This is like something from a Saturday Night Live skit. The thing is, when I first read the headline “Kylie Jenner throws a Handmaid’s Tale-themed party,” I truly normalized it to the point where I was like “there’s some justification here, like the proceeds to the party go towards Planned Parenthood or something.” But no. This was not a fundraiser party to draw awareness to how reproductive rights are under attack. This was a birthday party in which a handful of vapid, illiterate rich girls thought it would be funny to dress up as fictional “handmaids” and put the whole thing on social media. I told you, it’s like an SNL skit.
Kylie Jenner is receiving harsh criticism after she and Sofia Richie dressed up in costumes from The Handmaid’s Tale for a themed party over the weekend. Jenner, 21, took to her Instagram Stories on Saturday to share a snap of herself and Richie (who is dating her sister, Kourtney Kardashian’s ex, Scott Disick) wearing red outfits for a bash at her Calabasas, California, home.
The event was in honor of Jenner’s pal, Anastasia “Stassie” Karanikolaou’s, birthday; the reality star decked out her abode to look like Gilead, the fictional setting of the popular Hulu series, and served cocktails with names like “praise be vodka,” and “under his eyes tequila.”
However, not everyone was impressed by the pals appearing to glamorize a show which highlights serious issues like women’s rights violations. “I honestly believe Kylie Jenner did NOT understand The Handmaids Tale if she’s throwing a themed party about it,” wrote one Twitter user. “But why is Kylie Jenner having a Handmaid’s Tale party… she does realize it’s about rape & oppression… right?” questioned another.
I found this video (below) where Kylie tells a friend that they’re going to watch the first episode, which… maybe Kylie and her friends are truly watching A Handmaid’s Tale and this themed birthday party coincided with the premiere of Season 3? I mean, anything is possible. But I genuinely think that Kylie and her friends were like “cool handmaid’s tale cloaks, great theme for a cocktail party!” Wrong moment, chicas.
Photos courtesy of Backgrid, Kylie’s social media.
Is her phone plugged into her costume?
They give home schooling a bad name!
Seriously…these people are sociologically ignorant…tone def AF…and tacky…and the fact that they’ve made MILLIONS off of folks giving away their $$$ to foster this type of mediocrity is cringe-worthy….
gack sometimes the culture feels end of days stupid…
YEP!!!!!!
Very true. Did she think Handmaid’s Tale is about ladies dressed like Little Red Riding Hood?
Unfortunately, Kyle may have never read Little Red Riding Hood. Chris and Bruce (Kaitlin) were too preoccupied with chasing $ and fame. They forgot to raise their young and impressionable daughters.
Kendall and Kyle were in a hypersexualized environment from a tender age. They grew up believing that their worth is seeking approval from strangers (social media). Sure, they have money. But at what cost? The surgeries, fillers, photoshopping, filters, sexualized poses, etc.
Kendall seems to have had work done too but it is quite different from her sisters.
Elisabeth Moss in a few days: “Handmaid’s will not be renewed for season 4. You can all thank Kylie Jenner”
YIKES! I really hope not. I have struggled through all the second season, and the third seems so unnecessary.
Agreed. Third season all seems to pointless.
I can’t stand the stupidity.
I just don’t see what all the fuss is about. It was a themed/costume party. I detest anything Kardashian, yet still.
It’s a show, a piece of art and entertainment from which they chose to base costumes on. There doesn’t have be be six layers of meaning and four layers of offense in everything now. People hunt for grand statements, but Kylie wasn’t intending to make one on women’s reproductive rights.
Have you watched the show? Its pretty tone deaf to celebrate it as a party theme. There are not 6 layers of meaning here, it’s an idiot rich girl playing dress up and glamourizing, if not flat out mocking, a society where women are treated like cattle with no rights.
If I had any respect for Kylie before this, I certainly don’t anymore. How tone deaf can you be?
“Have you watched the show? Its pretty tone deaf to celebrate it as a party theme.”
I’d argue that it’s even more tone-deaf for them to have a cult member like Elizabeth Moss playing the lead, but sure.
This! I have not watched the show because they cast an actor who is part of a cult that enslaves people to tell the story of a society that enslaves people.
I refuse to watch this show for that exact reason. Every time I hear some one tell me how important the show is and how it’s so poignant, I see red. How can you say you stand for all these things yet have no problem supporting an actress ok with a group that has actually slaves and forces women to hand abortions. And before anyone ask, yes I absolutely refuse to watch or support ANYTHING that I know has Scientologist involved in it. I’m huge Marvel and Paul Rudd fan but have yet to see Ant-Man.
I’m with you all in being annoyed that Elizabeth Moss is endlessly cast as a feminist icon in show after show…but I’m not watching it because I’ve read the book a couple of times and it’s haunted me since my teen years. I’m glad the show is out there now, but this Kyli thing was my exact fear, normalization.
It’s a book that turned into a show!
A book written in the 80’s and it is a book worth reading.
Read the book, forget about the show.
@ Babablacksheep
Wait? Is Paul Rudd a Scientologist? Can’t find anything about it online.
@coco no he’s not, thank god! But Michael Pena is.
Erinn, I’m with you.
The show may have an important message (or warning) but there is no way in HELL that I will support anything having to do with a $cientologist, unless it’s to expose the cult. I don’t care if “she was raised in it” because her parents were cult members. you can think for yourself and break away from it.
And Kylie is a tone-deaf, shallow IDIOT for having a HT-themed party.
Except that the series is not treated of subjects light thing like series like Friends, Sex on the city; but of a empowering of women and their rights to decide for their bodies, and considering the political situation around the world where women’s rights are questioned . Yes theirs theme’s party is shameful.
It’s not six layers of meaning, the show is about women being repressed for their reproductive ability. That’s the first layer of meaning. The second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth layers of meaning are also about women being repressed for their reproductive rights. The Handmaid’s Tale is a dystopia about what could happen to women if men seize control of our bodies, which is what is happening right now in many states. No one is looking for this meaning or reason to be offended, the meaning is punching us in the face and it’s offensive because it is tone deaf to the very real struggle for reproductive freedom that is ocurring right now. But I’m glad you don’t see what all the fuss is about, Serena.
OWould you attend a themed costume party for Roots? Or Orange is the new black? Or powwow highway?
When art is depicting atrocities on marginalized groups it is a shitty thing to make light of that art through a costume party.
Casting Elizabeth Moss as the lead is on par with throwing a Roots party. Has anyone seen Shelly lately?
Uh…HMT is a dystopian cautionary tale re the holocaust on women…so an Auschwitz party kardashian style?
@aeon AsF – uh- rape and oppression = party theme? That’s ONE layer to ignorance.
Huh – interesting take. So you’re defending a superficial view of a show about women who are enslaved by a fundamentalist fascist state which uses them for rape, forced pregnancies and hard labor? Maybe next time Kylie can throw an “Anne Frank in the Attic” party, because her story can be read as just an account of how she lived in a sealed attic with her family, and not ascribe six layers of meaning to her fear, suffering and ultimate interment and death in a Nazi concentration camp. Because, you know, Kylie just wants to have FUN with her girls.
Seems like an over the top, themed watch party to me.
Tone deaf and ignorant of the bigger issues going on right now, for sure.
Is anyone else SHOCKED that the red dresses are so gigantic??? They are the size of ACTUAL dresses. Why are they not tiny red bra and panty combos??? I am flabbergasted. Flabbergasted.
Also, I couldn’t read the actual article. This particular billionaire irks me so, so much.
Yup. I remember a while back I saw a “sexy” handmaid’s dress for Halloween, I am actually shocked that they are wearing a full length dress. Apart from that ignorance is bliss with these people.
Idiot.
God, the stupidity… it burns.
Looks more like a Little House on the Prairie party to me.
The only thing that shocks me about this is that they didn’t go for the “sexy handmaid” costumes. Let’s be real here – any interest Kylie Jenner has in this show is merely to do with its standing as a pop culture subject, not the actually story itself.
I honestly don’t understand why people keep expecting ANYTHING deep out of any member of this family. Granted, the bar has been set so low that the tiniest bit of self awareness seems like a big deal, but the reality remains that these are all women who have been born into wealth and fame and are led by a mother who worships both and has taught her daughters to do the same. And they are all willing acolytes.
But they’re wearing makeup. And manipulating mobile technology. Where’s the bulk of society which beats, scars and maims them? Where’s the organized rape happening?
This is no different than those offensive “Pimps and Hos” or “Ghetto” parties frats and sororities have, or those “colonialist” fancy dress parties the wealthy celebs and upper class have in the UK. This isn’t a case of Kylie Jenner being too specifically “Kylie Jenner” or “Kardashian”-it’s just another white, privileged person lacking self-awareness-now with more pop culture.
The main character of the show is played by a Scientologist and REAL LIFE group that uses slave labor and forces women to get abortions. She has publicly defended this “religion” and sees nothing wrong with it. She gives a lot of money to support this cult and it’s horrid practices. Money that comes from the show you the viewer are watching and supporting. You want to support the message? Read the damn book because watching the show is doing nothing but lining Creepy Miscavages pockets. But yea, Kylie Jenner is the worst person in the world. Talk about going after low hanging fruit. 🙄.
Honestly, the show itself is a pretty gross exploitation of very serious issue (when my friend’s white, male, occasionally sociologically tone deaf husband is made uncomfortable by the torture porn aspect of how the women are treated, you know it’s bad). Continuing it past Atwood’s story was a mistake to begin with, much less allowing it to become a “hit” series. All this strikes me as the inevitable result of capitalizing on that sort of subject matter in the first place.
I can’t bring myself to watch it. And you KNOW some guys are getting off on it.
Yeh I have a problem with how POC are treated in the show as well. I don’t think they are given the same space to develop or have backstory as the white characters.
**Spoilers season 2**
Also I feel like the underground railroad was a complete rip off…felt like they took a big narrative from black culture and then used it for the mainly white storyline. Sometimes when I watch it I feel like the outrage is not that it happened in real life (to WOC especially) but that it’s fictionally happening to a white women. It made me uncomfortable watching it.
I imagine a lot of them are taking notes, to be honest. I refuse to watch it for the same reason. SNL had it *nailed* in their skit about how so many men turn a blind eye to smaller injustices against women that something like this could happen without a single care from their way.
The original book wasn’t particularly awesome when it came to race, either, but at least Atwood made a point of how sexism and racism are inherently intertwined – that along with women’s rights, so would the rights of all other minorities go out the window because once you hate 50% of the population, there’s nothing to stop you from finding other other arbitrary mechanisms by which to dehumanize the population. The fact that a show made in 2019 didn’t correct a problem from a book written several decades ago just goes to show you how ill thought out it was.
I haven’t watched it either, mostly due to the real life climate we’re living in, though I do like a lot of the cast. But there’s some very good points in these comments that are likely going to keep me from ever watching it.
Her head is gigantic. She doesn’t look anything like Kylie anymore! Must be hard for her À la Jennifer Grey bad.
This is what happens when you leave your homeschool at 15. Chica obviously cannot do a basic book analysis for sh-t, how embarassing for her and her family.
I honestly thought I simply didn’t like the show as I never watched season two. But reading y’all’s posts pushed me to pause and regurgitate old feelings regarding reason. Everything being said is spot on. Yes, it’s entertainment, artistic expression, yada yada yada, begging for social commentary both intellectually and superficially, and parties are bound to happen. Young and stupid is as young and stupid does. I remember Greek life and all that entails lol. I can’t really dissect KKrew cuz there’s nothing to investigate. Cotton balls are simply cotton balls lol.
BUT, I can’t watch that show because of the content. I can’t watch that show because of the lead. Why? Her personal life bugs the shit out of me…and her success makes it worse. I LOVE Top of the Lake, but it annoyed me how I watched ‘around’ her and paid more mind to other characters played by Helen Hunt, Gwendoline Christie and…New Zealand. Would any one of us throw a themed party showcasing the enslavement and oppression of women? That’s a laughable oh hell no. Would cotton balls throw down because the outfits are comfy, kinda cool and the right color? One hundred percent cotton all the way.
I haven’t seen the show, but I’ve read the book. Like some of you I refuse to watch it because of the Elizabeth Moss casting. Now I hate the Kardashian’s/Jenner’s with a passion and to see them do something this ignorant just goes to show I’m right to hate them. It would take us living in a world like Gilead for people like her to understand why you don’t bastardize something like handmaidens take.
Sorry I’m not up on the drama, can you tell me why people hate Elizabeth Moss?
She’s a Scientologist and makes no apologies for it. Scientology uses slave labor and forced women to have abortions. She’s literally saying things that are supposed to get the SJW’s and feminist all wet but her actions in supporting a disgusting cult negate anything she says.
Not only does EM make no apologies for being a Sciento, I have an issue of BUST magazine where she says something like it has been grossly misrepresented. There were lots of letters to the editors on that one.
I haven’t seen this show, and didn’t realize it took place in Gilead. The only Gilead I know is the home of Roland Deschain, Gunslinger. I wonder if it’s the same world?
It’s a biblical reference, Gilead.
I love the Gunslinger series, Lady D!
Trolls gonna troll. They knew this would get attention.
Exactly…..they got what they wanted. Publicity
Next up will be her “12 Years a Slave” party. It’s gonna be lit with forced labor themed cocktails.
What is more fun than play acting oppressed people?
This goes back to all the fake talk about her being a self-made billionaire. This girl is not intelligent. Her mother has built her up and marketed her as a makeup genius, but it’s all superficial and marketing. There are a lot of snarky reviews on her skincare line, and it seems the downfall of kylie may be coming. What goes up always comes down.
I think her lip kit was super successful because young women bought the “it’s only lip liner” LIE Kylie was throwing around when in truth it was injections. She got lucky with the lip liners but I don’t think she’ll be able to do a repeat with any other product. Plus the lip liners weren’t her invention. The formula was already there. They just slapped her name on it.
I think it was successful because they took the guesswork out of matching your liner to your lipstick. I’ve considered buying it for that reason, but haven’t been able to bring myself to giving her even a dime of my $$$ yet.
This was just a watch party. Friends coming together to watch a show. It was themed. This is not a big deal. I myself am not a Kardashian/ Jenner fan, but everyone on here needs to loosen up. It is a FICTIONAL television program, ladies. If you don’t like what you see don’t follow them on social media, or click on these stories. If you are still irritated, go meditate in a corner. There you have it, problem solved. Everyone have a wonderful day!
Or I can comment on how imbecilic they are.
It says it was a birthday party, not a watch party.
Can’t wait to read about next month’s “Chernobyl”-themed party.
I can’t watch this show. I don’t think violence against women is entertainment and it’s seems to be the only story line in Hollywood anymore. My personal feeling.
Cue sources (read: kris Jenner) telling us all how we are wrong and mean and we just don’t understand how deep and informed Kylie is
yup, and how plastic surgery is about feminism. they twist the truth for their bank accounts. always.
Wow she looks so different out of her Instagram/photoshopped paparazzi photos!
These parasites.
Somehow this dimwit completely missed the point of The Handmaid’s Tale.
So…her name is “Ofscott” now?
She’s so terribly uneducated. I blame her parents.