What Kendall & Kris Jenner’s Election Photo Means

Back in September, the Kardashians courted controversy when it was rumored that Kim Kardashian wasn't sure who she was voting for. But Kim shut down those rumors firmly and gracefully, and in recent days, many of the Kardashians and Jenners have been posting regular social media support for Hillary Clinton, with Kris Jenner assuring fans on Instagram that "all of us are voting for Hillary Clinton." The matriarch's Election Day Instagram post is just as enthusiastically pro-Clinton, and this time she's highlighting family ties as well as historical significance. Both Jenner and her daughter Kendall don matching red bandannas and blue jumpsuits in the new photo, bringing to light the significance of this particular election cycle.

The Instagram post features a split image, with a close-up of Kendall on the left side dressed in a flawless Rosie the Riveter costume and the word "vote" in large letters overhead where Rosie's traditional "we can do it" slogan would be. On the left side is mom Kris in the same costume, with the welding sparks of industrialization blurry in the background. The two are both flexing their muscles, just like in the Rosie original image. The caption is a simple "#WeAreWithHer" and it comes with an American flag emoji.

The Jenners and Kardashians know how to make a statement and they plan everything about their public image down to the smallest detail, so you know that the symbolism and timing of the photo was 100 percent intentional. It's also hugely effective, bringing attention to the ways that this election has historical significance for women. The image of Rosie the Riveter, drawn by J. Howard Miller, comes from World War II, when most of the country's men were enlisted to fight overseas and women were left to take on active roles in the workforce and society as a whole. Rosie, with her strong arms, determined stare, impressively on-point makeup, and encouraging "we can do it" slogan, represented the power and ability of American women. She was a reminder that women were a critical part of not only the war effort, but of the structure of America as a whole: politically, socially, industrially, and intellectually. Rosie showed that America was a land of strong women who could make a difference.

By choosing to honor Rosie the Riveter in 2016 on Election Day, the Jenners are making the statement that women are as strong and influential as ever — especially when they vote. In a sense, they are saying that, just as America's women stepped up and took control during the crisis of World War II, so they are taking control and making changes in this new, critically important historical moment: the 2016 presidential election between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. As the country is on the precipice of either historically electing America's first woman president or electing the man who ran one of the most racist and sexist campaigns in history, the Jenners are letting fans know that they're thinking of and embodying strong women from America's past.

Image: Wikimedia Commons