I am a Kardashian fan, and I am not ashamed. I have been a loyal fan since their first season launched in 2007. If you're a consumer of any kind of media, whether it be television, magazines, or gossip websites, then you likely know most of the Kardashians by name. If you're not a big media consumer, than you probably know who Kim Kardashian and Caitlyn Jenner are.

Kim Kardashian West is much more than a sex tape that was released without her consent. My blood boils every time someone says that the Kardashians are famous because of a sex tape. Fun fact: She didn't release the tape. The tape was filmed when her and Ray J were in a relationship and released without her knowing. Kim knows who leaked the tape, and said that they are in "major confidentiality."

Not long after the tape was released, the Kardashians began a business empire. They turned an unfortunate and unfair situation into a thriving business. The Kardashian sisters opened two boutiques, which eventually led to the creation of their store "Dash," which has locations across the United States.

The Kardashians are not famous because of a sex tape. Robert Kardashian (father to Kourtney, Kim, Khloe and Rob) was one of the lawyers on OJ Simpson's defense team. It was then that the Kardashian name began circulating in media.

While, yes, some of the show is dramatized, "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" keeps it real. In Kris Jenner's book, "Kris Jenner and All Things Kardashian," she writes that certain aspects of the show have extra drama. Basically, she wrote that reactions are dramatized, but the situations are not.

"Keeping Up With the Kardashians" (KUWTK) shows real events, and even stories that don't necessarily make them look good. In one of the earlier seasons, the show documented Khloe Kardashian getting arrested for driving under the influence. In another early episode, Kim is told that naked pictures of her sister, Kourtney, and a former boyfriend are circulating. The episode then unravels how the family dealt with (they called the FBI, hired an agent, found the culprit and kept the photos from circulating).

More recently, the show documented the problems that Kim faced during her first pregnancy.

"Last pregnancy, I had a condition called preeclampsia, which is a serious condition you can get during pregnancy," she explained, adding that only five percent of women experience the condition. "It causes your body and face to swell, and that was very uncomfortable for me. I had early-onset preeclampsia and I had to deliver at 34 weeks, almost six weeks early," she wrote on her website.

The Kardashians stick together as a family. The biggest element of their television show is the bond that their family shares. They show that yes, being a part of a big family involves several arguments, but at the end of the day, they're family and love each other.

The Kardashians built a business empire on their fame that was created from a negative circumstance. They have clothing lines, stores, makeup lines and more. Kylie Jenner's (daughter of Kris Jenner and Caitlyn Jenner) lipstick line sells out in minutes when a new batch is released to the public.

So while people are calling the Kardashians degrading names, such as the "Kartrashians," the famous family is laughing all the way to the bank.