Why Emily Ratajkowski is the Reigning Queen of IDGAF

by Nicole Livey June 7, 2017

First introduced to the general population as “that girl” with the perfect body and pouty lips in Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines” video, Emily Ratajkowski has gone on to secure her place in the realm of genetic perfection alongside other such iconic babes as Penelope Cruz and Liv Tyler. But Em (yes, we exist on a BFF first-name basis in my dreams) is more than just an (impossibly) pretty face—homegirl has some powerful opinions on issues like women’s sexuality. As she so eloquently expressed in her article for Lena Dunham’s newsletter Lenny, “To me, ‘sexy’ is a kind of beauty, a kind of self-expression, one that is to be celebrated, one that is wonderfully female.” She goes on to say that she refuses to allow her sexuality to be regulated by the perception of others, to cover up her body simply because it offends, excites, or inspires envy. It is an outlook she shares with Kim Kardashian (owner of the most highly speculated body of all), so when the two of them posted a topless selfie while giving the finger last month, the message was clear: “we DGAF what you think.”

Whatever your opinion on naked selfies and the subsequent media circuses they ignite, the importance of underscoring that the exploration of sexuality is every woman’s prerogative can hardly be missed. For Ratajkowski, a self-proclaimed feminist and advocate for women’s rights issues, the roles of being a political activist and sex symbol are not mutually exclusive. Her belief in “wearing what I want, sleeping with who I want, and dancing how I want” makes her an empowered woman, one who is bravely challenging the ingrained prejudices against how females are expected to represent their bodies. And to that we say, go girl!