Kim Kardashian's Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Cover Has The Internet Divided

Kim Kardashian has been named as the latest cover star for the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, and the appointment has already drawn both backlash and support. The publication made the announcement on Good Morning America, revealing that "The Kardashians" star is one of four public figures gracing this year's covers. Joining Kardashian for the 2022 class are Grammy-winning singer Ciara, musician Yumi Nu, and Maye Musk, a model and the mother of Elon Musk.

This year's collection of covers was significant for multiple reasons. Musk, the mother of tech mogul Elon Musk, is the oldest model to ever be featured on the magazine's cover. Meanwhile, Nu — who founded the plus-sized clothing brand, Blueki — is the first Asian and plus-sized cover star. For Kardashian, the move makes her the first ever reality star to appear on the coveted cover.

"Kim, no stranger to the world's judgment, continues to live proudly, authentically and unapologetically through the noise," said MJ Day, Sports Illustrated Swimsuit editor-in-chief. However, the cover has seemingly divided the internet, and opinions about the reality star's inclusion are split.

Responses to Kim Kardashian's Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue have been mixed. The magazine made the announcement on May 16 and has already received flak online for including the reality star in the annual issue.

"What has she done in sports? Or she just payed [sic] for the cover to show how 'good' she looks after a million surgeries and lots of photoshop," one person tweeted in response to the announcement. While another wrote, "Money can buy almost everything...in this case, the chance to be on the cover of SI even if you are not an athlete."

However, despite the barrage of anti-Kim comments, Kardashian also received a glowing amount of support from fans on social media. In response to a troll who asked what sport Kardashian played professionally, one person replied with the names of other cover stars, tweeting, "The same one that Elle MacPherson, Paulina Porzikova, Cheryl Tiegs and Christie Brinkley played." Others were quick to call out the "haters" and congratulate the SKIMS founder on the accomplishment. "Imagine serving like this in ur 40s WOW," a supporter tweeted.