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Culture September 12, 2017
"I found my sexuality and my identity. I found empowerment through that."
As an American model and actress, Emily Ratajkowski has received a lot of comments about her body. As a feminist, Ratajkowski also never fails to speak up about this issue. She’s a model and a feminist proving that, yes, it is possible to be sexy, smart and socially aware.
Ratajkowski’s career started at a young age when she had a recurring role in the Nickelodeon series “iCarly.” She rose to prominence when she appeared in the music video for Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines” in 2013. She then made her runway modeling debut for Marc Jacobs for New York Fashion Week in 2015.
While publications have claimed Ratajkowski can’t identify as a feminist while appearing nude on magazine covers, films and music videos, the model continues to stand up for the idea that her choice to express her sexuality however she pleases is a feminist act in itself. She proves there isn’t a correlation between posing nude and wanting equality of the genders.
Ratajkowski has stood up for a woman’s right to have control over her own body and sexuality for a while now. So, we compiled three ways Ratajkowski stood up for women and feminism.
Ratajkowski tweeted about her encounter with a New York Times journalist who called Melania Trump a hooker. She called out the reporter’s slut shaming noting that disagreeing with a woman’s politics doesn’t justify slut shaming her. A woman’s sexual history shouldn’t be brought up as a reason to degrade her.
Ratajkowski opened up in a Marie Claire interview about being a sex symbol and a feminist. Due to stereotypes placed on women, people assume a woman can’t be sexy and smart. The idea that a woman who poses nude is only degrading herself so she can’t be a feminist becomes more ingrained within our society. So, the more Ratajkowski speaks out about her own struggles of being a sex symbol and a feminist, the more she normalizes that being a feminist isn’t restricted to only one type of woman.
In an Allure interview, Ratajkowski revealed she receives a lot of backlash for posting revealing pictures of her body online. Ratajkowski noticed this was the consequence of a society that sexualizes every part of a woman’s body.
But she doesn’t let comments get to her. For her, the choice to express her body however she pleases is a powerful statement.
“To me, any expression that is empowered and is your own as a woman is feminist,” Ratajkowski said. “If a woman decides to dress sexy, it doesn’t mean she’s not a feminist. [We] should be doing things for ourselves. If that is the woman’s choice, and it makes her feel good, then that’s great. Good for her.”
The 26-year-old notes later on in the interview that her acceptance of her sexuality isn’t due to the patriarchal view of it. She doesn’t show off her body to please men.
“I found my sexuality and my identity. I found empowerment through that,” Ratajkowski said.
As a famous model, Ratajkowski has a powerful voice on sexuality and body image. Her wise lessons remind us we have the power to reclaim our sexualities and identities from the patriarchal structures that have kept us oppressed.
