Kylie Jenner hosted a “Handmaid’s Tale” themed party over the weekend, complete with Handmaid cosplay and ‘Handmaid’s Tale”-themed drinks, apparently to celebrate a friend, Anastasia Karanikolaou, who is a massive fan of the show.
Jenner posted pictures from the party on her Instagram stories with the caption, “Praise be, ladies. Welcome, welcome. You know ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ is my favorite show ever… welcome to Gilead.”
Even Kylie’s baby Stormi got in on the action, dressing up with the theme.
Quite frankly, the Kardashians should probably be allowed to co-opt the “Handmaid’s Tale” whenever they want. After all, while most politicians the left labels “Theocratic” and likely to bring about the post-apocalyptic Gilead, where fertile women are conscripted to breed, probably haven’t even considered the possibility of actually enslaving women to childbirth, Kylie’s half-sister, Kim Kardashian, has twice now paid an unrelated woman to have her baby. The mechanics are different, of course, but the sentiment is largely the same.
But, you see, Kylie Jenner can’t host a party themed on the “Handmaid’s Tale,” according to feminists and the social justice left, because Vice President Mike Pence and others are clearly trying to implement Margaret Atwood’s dystopic novel in full, and the “Handmaid’s Tale” is now so very serious that it cannot be taken lightly, even by fans.
Jenner was accused of all manner of sin for her party, including “privilege” — because when the “Handmaid’s Tale” finally does come to fruition, she’s unlikely to be enslaved to a barren family — and ignorance.
Women’s bodies get policed on a daily, some states are trying to ban abortion, yet Kylie Jenner thought a Handmaid’s tale theme party was a good idea pic.twitter.com/W80sm0RMpn
— Ilke Nackerdien (@ilke_zuleika) June 9, 2019
Having a handmaid’s tale themed party is problematic AT BEST.. you’d think someone would have told Kylie that the glamorisation of sex slaves was best avoided.
— sophiebrennan (@SophieBrennan8) June 9, 2019
sos Kylie Jenner is currently hosting a Handmaid’s Tale-themed party and I literally have no idea how to even comprehend why she thought that would ever be a good idea someone please go over there and explain why that is so problematic because sis is very uninformed
— Emma Shilliday (@emmyshills) June 9, 2019
One commenter on Instagram pointed out that women in the real world are definitely fighting against the “Handmaid’s Tale” in real life and Kylie Jenner is just making it harder. “What kylie is doing here demolish the point of the show, by reducing it to just a show, when what it really is, is a collection of human suffering. to see someone so privileged make light of those who are fighting to stay alive every single [day] is disheartening and equally disgusting,” the commenter said.
Clearly, some people didn’t enjoy their “praise be vodka” or their “under his eye tequila,” both themed drinks served at the party.
The party drew the ire of big-name leftists, too. Vox Media did an entire explainer on why Jenner’s party (which is already over) was so problematic, and why cosplaying in Handmaid robes, which women voluntarily don to protest various perceived slights against women’s and reproductive rights, should be reserved for those who are more serious about the impact of legislation on women, and not for 20-something cosmetics moguls.
The pop culture aspect of the robes, Vox explains, is regrettable, because the show itself isn’t supposed to be enjoyable — even though that’s what makes the show so successful. It’s supposed to be meaningful and deep and poignant in the age of Trump where Gilead could come to be at any time.
“Part of what makes the Kylie Jenner party so uncomfortable to so many people is that she’s not appreciating the show in what we generally understand to be the ‘correct’ way,” Vox says. “When you’re watching The Handmaid’s Tale ‘correctly,’ you don’t want to enter Gilead and be a Handmaid. Instead, you take the show as instructive, so that it makes you want to do everything you can in our own world to keep Gilead from coming to pass.”
Even actor Bradley Whitford, who stars in the show, called Jenner’s party “tacky,” according to Fox News. since it encourages fans to see the “Handmaid’s Tale” as entertainment rather than the Very Serious Warning it clearly is. No one can have fun.
“You know, that costume is so kind of iconic, and it’s interesting how it’s changed from initially a sort of symbol of oppression – to now, as the show is moving ahead to a symbol of resistance,” Whitford told The Talk. “So, yeah, cocktail party seems to sort of dash all that significance.”
Jenner, who is said to be America’s most successful female entrepreneur, brushed off the criticism.