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Penelope vs the Internet

I hear you're a racist now, Penelope: Instagram has it out for a six-year-old

‘It’s a racial taunt.’

AFTER SIX YEARS and five months in the spotlight, Penelope Disick has found herself at the centre of her first social media scandal.

Up until now, Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick’s only daughter had flown somewhat under the radar.

Oh sure, her birth was featured in an episode of Keeping Up With the Kardashians, and she’s certainly no stranger to the presence of a camera crew, but by and large, Penelope has managed to sidestep any major negative publicity.

Why? Well, that would be due to the simple fact she’s a child.

And quick and all as the public might be to criticise and condemn, we generally give the benefit of the doubt to children because, you know, they’re children.

Well, just seven months shy of her 7th birthday, it looks like Penelope’s grace period is officially over, and she’s finally been exposed as the racist she is.

No seriously; right now on Instagram, a debate is raging beneath a photo of the six-year-old, with specific focus on whether a face she pulled while having dinner with her father suggested racist tendencies.

Here is that picture.

Celebrity blogger, Perez Hilton, got the ball rolling by asking his Instagram followers whether posting the photo was a bad move on the part of Penelope’s father, Scott.

Racist or nah? Smart of Scott Disick to post this or nah?

As far as some Instagram commentators are concerned, the fact that Penelope happens to be in an Asian restaurant, and chose to manipulate the shape of her eyes with her fingers means she’s clearly prejudiced against the Asian community.

SO SAD THIS LITTLE GIRL IS GROWING THIS WAY …SHE CAME INTO THE WORLD AS LOVE AND EXUDED RACIST HATE.
The pulling of the eyes is a racial taunt. If something similar was done using a stereotype of a black person or an LGBTQ person, the internet would have a meltdown.
You might want to teach your KIDS NOT TO DO RACIST THINGS such as what your daughter is doing in this pic! UNACCEPTABLE!

What I saw, however, was a little girl innocently pulling a face; a version of which is featured in myriad of my own – and millions of other people’s – childhood photographs.

And fortunately for the – let’s just say it again – six-year-old, hundreds of other people, including those from the Asian community, saw the same.

Indeed, numerous Instagram users were quick to counter the accusations of racism by highlighting the fact that Penelope is actually pulling her eyes upwards, and not attempting to create a slant to either side.

But let’s be honest; some people will see what they choose to see.

Yes, it’s undoubtedly a storm in a teacup, but when you choose to find offense in what is textbook child-like behaviour from an individual who is not yet seven years on this planet, you might want to consider which battles you pick.

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