Kim Kardashian: Naked selfie divides internet - but shouldn't have been such a surprise

Kim Kardashian did not “break the internet” with her naked image on the cover of Paper magazine, but she did make another valiant attempt on Monday.

The reality TV star, model and businesswoman greeted followers this morning with a selfie of herself completely nude but for two well-placed modesty bars, an image that inevitably divided the internet between cries of 'think of your children' and praise for her disregard of internet outrage.

Almost every aspect of Kardashian's life is captured in some way, whether it be through the constant stream of selfies that have come to define her, the paparazzi shots from public appearances every day or the reality TV show she still features in. And this appears to be exactly how she wants it. As she said in her own words in her 2014 Paper interview where she appeared naked: “I love sharing my world with people.”

In the process of amassing millions of fans, her posts and her Paper shoot have also annoyed her many critics. But Kardashian’s second naked image should be unsurprising considering her defiant response to criticism of her first. She has never apologised for or expressed regret over any of her racier shoots as she continues to build her ever-expanding empire.

For Kardashian, her Paper photoshoot was an empowering experience that allowed her to feel confident about her body and her weight, both of which are constantly under intensive scrutiny. And in choosing to present herself naked, she arguably takes control of her sexuality and her image.

“I always learn from my mistakes but something like a photo shoot, I never regret,” she told the prestigious Commonwealth Club in July. “I would so do them over. Something like the Paper magazine, I loved that shoot. It was so empowering to me, I was trying to get pregnant, I had put on so much weight but it was my, 'I'm confident again'."

Kardashian also discussed how her prolific selfies and naked photos are a way of reinforcing her sense of agency, telling the audience: “I think there's power in that, and I think I have the control to put out what I want and I'm proud of that. So even if I'm objectifying myself, I feel good about it.”