Reviews tagging 'Medical content'

My Body by Emily Ratajkowski

30 reviews

graciejames121's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Dysphoria, Gaslighting, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Body shaming, and Medical content

lilaw's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective fast-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Rape, Sexual assault, Addiction, Medical content, Sexism, Drug use, Drug abuse, and Pregnancy

krissyyne's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

3.75

 "I thought of my mother's belief that spaces hold memories, that walls take on meaning, that homes become a part of us, just as people do. I imagined her, young and strong, in all the rooms she had known. I wondered whether the more I became a woman and the more space I occupied apart from her, the more she would deteriorate." 

Emily Ratajkowski is not someone I knew well before reading this book. I had first heard of her when she chose to raise her (now son, as I understand) as someone with they/them pronouns. It was an interesting thing to hear, especially as she was the first major person I'd heard of doing something like that. Her status as a model, though, was what made me follow her. It's what made me follow Gigi and Bella Hadid, Kendall Jenner, and a slew of lesser known models whose posts I ate up while simultaneously wondering why I couldn't look like that.

I think her book is fascinating. In a world where models are both rewarded and villainized for their beauty, Emily seeks to explain the enigma behind being famous for her body. From her mother to friends to employers, being "beautiful" - a standard, palpable beautiful - was paramount. It gave Emily rewards in the form of validation and attention from older men and women. But it also came with unchecked pain as that attention devolved into (TW!!!) occurrences of stalking, rape, and sexual assault. It provided people with the ability to write her off, because her looks stereotyped her as dumb and unworldly.

I admire Emily. I admire her courage for writing what she did. It is no easy feat to bare yourself, physically and emotionally, on a public forum for people to encourage or disparage you as they wish. Her book, while maybe not the cleanest writing I've ever read, is brave and provides insight into the possible mindsights of models in a way I've never thought to think about before. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent, Toxic friendship, and Medical content

Minor: Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Rape, Body shaming, Drug use, and Stalking

bynarii's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Misogyny and Mental illness

Minor: Medical content and Pregnancy

sderrig's review against another edition

emotional reflective fast-paced

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Rape, and Sexual assault

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Blood, Cancer, Vomit, Toxic relationship, Terminal illness, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Sexism, Pregnancy, Misogyny, Medical content, and Body shaming

lindseylarson2's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

3.75

I enjoyed this book and found it interesting and insightful. I liked the structure as each chapter is a different topic and individual essay. I found myself really grateful for Emily’s honesty throughout the book. I feel her message is important for others to be aware of. Her anger, frustration, and sadness was apparent throughout the essays. I was very impressed by  her vulnerability and frankness to be. People have spoken out about the modeling and acting industries before, but not in as open a manner as Emily has in this book. I recommend for those curious about the dark reality that can exist in the entertainment industry, that can be created by social media, and contours many celebrities’ desires for a strong and acclaimed public persona that lead to a yearning for control, privacy, and freedom.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Medical content, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence

dreamsandprose's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Rape, Pregnancy, and Misogyny

Moderate: Medical content, Eating disorder, and Suicidal thoughts

rebeccahensley's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring reflective slow-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Alcohol, Body shaming, Bullying, Cancer, Cursing, Dementia, Drug use, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Medical content, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, and Pregnancy

shewantsthediction's review against another edition

hopeful informative reflective medium-paced

3.0

In my early 20s, it had never occurred to me that the women who gained their power from beauty were indebted to the men whose desire granted them that power in the first place. Those men were the ones in control, not the women the world fawned over.

My first exposure to EmRata was through a 2015 movie she was in with Zac Efron called We Are Your Friends. I remember it specifically because I had no idea who she was, thought she was gorgeous and couldn't unglue my eyes the entire time, and in true bisexual fashion looked her up after it was over. I knew she was a model and on Insta, but that was about the extent of my knowledge.

Fast forward years later and a friend posted about her new book, so I decided to grab it on audio from my library. (Love the typeface on the cover.) It was so interesting getting to know more about her life, because we rarely ever hear real talk from the models on the magazines. I also liked the behind-the-scenes look at the video for "Blurred Lines," which is what catapulted her to stardom in the first place.

There are times when Emily seems to revel in her looks, even to the point of being bitchy, and other times you get a sense of an unhealthy amount of her self-worth and identity having been placed on her looks since childhood, reinforced by her parents and society—so is it really all her fault? The memoir is aptly titled, as it seems her body is the cause of everything good that's happened to her (wealth, fame, stability, a career, name recognition, etc.), but also a a ton of bad (sexual assault, paparazzi, invasion of her privacy, online hate, disrespect from men, etc.). It's a complicated topic, and even though she's rich, successful, and a "sex symbol," I think many women will find it super-relatable because of how honest she is about the battlefield that is her body. I know I did. 

My heart ached at her struggle to be taken seriously, as more than just "a pretty face"—which was part of her motivation to write this book. However, I was disappointed that she called out her own privilege several times, often savagely, but never made a move to divest from the systems that made her rich/famous. I think her argument was "I am a cog in the machine and don't have any real power," and while I agree with that to some extent, you can't just point out privilege and leave it at that; you need to take next steps. I hope she gets there someday.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Body shaming, Cancer, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Medical content, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Vomit

missemilyn's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

5.0

This is a really complicated and difficult series of essays to read. It approaches sensitive and difficult topics head-on in a really beautiful, but tragic way. Emily's writing style is absolutely brilliant and you really understand just how she had to compartmentalize and rationalize her years (and decades) of severe trauma and embarrassment with her body and others' perception of her body. Absolutely genius. If you can read these topics safely, I highly recommend doing so.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Dysphoria, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Misogyny, and Mental illness

Moderate: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gaslighting, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship