Emily Ratajkowski on fame, trauma and the male gaze

Hello and welcome to a new series of the Sunday Salon! I've got so many fantastic guests coming up - and today's episode is particularly special. Emily Ratajkowski is a model, activist and actress - and now the author of My Body, a collection of essays reflecting on her position in the spotlight and how her appearance has shaped people's behaviours and attitudes towards her. It's a riveting and extremely moving read - Emily reveals some deeply traumatic experiences, including being sexually assaulted while working as a model (her allegations about Robin Thicke have been widely publicised in recent weeks; he hasn't yet responded publicly) and earlier, at the age of just 14, by a schoolfriend. I have to say, I was blown away with how raw and accomplished each essay was, and I'm so grateful to Emily for speaking so openly and honestly with me. We covered so much - including what it's like to have everything you do become  "clickbait", her own physical hyper-awareness as someone who is constantly photographed, revisiting painful memories in public, and finding catharsis in writing. I hope you find it as fascinating as I did.

Buy the book: https://www.waterstones.com/book/my-body/emily-ratajkowski/9781529420906

Edited by Chelsey Moore