Kim Kardashian and North West are pushing back at the internet critics after North’s latest style moment - her dermal finger piercing - went viral. Back in September, the 12-year-old was photographed with what appeared to be a tiny stud on her finger, instantly sparking concern and outrage online. Fans have gotten used to North’s bold choices - fake tattoos, neon hair, and that corset moment over the summer - but the piercing took the internet to another level.
© Backgrid UK/The Grosby GroupAt first, people weren’t sure if it was real. Then a video of the actual piercing being done, showing it was, in fact, the real deal. Last week, when someone posted that the piercing broke their heart, the @kimandnorth profile (run by an adult) responded directly. The comment was short but firm: “It's Okay.” Neither Kim nor North offered more explanation, but the message was clear - they’re not sweating the discourse.
© @TikTokEven though the account has comments turned off, the videos strongly suggest that North is running the page creatively. It’s unclear whether every post gets approval first, but Kim has said before that North sees the commentary about her clothes, hair, and overall vibe - and she genuinely doesn’t seem bothered by it.
And while there’s always a real concern about how nonstop negativity toward a child can affect confidence or mental development, there’s also the bigger issue: millions of adults hyper-fixating on a young Black girl’s personal expression. It’s easy to forget that celebrity kids are, at the end of the day, kids. North posting on social media doesn’t automatically mean she’s inviting a global critique.
© Backgrid UK/The Grosby GroupAs for legality, California doesn’t allow minors to get piercings alone, but with parental supervision, it’s allowed - so Kim wasn’t breaking any rules. Kanye West (now Ye) has expressed in the past that he doesn’t like North being on social media, but disagreements between parents are ultimately private family matters, not public policy.
North’s style has sparked conversation before
North's Rome look had people angry at Kim for letting her wear a corset. Kim didn’t respond directly to that situation, but she did recently talk about a period where North tried dressing more “girly” because that’s what her friends were doing. “She wore something really girly once and was like, ‘Whoa, wait, this isn’t me,’” Kim told Complex Style. “She loves her T-shirts, her jerseys, and her jorts.”
© The Grosby GroupNorth turns 13 on June 13, and if her first decade online taught us anything, it’s that her style and her presence will only keep evolving. .
