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MANILA, Philippines – Emily Ratajkowski reminded the world that a woman can do whatever she wants with her body as she posed for a photo baring her unshaved armpits for Harper’s Bazaar.
The photo accompanies an essay the model wrote about how women should be given an opportunity to do what they want with their bodies.
“If I decide to shave my armpits or grow them out, that’s up to me. For me, body hair is another opportunity for women to exercise their ability to choose – a choice based on how they want to feel and their associations with having or not having body hair,” Emily wrote.
“On any given day, I tend to like to shave, but sometimes letting my body hair grow out is what makes me feel sexy. And there is no right answer, no choice that makes me more or less of a feminist, or even a ‘bad feminist,’ to borrow from Roxane Gay,” she continued.
“As long as the decision is my choice, then it’s the right choice. Ultimately, the identity and sexuality of an individual is up to them and no one else.”
In the essay, Emily also recalled how she was shamed for going braless as she attended a protest against the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the US Supreme Court. She also decried how the headlines reported her clothing choices instead of her actions.
“Even women from the left, who fully supported the purpose of my protest, made comments about my missing bra underneath my white tank and jeans. In their minds, the fact that my body was at all visible had somehow discredited me and my political action. But why? I often think about this. Why, as a culture, do we insist on separating smart and serious from sexy?” she wrote.
She stressed the importance of giving women the right to choose how they represent themselves even as people try to dictate how it should be done.
“Young women are ripped apart from every angle as they grow up. In the era of selfies and social media, they are prone to immediate feedback and criticism. More than ever, they are doubting and questioning everything about their identities,” she said.
“Give women the opportunity to be whatever they want and as multifaceted as they can be. Preconceptions be damned.”
Emily, known to many for her appearance in Robin Thicke’s music video for “Blurred Lines,” is also an outspoken activist. She has protested US President Donald Trump’s immigration ban, spoken out against the Alabama abortion ban, and marched for women’s rights. – Rappler.com
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