Keeping Up with the Kardashians and social media star Scott Disick is no stranger to controversy.
The 41-year-old reality star, who has over 29 million Instagram followers, frequently publishes photos of his life with his three children, Mason, Penelope, and Reign, whom he has with his ex-partner, Kourtney Kardashian.
Despite their on-again, off-again romance, which ended in 2015, Disick and Kardashian have maintained a co-parenting arrangement for their children, ensuring they are still active members of each other’s lives.
Disick recently uploaded a very innocent, candid photo with his daughter, Penelope, on social media.
The snapshot, which captured a father-daughter interaction at a prominent Asian restaurant, appeared at first to be a sweet scenario of a family enjoying time together.
However, the message quickly became a source of criticism online.
The six-year-old Penelope is seen in the picture pulling the corners of her eyes upward. For some of Disick’s fans, the gesture raised questions.
They voiced disgust, noting that Penelope’s actions, particularly when dining at an Asian restaurant with chopsticks visible on the table, mirrored an unpleasant stereotype frequently pointed at East Asian groups.
One commenter, identifying as Asian-American, said, “I am insulted. Adults should offer a good example.”
Others shared this opinion, saying things like “She must have seen someone do it to think it’s okay” and “Teach her not to do the Chinese eye thing at a sushi restaurant. Don’t teach her to be a racist.”
The outrage was quick, with many people condemning the father-daughter duo of being insensitive.
Some even suggested that Disick take responsibility for training his daughter about cultural sensitivity.
“All that wealth, you’d think some would go towards education on ignorance and cultural sensitivity,” said one opponent.
Another commenter said, “It’s a parent’s responsibility to teach a kid to do the right thing.”
Despite the outcry, not all of Disick’s supporters were ready to criticize.
Several people raced to defend the snap, claiming Penelope was only making a stupid face, as children frequently do.
“She is a little f-king girl making a goofy face in a picture with her dad,” one supporter claimed. Another added, “I’m Chinese. If you mock Asian eyes, you pull OUT not UP.”
A few others argued that it was unjust to lay the weight of racism on a young child who may not understand the consequences of her behavior.
Disick has yet to give a formal reaction to the backlash. However, hours after the issue began, he tweeted another photo with Penelope, titled “Living my best life,” which some saw as an indirect response to the ongoing debate.
Disick’s friendship with Kourtney Kardashian, which has been extensively recorded on television, lends an extra element of intrigue to the story.
The ex-couple’s dynamic has changed over time, as they’ve worked together to co-parent their children despite their previous conflicts.
Disick and Kardashian’s dedication to family has not wavered, even after Kardashian married Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker. It is unclear whether this dispute will result in any further statements from Disick.
For now, the internet community is divided, with some questioning the post’s consequences and others defending a father’s innocent moment with his kid.
It’s a debate that sheds light on the complexity of raising children in public when every action can be analyzed and understood in a variety of ways.
Featured Image Credit: (Instagram/@letthelordbewithyou)
