Kim Kardashian is facing serious criticism from fans after her 12-year-old daughter, North West, was seen with a finger piercing during a recent trip to Rome.
The SKIMS creator, 44, who co-parents North with her ex-husband Kanye West, has been labeled a “bad mother” by online critics who claim she allows North to dress inappropriately for her age.
Photos from the family’s Italian vacation have caused a stir across social media.
Many users argue that Kim has “no control” over her daughter, while others suggest she’s taken “gentle parenting” too literally.
The controversy ignited when photographers captured a close-up of North’s unusual finger piercing.
During the outing, North, with her electric blue hair styled in pigtails, was seen towering over her mother in a pair of chunky platform boots.
The aspiring fashionista completed her look with a very short denim skirt and a black strapless corset top.
In pictures obtained by People magazine, North’s new microdermal piercing was visible as she clutched a designer bag and held two of the latest iPhones.
The piercing, which featured two studs on her middle finger, has since drawn the ire of Kim’s millions of followers.
Many insist that a 12-year-old is simply too young for body piercings, while others have expressed concern about the dermal piercing specifically, noting that this type is often more painful and prone to infection than others.
The debate has spilled over onto TikTok, where fans are voicing their outrage.
“NORTH IS 12!!!!! She’s a literal child. Why is her mother and all those grown-ups around her allowing her to dress and act like this??? Don’t get me started on the piercing. Sexualising herself like this at such a young age is just so wrong,” one user fumed.
“Guyssssss. This just isn’t okay. North is 12-years-old. Yes, we’re all for expressing yourself through fashion but this just screams all the wrong things. Shame on Kim Kardashian,” another echoed.
A third user suggested the controversy validates Kanye West’s past concerns: “I hate to say it but this is what Kanye was afraid of. This is why he didn’t want North having TikTok and social media when she was 9-years-old. Kim was allowed to be a kid in her childhood so why is she letting North dress like a woman in her twenties. Bad parenting.”
Another comment highlighted the type of piercing and North’s age: “This type of piercing should literally be done when a teenager turns 18. If she’s allowed to get this at 12 then what the actual hell is she going to be like in five years time. Kim has taken gentle parenting too literal and it’s gone too far now,” the user insisted.
North’s father, Kanye West, has previously spoken out about their differing parenting styles. He once shared a photo of North at Coachella with the caption: “As a dad I didn’t love this. 11 year-old with make up.”
