This week, Kendall Jenner unveiled her latest venture — her very own brand of tequila.
Now, Kendall is no stranger to beverage-related PR disasters.
And it looks like she has just landed herself in another one.
The supermodel is being accused of selling whitewashed liquor to the detriment of Mexican artisans.
“For almost 4 years i’ve been on a journey to create the best tasting tequila,” Kendall announced on Instagram.
She wrote that she’s only ready “after dozens of blind taste tests, trips to our distillery.”
Kendall also boasted about “entering into world tasting competitions anonymously and WINNING ..”
“3.5 years later i think we’ve done it!” Kendall announced.
She added: “This is all we’ve been drinking for the last year.”
Presumably, she means that this was the only tequila, not the only beverage of any kind.
“And,” Kendall continued, “I can’t wait for everyone else to get their hands on this to enjoy it as much as we do!”
“@drink818 coming soon,” she wrote.
The 818 refers to the area code that includes Calabasas, California.
“Something about Kendall Jenner making tequila rubs me the wrong way,” opined one social media user.
The commenter explained: “Like the idea of white celebrities taking from local Mexican artisans.”
That comment continued: “and profiting off our traditions and agricultural business yet only visit Cabos and Puerto Vallarta for vacation spots…”
“Kendall Jenner starting a tequila brand, with zero knowledge on Mexican culture and calling it ‘818 tequila’ is GENTRIFICATION,” tweeted another.
“The 818 does not claim Calabasas,” the non-fan noted.
The tweet then asked: “What about those smaller, family owned Mexican tequila/mezcal brands? They deserve the hype & support.”
“Kendall Jenner coming out with her own tequila brand…” another Twitter user remarked.
That user then asked: “What’s next on the Kardashian/Jenner colonization list?”
These are not just a few commenters. A lot of people are disappointed — to say the least.
“Kendall Jenner starting a tequila company does not sit right w me at all…” remarked another tweet.
The tweet continued: “She’s an unseasoned white privileged rich girl from Calabasas.”
“What the hell does she know about tequila?!” the user asked. “Couldn’t you have started wine company instead?”
“Hey @KendallJenner , respectfully, as I say to my toddler, ‘it’s a no’ regarding you hand making the best tequila in the world,” another gently expressed.
The tweet went on: “Too many actual people, namely Mexicans, actually made with their actual hands the tequila.”
The comment concluded: “which you are actually just endorsing, at best. No bueno.”
Appropriation is a complicated topic, where even members of marginalized, indigenous communities may have different ideas.
But essentially, the idea here is that Kendall appears to be saying that she is the arbiter of tequila quality, and that “she” had made the best tequila.
Tequila is not an invention of white society, but there is a pattern of people seeming to claim ownership of things that are simply not theirs.
There is a spectum of these things, to be sure. Appropriating a religious symbol is worse than nabbing a hairstyle, which in turn is worse than making a liquor brand.
But it’s not unfair to note that Kendall stands to make a tremendous fortune from what many characterize as whitewashed liquor.
Whether it’s a horror or merely annoying is up to Mexican and Mexican-American individuals, but it’s more than fair for people to discuss it.
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