Entertainment

The NY Times apologizes for comparing an enslaved Black woman to Kim Kardashian

EntertainmentPublished May 18, 2017
By Maria Fischer
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On Tuesday, the New York Times faced intense backlash after one of its writers called Saartjie (or Sarah) Baartman — an enslaved woman from 19th-century South Africa who's known for her exaggerated bottom — a "Kim Kardashian of another era."

New York Times Sarah Baartman Kim Kardashian-placeholder
New York Times Sarah Baartman Kim Kardashian
Twitter/@kualitykontent

The NYT made the comparison in a tweet for its review of the Off-Broadway revival, "Venus."

"A Kim Kardashian of another era returns in Suzan-Lori Park's 'Venus,'" the Times wrote in the tweet.

The article itself also draws the Kardashian comparison.

"Attention, please, those of you whose greatest ambition is to acquire the traffic-stopping body of Kim Kardashian," theater critic Ben Brantley began. "There is a less drastic alternative to costly and dangerous buttocks implants."

Sarah Baartman-placeholder
Sarah Baartman
Tumblr

Readers immediately took offense to Brantley's disturbing comparison.

Baartman — also known as the Hottentot Venus — was forced to perform in freak shows in Europe during the 1800s. Her body's proportions were ridiculed by onlookers, and she eventually died in poverty. 

After Baartman died, her remains were put on display for public viewing up until the 1970s.

New York Times Sarah Baartman Kim Kardashian-placeholder
New York Times Sarah Baartman Kim Kardashian
Twitter

Baartman faced inhumane treatment throughout her life and long after her death; Kardashian, on the other hand, lives an outwardly lavish and privileged lifestyle.

New York Times Kim Kardashian Sarah Baartman-placeholder
New York Times Kim Kardashian Sarah Baartman
Twitter

The comparison was dragged for being ignorant and inappropriate.

New York Times Sarah Baartman Kim Kardashian-placeholder
New York Times Sarah Baartman Kim Kardashian
Twitter

Who let this happen?

Kim Kardashian New York Times Sarah Baartman-placeholder
Kim Kardashian New York Times Sarah Baartman
Twitter
New York Times Kim Kardashian Sarah Baartman-placeholder
New York Times Kim Kardashian Sarah Baartman
Twitter
New York Times Kim Kardashian Sarah Baartman-placeholder
New York Times Kim Kardashian Sarah Baartman
Twitter
New York Times Kim Kardashian Sarah Baartman-placeholder
New York Times Kim Kardashian Sarah Baartman
Twitter

Upon noticing the backlash, the NYT swiftly deleted the insensitive tweet and issued an apology.

New York Times Kim Kardashian-placeholder
New York Times Kim Kardashian
Twitter

But the internet wasn't ready to forgive.

New York Times Kim Kardashian Sarah Baartman-placeholder
New York Times Kim Kardashian Sarah Baartman
Twitter

Let this serve as another reminder on why diversity in newsrooms is so important.

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