Emily Ratajkowski is used to people underestimating her.
"No matter what we look like, all women are put into stereotypical boxes really quickly," she tells ELLE Australia.
"I've definitely experienced that. I mean, most profiles written about me are like, 'We're so surprised she's smart!' On one hand, I get that it's natural instinct to have an idea about someone, but also, **** you."
Before #metoo and #timesup, there was Emily Ratajkowski – defying expectations and speaking her truth about body image, sexual harassment, politics and feminism.
Her frankness and audacity is the reason we approached her about being on our first Bold/Beautiful cover – she's the ultimate embodiment of both attributes.
"I don't think I've ever been known to play by the rules," she says, "I'm not afraid to speak my mind, but with that being said, I do hope that what I put out there is positive."
To say that Ratajkowski, who shot to fame after appearing semi-nude in the video clip for Blurred Lines, is comfortable with her body is a bit like saying Kim Kardashian West is cool with using social media (and more on that in a moment).
But her comfort has often been uncomfortable for others, ironically enough. "When a woman is comfortable with her sexuality and doesn't need validation from men, she kind of makes a lot of things irrelevant that people really care about, and it pisses people off." But accepting her body, says Ratajkowski, "makes me feel powerful. If people are that scared, then there must be something to be scared of."
The controversy over the Blurred Lines video, in which she and other models appeared semi-clothed, while the male singers were covered up, was symptomatic of our culture's apprehension of women's bodies.
"To me, it seemed quite clear that our nudity was not for the men; we were goofy and we're silly and we're kind of rolling our eyes at them and that was the attitude that we felt on set."
Ratajkowski takes issue with women who have clearly benefited from the work of feminists distancing themselves from the label, and is proud to call herself a feminist.
Of her critics, she says, "I think it's really bad for women, this competition and 'judginess'. It's something I deal with every day when I get dressed, like are you being objectified or are you being empowered? And I truly believe that no matter who looks at me and thinks, 'Oh God, she's wearing a tank top and look at her boobs, how sad that she's a victim of the patriarchy,' I'm thinking, 'Well, **** you, I feel great. And I like what I'm wearing, and I like how I look. That's more important than your idea about that.'"
And in this way, Ratajowski has become a feminist icon for modern times.
She speaks her mind, she knows what she wants and she's not afraid to say it.
As well as defending herself to naysayers, she's also found herself in the somewhat unlikely position of defending women like Melania Trump and Kim Kardashian West on social media.
"I was like, 'This is funny that these are the people that I end up fighting for.' But I kind of feel like they're the most important people, too. Like, don't differentiate, don't change your politics because you don't think a person with a sex tape deserves protection or you discount somebody because of their sexual history."
So if Ratajowski is our new feminist icon, who's hers?
"I think Kim Kardashian is actually an incredible feminist. I channel her when I'm having a bad day. I'm like, 'Here's someone who really doesn't give a **** what anyone thinks.' I would like to be that person who is above it all, and she is that way."
BRB we're off to get "**** you, I feel great" tattoos.
-- LAUREN SAMS, published June 1, 2018, elle.com.au
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