Entertainment

Emily Ratajkowski Reveals Why She Posts All Those Sexy Selfies On Instagram

by Taylor Ortega
Instagram

Just because you never expected Emily Ratajkowski to school you on feminism doesn't mean she didn't already do it.

In a new interview with InStyle, the model/actress reminded readers of an incident in December, wherein photographer Jonathan Leder claimed he'd be publishing nudes he shot of Emily in 2012.

She told the site,

I used Twitter to reinforce an idea that I've believed in forever, which is that it's up to me to choose when and how I want to share my sexuality.

Emily shared her own naked photo via social media, leading some to criticize her for exploiting herself the same way the photographer had intended.

She explained,

Of course, a bunch of the headlines were like, 'Emily complains about nude photos and then posts her own sexy selfie.' And I was like, 'That's exactly my point! The difference is, it's my decision to post that.'

Yes, welcome to the world of strong, smart, sex-positive feminism, where we remember for a moment our bodies are our own and don't exist for anyone else.

Bask in it for a second because much of the rest of the world remains unaware of this truth.

Instagram

Emily said,

The main criticism that I get is 'Aren't you just conforming to a patriarchal standard of beauty?' …Well, this is just the body I was given. I didn't do anything to it — it's just my body. But even if I had altered it, that would be fine too.

BECAUSE IT IS HER BODY. Amazing, right? It's such a simple concept and yet, based on the liberties society takes with women's bodies, it's so simultaneously mind-blowing.

This very concept convinced Emily to stand in semi-nude solidarity with Kim “Nude selfies till I die” Kardashian West, after the reality star caught flack from Piers Morgan for posting a nude selfie.

Emily and Kim posed topless, side-by-side, flipping the bird in defiance in a picture later coopted by the “Good Morning Britain” host to declare the death of feminism.

Twitter

In fact, Piers went out of his way to prove himself a chief authority on female empowerment.

Twitter

As a human woman with a human body over which I prefer to maintain autonomy, I'm taking Emily's word on this one, regardless what the older, white XY's have to say.

My body, my choice: unconditionally.

Citations: This Year's Girl (InStyle)