Khloé Kardashian just got super real about why she photoshopped a workout selfie

Way back in February, Khloé Kardashian posted a gym selfie to Instagram that ended up receiving a LOT of criticism. Why? Well, the image image appeared a tad photoshopped.

People were quick to point out that the slight curve in the door proved the reality TV star had altered the image. Kardashian responded by posting the original photo and paired it with this caption: “If only hatin burned calories how dope yall would be. Too bad it doesn’t. Here’s the OG shot. The petty movement ain’t cute. Oh and I almost forgot…Namaste.”

And now, Kardashian wants to go back and explain why she photoshopped the photo to begin with. On her app, she writes:

“To this day, I remember the exact streets (Ventura Blvd. and Coldwater Canyon). I was speeding and the other car ran a stop sign. I was was wearing my seatbelt but the strap was under my armpit. I was in a small Mercedes and it compacted in the wreck. My head and upper body went through the windshield and my legs were stuck under the steering wheel.” According to E Online, Kardashian went through a few reconstructive surgeries, and has since had to wear a brace when she works out.

“Whenever I post a picture of my legs on Instagram, everyone comments on how fucked up my knees look. My right leg is an inch and a half thinner than my left because my muscles deteriorated and never recovered.”

She added, “Yes, I did Photoshop it, but I was trying to make my thinner leg look bigger to match my other leg!!! All I want are big, thick thighs and I hate how skinny my legs are.”

It’s brave of Kardashian to share something so personal and scarring — and the horrifying experience does explain why she would want to alter an image of herself.

Not that Kardashian NEEDED to justify her reason to photoshop a selfie. We can only imagine how exhausting it can be when you’re under the public eye 24/7 — wanting to present yourself with no flaws must be tempting. Furthermore, in a culture that values a certain kind of body and equates “perfection” with “symmetry,” we can see why individuals succumb to Photoshop.

So, before we criticize celebrities (or even our own friends and acquaintances), we need to remember that the real problem at hand is how rigid beauty standards can be — and how hard it is to break free from them. Not even the mega-famous Khloé Kardashian is immune from feeling the pressure to look flawless all the time.