Kim Kardashian and daughter North West are once again at the center of an online parenting debate after a side-by-side photo comparing the two at age 13 went viral. The difference is certainly stark—but fans (and haters) are debating whether or not this is a sign of bad parenting.
The image, which was recently highlighted by AOL, places a photo of a young Kim next to a recent photo of North. While Kim appears fresh-faced and preppy in a collared white school uniform short, North has clearly developed a much more alternative personal style. The 13-year-old dons blue braids, a septum ring, drawn-on face tattoos, and a whole lot of chunky silver jewelry. The comparison quickly prompted social media users to weigh in on everything from the mother-daughter resemblance to Kim’s parenting choices.
Women Are Swapping Their Boring Water For This Ice Pop Electrolyte Mix!
Some commenters focused on how different the two looked at the same age, with one person writing, "Young Kim looks so beautiful," while another pointed out that "Time changes, and so do people."
Others were considerably more critical, using the comparison to question whether North is being given too much freedom with her appearance at such a young age.
The debate comes after North, who turned 13 this year, has increasingly experimented with her look. Her appearance has sparked similar reactions in recent months, particularly after she appeared on the cover of Dazed magazine in an alternative look.
"Mind you, she’s 13," one critic wrote in response to a recent appearance, while another commented, "Let her be a child."
But plenty of people have defended North's right to experiment with her appearance. One supporter argued that people shouldn't criticize a teenager simply for expressing herself, writing that North is "not half n*ked" and asking why people are upset about her style.
Kim herself has previously defended giving North freedom to express herself. During an appearance on Khloé Kardashian's podcast, she explained that while her daughter does have rules, she allows her to experiment when it comes to her appearance.
"The one area is I do let her express herself," Kim said, adding that she loves North for her creativity.
Kim has also addressed North's changing hair and style during an appearance on Call Her Daddy, saying, "if you want blue hair, it is what it is." She explained that North's creativity makes her happy and that she wouldn't want to take that away from her.
North's father, Kanye West, has publicly spoken out about his qualms with Kardashian's parenting style, particularly when it comes to North's appearance.
The latest side-by-side has therefore reopened a debate that doesn't appear to be going away anytime soon: Is North simply expressing herself like any other teenager, or should her famous parents be setting more limits?
Either way, comparing a 13-year-old Kim with her 13-year-old daughter has clearly given social media plenty to talk about.
