We often hear news stories about celebrity divorces. These stories are usually released strategically by the celebrities’ representatives. This allows the involved parties to try and frame the story to their advantage. 

In February 2021, Kim Kardashian West announced her divorce from Kanye West. The two were married for nearly seven years. Throughout their relationship, the couple was in the public eye constantly. Their divorce is no exception. 

Divorce is a difficult and emotional event for any family, even families full of wealthy celebrities. Although no divorce is easy, sometimes, it is the best option. Divorce can provide an opportunity for necessary growth and change. 

In the following post, we will examine some of the circumstances of the Kanye West and Kim Kardashian divorce.  

Kim Kardashian Without the “West” 

As we noted above, every divorce is complicated and emotionally difficult. This is especially true when a family is in the public eye. One of the possibilities presented by this particular divorce is for Kim Kardashian to reinvent herself as a public figure.

For the better part of a decade, Kim Kardashian has been in the shadow of Kanye West because of his penchant for controversy. From his religious conversion to his political positions, West has absorbed a great deal of attention. 

Following this divorce, many people will be interested to see who Kim Kardashian becomes. Many also wonder what types of projects she will develop. 

“Keeping Up with the Kardashians” and Kris Jenner

Kardashian first rose to fame as a friend of the hotel heiress and socialite, Paris Hilton. Like Hilton, Kardashian became more famous in the wake of a sex tape and subsequent reality show. 

“Keeping Up with the Kardashians” premiered in 2007 on the E! Entertainment channel. The show was immediately successful. Since 2007, Kim Kardashian has far surpassed Hilton in terms of fame, professional ambition, and success. 

The reality show features the entire Kardashian family, including their mother, Kris Jenner. Jenner functions as both cheerleader and manager for the family. She is overbearing but also loving. 

The term “momager” was coined to describe Jenner’s unique role in the family. She has undoubtedly been an enormous part of the family’s public success.  

The Use of Social Media in Kardashian’s Fame

Kim Kardashian also rose to prominence just in time to ride the wave of social media’s popularity. Rather than being invaded by paparazzi, Kardashian used social media to drive her own public image. 

In the past, celebrities worked hard to avoid the release of candid photographs. Kardashian made a business out of them. She currently has over 200 million followers on Instagram. 

While her social media presence is ostensibly a “real” look at her life, Kim Kardashian’s image is carefully crafted. Kris Jenner, as the family’s manager, works very hard to control the narrative of the events surrounding their family.

“Keeping Up with the Kardashians” features some storylines that function to make the show seem more authentic. For instance, Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries divorced in 2013. The show included scenes detailing the difficulty of the divorce. 

But it is important to note that Jenner is the show’s executive producer. She is ultimately still crafting the family’s image. This is true no matter how authentic it may seem to be. It may seem obvious, but reality television is hardly real. No moment is unedited or included accidentally. 

“Keeping Up with the Kardashians” is a curated narrative that is meant to drive ratings and market the Kardashian family. 

The Kanye West Relationship

In 2012, Kim Kardashian began dating Kanye West. West is primarily known as an accomplished music producer and rapper. However, he is also an eccentric and controversial public personality. Kardashian’s relationship with West opened up new avenues of publicity for the reality television star.

For instance, Kardashian was the first reality television personality allowed to attend the Met Gala in 2013. She attended the gala as West’s plus one. In spite of this increased access to the high fashion industry, Kardashian was apparently not welcome among the elites. 

Much of the lifestyle that the couple projected seemed to be driven by West’s artistic sensibilities. For example, the couple had an elaborate wedding and lived in a very minimalist house. These things were decided by West.

Kanye West’s artistic taste seemed to hover over all of Kardashian’s public work. She even referred to her husband as the “ghost creative director” of Skims, her line of shapewear. 

Beyond his influence over Kardashian’s professional life, West was also apparently controlling in their interpersonal relationship. In one episode of “Keeping Up with the Kardashians,” Kim discusses her husband’s distaste about a photo that she posted on the internet. The photo was, reportedly, not part of West’s “vision” for what vacation pictures should look like. 

There were many allegations that West was incredibly controlling of Kardashian’s public image and personal life. He reportedly monitored the clothes, shoes, and sunglasses that she wore. Unhealthy expectations about control and lack of boundaries are common conditions for divorce.

Divorce as a New Opportunity

Now that Kim Kardashian is divorcing her last husband, she has a new set of opportunities. Publicly, she has often been defined by her relationship to others. Moving forward, she may use this divorce as a chance to reinvent herself. 

Both her mother and her now ex-husband have controlled her public image in the past. That may be changing as she works to redefine her personal and professional life. 

While the Kardashian-West divorce is unique in many respects, the interpersonal dynamics are common. Many couples realize the need to separate. Whether you are a media mogul and public figure or not, divorces are difficult. But this common life occurrence can also present the possibility of greater self-control and new opportunities. 

Divorce and Marriage Rates

While celebrity break-ups may grab our attention, U.S. divorce rates have been going down since the 1980s. According to the Institute for Family Studies, only 14.9% of marriages ended in divorce in the year 2020. 

Even though divorce rates are decreasing, it is a life event that many families face. Even the most amicable divorces are messy, difficult, and emotional. Often, families must also negotiate child custody and support. Because of the challenging nature of divorce, contacting a qualified family attorney is very important. 

For more information, call our law firm at (619) 866-3756 or reach out to us via email by visiting our contact us page.