What do “Gone Girl”, “We Are your Friends”, “Entourage” Taio Cruz’s “Fast Car” Robin Thicke’s “Blured Lines”, Maroon 5’s “Love Somebody”, and practically every magazine cover have in common? Emily Ratajkowski. She is the ultimate #girlboss because…
1. She owns her sexuality. She knows that many young people are introduced to female sexuality through extreme sexualization in media, but this doesn’t make all sexuality bad. She makes a distinction between playing into patriarchal desires and finding empowerment in beauty and self-expression, and believes that sexy doesn’t mean trashy. She says, “to me, ‘sexy’ is a kind of beauty, a kind of self-expression, one that is to be celebrated, one that is wonderfully female.”
2. She loves her body. The way she sees it, “The female body is a beautiful thing, and it should be embraced and celebrated, and there’s nothing wrong with being comfortable in your own skin. If anything, it can be really beautiful.” It could be easy to discredit her because she is a model, but she has talked openly about her insecurities.
3. She doesn’t take herself too seriously. She originally didn’t want to be in the “Blurred Lines” music video, but what finally convinced her was the element of playfulness. She describes that when making the video, everyone was just running around, having a laugh and being silly.
4. She was on iCarly.
5. She has a killer sense of style. A lot has changed since her appearance on iCarly, in electric pink layered over and under eccentric prints. These days she is more likely to sport minimalist pieces, sleek lines, and a neutral color palette, with the occasional pop of color.
6. Criticism from “Blurred Lines” gave her an opportunity to voice her opinions. Many people objected to the nudity and provocative dancing in “Blurred Lines”, as well as the implications that there are “blurred lines” in sexual consent— which there are not. However, Ratajkowski sees the video as a critique of the culture that some believe it is portraying. Instead of being angry about the negative reactions, she is glad that people voice their objections, and glad it gives her the chance to raise her own voice.
7. She wants exciting movie roles. She won’t be boxed in as just a model or just a music video actress. She says she would prefer to play a complex character in film, and really act, than be a “the hot girl”, a role that is often the default for models-turned-actresses. She definitely achieved this in Gone Girl.
8. She has attitude. She lives her life the way she wants to, and lets her many opinions be known. She knows that some people will disagree with her— she’s no stranger to controversy— but she boldly states, “I refuse to live in a world of shame and silent apologies.” Haters gonna hate.
9. She supports other women. The limelight can illuminate even the smallest details of celebrities’ lives, which makes it easy for the media and the public to unleash harsh criticism. But when other celebrities meet such criticism, Ratajkowski is the first to stand up for them. In response to Kim Kardashian’s controversial nude photo on Instagram, captioned, “When you’re like, ‘I have nothing to wear’”, Ratajkowski posted a smilar shirtless photo and tweeted her support for Kim. Later, the two posed together (topless again) in a photo eloquently captioned, “We are more than just our bodies, but that doesn’t mean we have to be shamed for them or our sexuality. #liberated”