My Body

It was an easy read with some moments of beautiful prose. Some of the essays felt buoyed solely by the inherent intrigue of the subject matter (i.e. exposés on other celebs/industry folk)

I wish she had a stronger point of view. A lot of this book felt like a play-by-play retelling of things that happened or thoughts/questions she had - but with little resolution or attempt at such.

The last few essays were the strongest, in my opinion, because she communicates from a place of anger and justice that brings clarity to her writing. Earlier essays tend to meander.

3.75/5 stars

This book was beautifully written with compelling perspectives on societal standards of women and the pressures there are to use ourselves and our bodies to gain respect that already should be given. Emily's insights were fascinating and heartbreaking at times, and honestly I'd recommend everyone to read this.

However, I struggle to rate this book any higher than what I've given it due to the fact that in the rare moment when these topics weren't discussed, there was a palpable disconnect between reader and author.

i want to rate this higher, i really do but...

Firstly, let me commend Ratajkowski on her writing. There is no doubt that she is an intellect and a brilliant writer. She is able to beautifully convey her own complex nature; it is raw and candid. She knows how to tell a story.

The problem lies in the marketing of the book as a feminist work. It is not.

Ratajkowski seems to be so out of touch with reality and completely unaware of her own privilege. I don't mean to minimise her struggles at all but she never addresses her privilege as a conventionally attractive, skinny, relatively wealthy, cis white woman. She doesn't take into account the struggles of any other marginalised groups of women, which would've been totally acceptable if only she didn't dub this is a “feminist” book. Non-intersectional “feminist” books are essentially just self serving and relatable to few. Books addressing body image and body positivity are good but feminism should never stop there.

Ratajkowski doesn't write much in terms of critiquing the current harmful capitalist systems, she simply talks about how she found success within these capitalist structures. The book doesn't condemn the modelling industry as a whole but rather her own mistreatment within the industry.

Her lack of awareness surrounding her own privilege is especially evident in the way she talks about money, complaining about buying back a picture of herself for $80k, which she can't afford because she's only 23 so she had to split it with her boyfriend. What 23 year old has $40k lying around to buy their own photo that's already out on the internet. I understand that it was her way of reclaiming her body and more power to you but to not even regard the privileged position she's in, felt extremely insensitive.

She also often universalizes her own experiences, not realizing that most people -women- lead lives that are diametrically different.

All that being said, her personal experiences of objectification, sexual assault, exploitation are all still very real and traumatic, and so as a memoir, this is a powerful and well written book. It's just not a feminist book.

Emily, please keep writing.