Reviews tagging 'Sexual content'

My Body by Emily Ratajkowski

56 reviews

meredith_williams_'s review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Sexism, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Suicide, Rape, Misogyny, Drug use, and Cancer

ntvenessa's review against another edition

challenging reflective medium-paced

2.5

Fascinating and incisive, but doesn't push quite far enough. Ratajkowski distills so well what it means to capitalise off your image by leveraging the male gaze. There are power dynamics and tension underlying her relationship with her own body as a result of selling her image in a landscape where beauty is defined by a white, cis-hetero patriarchy. This collection of essays is deeply personal and generous, although the temporal context is sometimes confusing to follow. There does some to be a deliberate shying away from what her work means to other women, especially young girls, who are subject to the beauty standards she reinforces. This shortsightedness is laid in stark contrast with the tenacity and heart found unmistakably in the rest of her essays, particularly in her evolving relationship with her body in the context of feminism and empowerment. I really enjoyed the tender and wise reflections on her youth and how mixed messaging around her body impacted how she saw herself. However, it seems a shame not to explore further how she herself is complicit in upholding the beauty standards that have both trapped her and lent her power (although as she writes, it is only power as bestowed on her by men and not true empowerment). I suppose when you are still capitalising off the very same system, it pays to flirt around these broader notions and keep the narrative tightly focused on the matter at hand -- and she does it well. I'd be keen to see a memoir after she leaves the industry.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Body shaming, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Colonisation, Cancer, Chronic illness, and Fatphobia

Minor: Drug abuse, Drug use, Death, Addiction, and Suicide attempt

amelianotthepilot's review against another edition

emotional medium-paced

4.0

autobiography of a famous female model. She discusses her relationship to her body and how society and modeling have shaped it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Body shaming, Chronic illness, Eating disorder, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Adult/minor relationship, and Sexual violence

emilymhb's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective fast-paced

4.0

It wasn’t a five star read for me, but I can’t figure out why. She reaches few conclusions about the polarization of her own body, or how she views that perspective in the bodies of those around her: This is something she tells you from the onset. But the journey she takes us on as a debut author is sympathetic and crucial nonetheless.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

niksbooks's review against another edition

emotional funny informative reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, and Sexual content

treeofbluegreen's review against another edition

challenging dark informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence

liolucia's review against another edition

inspiring reflective fast-paced

4.25

 Ratajkowski truly has a Gift for writing. I think publishing her book was very well deserved, and I would be curious to read anything else she writes. 
I also enjoyed the insights she gave, and her thoughts around them, but I also thought many concepts of feminism, while beiing mentioned, were not fully explored by her. She still very much tries to gain a patriarchical sytem. she does recognise that, but I think has not yet found a way to be empowered without using these structures. But we're all here to learn.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment

Moderate: Sexual content and Sexual assault

emilycm's review against another edition

informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

4.5

i had some hesitations going into this based on my usual downfall of reading reviews prior. a lot mentioned how emily doesn't go as into depth on some of the political conversations surrounding her position in the modeling industry and her privilege of capitalizing off her body; everyone desired more beyond mere reflection. while i do agree that there were parts that felt lukewarm in their assessment, like there would be a really interesting point brought up then left, i think that this is a really strong memoir overall. and i enjoyed it. i wanted some more, but only because emily's storytelling was so good and pulled me in.

also, her essay and confession on what happened while filming blurred lines is most talked about in reference to this book, but there are many other deep cutting, profoundly written essays that should get just as much public recognition and appreciation. i especially found the ones about her growing up, her home, and her parents all individually very intoxicating and with their layers of familiarity.

i am looking forward to seeing what she writes in the future, of which i hope is more. for a first book, this is strong and filled with a lot of relevant, thoughtful reflections.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape

Moderate: Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Mental illness, and Eating disorder

lindseybarnett's review against another edition

emotional informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Cursing, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexism, Sexual content, and Body shaming

toofondofbooks_'s review against another edition

dark emotional informative reflective sad fast-paced

4.5

I've been living under a rock for years and did not know who Emily Ratajkowski was before I started seeing this book pop up in the TBRs and wrap ups of booktubers I watch. I went into this hearing her be described as the "Blurred Lines" girl and walked out of the book knowing she is so much more. Ratajkowski writes so vulnerably about her experiences working in the modeling industry, how her body has been bought and sold - most of the time without her consent, how she marvels at the wonderful things her body can do to her (i.e. the birth of her son), and how it can make people think they know all about who she is based on what she looks like. 

I think this memoir does a beautiful job of stomping on the narrative that no matter what a woman looks like, it doesn't give them more power. Ratajkowski cites a quote by Halle Berry: "My looks have spared me no hardship." She's RIGHT. Your looks do not protect you from abuse at the hands of men and patriarchal norms in society. It's so insidious to go around believing that beautiful women don't have problems simply because they are beautiful. 

Anyway - that was a tangent, back to what I thought...

There were sections listening to this audiobook where I flat out cried, especially when at times, Ratajkowski herself, narrating the book, would get choked up herself. I wanted to hug this woman every time that happened. It felt extremely intimate to listen to her read her own words.

Additionally, Emily Ratajkowski's writing is beautiful. The pictures she paints with her words are both lovely and grotesque, they can be joyful or heartbreaking, but they are consistently vivid. I will definitely be adding anything else she writes to my TBR. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Misogyny, Rape, Chronic illness, Drug abuse, Drug use, Alcohol, Addiction, Emotional abuse, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Death and Eating disorder