Similarities between Kylie Jenner and Beyoncé are causing controversy on social media.
Queen Bey wowed onlookers at the Super Bowl on Sunday with her country-inspired outfit. Donning a figure-hugging black dress, bolo tie and sky-high blonde hair, the 42-year-old singer added fuel to rumors that a country album is on the way.
Although her look appeared to pay tribute to country music icon Dolly Parton, her ensemble drew comparisons to another celebrity, reality star Kylie Jenner.
Andrea Renault/Mason Poole/AFP/Getty Images
“I had to take a double-take, I literally thought this was Kylie Jenner,” said TikTok user Jessica Weslie Arena (@jessweslie).
The poster also saw a resemblance to Jenner’s older half-sisters, telling followers: “She’s kind of looking like Kim Kardashian and Khloe.”
At the time of publishing, Weslie’s video had been viewed over 36,000 times.
However, the BeyHive took offense to the comparison between the Grammy winner and the Kardashian-Jenner clan, especially as the socialites have previously been accused of “Blackfishing” and cultural appropriation.
Merriam-Webster defines Blackfishing as “the practice of trying to give the impression that one is of Black ancestry when one is not,” with offenders usually altering their appearance or embracing certain stereotypes.
“Kylie is the one that tans her skin has lip fillers has done surgery to look like a woc. Beyoncé is naturally like this,” user Boutique tok commented on Weslie’s video.
“Kylie literally had all these changes made to her face and body. Beyoncé is Beyoncé,” agreed @ingriiddd.
“We all know Kylie had adopted trends made popular by black women,” wrote Dream place.
“No, Beyonce is not trying to look like Kylie Jenner, that whole family has been cosplay BIPOC their entire lives,” said @luciaralepobe on X, formerly Twitter.
Peace agreed, writing: “Kylie Jenner has been chasing this prototype for like 4-5 surgeries.”
Newsweek has reached out to Beyoncé and Kylie Jenner for comment via email.
From wearing skin-darkening make-up to alleged surgical interventions, the Kardashian-Jenners have been accused of co-opting Black fashion trends and features.
Jenner confessed that her full lips were the result of fillers in 2017, leading to allegations of cultural appropriation. Many Black women condemned the 26-year-old, accusing her of profiting off a trait that they had suffered discrimination for.
In 2020, Jenner was slammed for wearing braids in a cover shoot for Paper magazine. Shared to the beauty mogul’s Instagram account, the image shows a bleached-blonde Jenner with braided pig tails high upon her head.
Braids were specifically created for coiled and tight-textured locks, with the hairstyle dating back to 3500 B.C. Africa.
A selfie of Jenner wearing cornrows caused similar uproar in 2016. Her sister Kim Kardashian has also been blasted for donning such hairstyles, while Khloe Kardashian has previously been called out for wearing Bantu knots, a technique originating from the Zulu tribes of southern Africa.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.