have done to her,” conservative writer Bethany Mandel wrote.
The other side of the political aisle expressed the same disapproval. Liberal feminist writer Jill Filipovic posted on X, “This child is 13 years old. I truly have nothing but contempt for parents who put their kids in the public eye, exploit them for money and influence, and don’t protect their childhoods and their privacy. This poor kid.”
Kardashian’s post on X racked up millions of views in a matter of hours. Some who commented noted the apparent absence of Kanye West, North’s father, in the young girl’s life. West has spoken publicly about his bipolar diagnosis and manic episodes. A source close to Kardashian recently said the reality star was effectively raising her children as a “single mom,” though the extent of West’s involvement in his children’s lives is not publicly clear.
Kardashian has previously said that she does not keep her and West’s children away from him, but acknowledged that when West is struggling with his mental health, he often does not want to see the children. She also said she may limit or modify visits when his behavior becomes “really super unhealthy” in order to protect their children.
West, meanwhile, has repeatedly blasted Kardashian publicly over her decision to allow North on social media. In 2022, West posted a screenshot from social media of North, then just 8 years old, and slammed his ex for allowing the exposure against his will. “I am her father,” he said at the time, adding that he didn’t want North “used by TikTok.” Reports circulating in 2024 estimated that North could potentially earn upwards of $30,000 per TikTok post, adding fuel to criticism and speculation that North was being exploited.
Kardashian has defended allowing North on social media, saying that the child has adult supervision.
Related: Kim Kardashian Insists Moon Landing Was Fake: ‘Like, Go To TikTok, See For Yourself’
.png)
.png)
