A photo of Kim Kardashian at 13 is being compared with her daughter North West at the same age, and the side-by-side has started another debate about how the teenager is being raised.
While some people used the comparison to praise Kim’s younger look, others turned it into a discussion about North’s dramatic appearance.
“Everyone is just jealous of a 13-year-old for having the ability to express herself freely without being forced to abide by society norms. She is not n*ked or doing anything s*xual. She is expressing through culture and art + today is not like 20 years ago… sorry not sorry,” wrote one commenter.
A viral photo featuring Kim Kardashian at 13 has been compared with North West
The viral image puts teenage Kim next to North, creating a striking comparison between how the mother looked at that age and how her daughter looks today.
Young Kim appears with a much simpler style, while North has recently embraced a far more alternative look.
North’s recent photos and videos show her experimenting with bright blue hair, heavy makeup, piercings, and bold accessories.
Some people focused entirely on the resemblance between mother and daughter, while others used the photo to criticize North’s current appearance.
“Young Kim looks so beautiful,” one commenter wrote, while another added, “Time changes, and so do people.”
But other reactions were much harsher.
“What a disgusting mother /daughter combo. At least Kim looks like a fairly normal human.”
Another commenter wrote, “Dayum Kim is so beautiful, it’s a shame because North could be better. What a waste.”
The comparison has also reopened an argument that has followed North for months
North has spent much of 2026 experimenting with her personal style and music.
She recently appeared in a TikTok video with long cyan-blue hair, gothic-inspired makeup, a black leather outfit, and black grills. The video showed her lip-syncing to Rihanna’s SOS.
Some viewers immediately objected to the look.
“Mind you, she’s 13,” one person wrote, while another said, “That’s just not normal.”
A third added, “Let her be a child.”
The backlash came shortly after North appeared on the cover of Dazed magazine. She wore a similar alternative look and was pictured with several facial, hand, and finger piercings.
That also divided people online.
“She is 13. 13! She needs to be on the teen mags, not magazines for adults with a bunch of adult piercings, and correct me if I’m wrong: is it legal to pierce 13-year-old children?”
Another commenter wrote, “As the mother of a 13-year-old girl, this is insane to me.”
And one more said, “Let the girl have her childhood.”
Political commentator Megyn Kelly also questioned the parenting choices around North, asking, “Does North West have good parents?”
She criticized what she saw as an attempt to turn North into a star while she is still growing up.
However, not everyone agreed.
One person defended the teenager, writing, “Y’all hate on North then ask why kids don’t express themselves.”
Another said, “She [is] not half n*ked, so why y’all mad?”
A parent also praised North’s creativity, writing, “Seriously. My 12-year-old would never have this level of creativity to put together this outfit! The confidence to explore style is amazing! Well done!”
A child psychologist addressed North’s creativity and said experimenting among teens can be normal
Child psychologist Tanya Forster told news.com.au that experimenting with appearance can be a normal part of adolescence.
“From a developmental perspective, experimenting, including with appearance, is a very normal part of adolescence,” Forster said.
She explained that teenagers often try different clothes, hairstyles, makeup, music, and other ways of presenting themselves while figuring out who they are.
But she also pointed out that parents still need to set boundaries.
“Parents are still responsible for thinking about safety, developmental appropriateness, online exposure and the longer-term consequences a young teenager might not yet fully appreciate,” she said.
Forster added that parents can give teenagers room to experiment while still staying involved.
She also warned against adults publicly picking apart a teenager’s appearance, saying it can make young people feel their looks are constantly being judged.
Despite consistent criticism, Kim Kardashian defended North’s style and admitted she allows her to be creative
Kim has previously defended the way she parents North.
During an appearance on Khloe Kardashian’s podcast, she pushed back against the idea that she was trying to be her daughter’s best friend.
“I think like the one misconception that people might have is like, ‘Oh, she’s trying to be her bestie and lets her get away with a lot,’” Kim said.
She insisted that North actually had plenty of rules. However, she said appearance is one area where she gives her daughter more freedom.
“The one area is I do let her express herself, and I do let her do that. And I love her for it,” Kim explained.
Kim also said North would probably express herself anyway.
Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images
She has made a similar point about North’s hair. During an appearance on the Call Her Daddy podcast, Kim said, “Babe, if you want blue hair, it is what it is.”
She added, “You know, it makes her so happy. I would never take that creativity away from her.”
Kim has also said her approach to parenting has changed as she has gained experience. She has stricter rules for her younger children, particularly around devices, because she learned from raising her older kids.
North’s father, Kanye West, on the other hand, has publicly criticized some of the choices surrounding his daughter
Mark Boland/Mark Boland/Getty Images
In an Instagram Live rant included in the supplied material, he objected to what he described as North being dressed “too grown, too styled, too much like a mini version of the brand instead of a kid.”
“She’s a child,” he said. “Kids are supposed to look like kids.”
He also criticized the amount of attention North receives through fashion and entertainment.
His comments added another layer to an already heated debate over who should decide how much creative freedom North gets.
Some social media users have sided with him.
“Kim Kardashian has turned her into this. Poor North. The Kardashians want to build a brand around their kids instead of letting them enjoy their childhood.”
Another wrote, “This is what happens when your rich parents are just your friends, & not actual parents.”
Others took a more measured view.
“I think North West is just a teenager doing teenage things. Hopefully, as she grows older, she will be more responsible. She’s still a child and needs more parenting.”
North has also been building a music career, which has brought a different kind of attention
Her debut EP, N0rth4evr, arrived in May and mixes emo, trap, p*nk and metal influences. Her song Aishite has darker lyrics, including “Ain’t nobody finna save me and love me; everyone betrays me.”
The song’s horror-inspired video came after her planned co-headlining tour with Molly Santana was canceled.
Some people interpreted the lyrics as a possible cry for help. However, North has not confirmed that the song reflects a real-life crisis.
North has made it clear that she takes music seriously.
“It’s like, nah, this is my hobby, this is what I like to do, this is what I wanna do with my life,” she said.
She has also said she does not want to wait until she is older to pursue entertainment.
At the same time, she told Dazed that she wanted a normal teenage job, saying, “I still wanna work. I wanna work at, like, Starbucks next year.”
“Bad parenting,” wrote one netizen
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