CULTURE
Julia Fox, EmRata, and "Bad" Feminism
By: Madison Manczko
Is there a wrong way to be a feminist? According to the online hellscape of the TikTok comment section, the answer is a resounding yes.
Being a “feminist” seems to mean something unique to everyone these days. From arguing that men and women should be equal, to protesting and writing think pieces, there are a million variations of what people perceive as modern feminism.
The most mainstream examples of modern feminism are arguably people like Emily Ratajkowski and Julia Fox and their “f*ck men” ideologies, which have garnered them a large amount of attention on TikTok. In many ways, they echo ideas that many other feminists have shared in the past but face far more scrutiny and criticism.
The idea of being a “bad feminist” was first explored by writer Roxane Gay, who wrote a piece in The Guardian in 2014 about how identifying as a feminist can sometimes be difficult for women in the 21st century. According to Gay, a bad feminist is independent, but still desires to return home to someone at the end of each day; she listens to and enjoys rap music despite the offensive lyrics.
Gay’s point is that there is actually nothing wrong with being a “bad feminist,” and most women who think of themselves as feminists fit this description. A bad feminist is multi-dimensional and doesn’t fully conform to any one side of the ideological spectrum.
In regard to Fox and Ratajkowski, many people do not take their feminist opinions seriously, including women. Critics will often weaponize these women’s lifestyles, arguing that since Ratajkowski is a model and Fox rose to fame after dating Kanye West, they are hypocritical when they express feminist beliefs. Ratajkowski is also commonly criticized for her role in the music video for Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines,” a song thought to promote rape culture.
Even people who aren’t fans of these women can probably recognize that disregarding their ideas because of their dating histories or their choice to show off their bodies is kind of misogynistic. If you’re a woman who wants to be taken seriously as a feminist, don’t even think about posting a picture in a bikini. These sentiments suggest there is a hierarchy to feminism and that some feminists are “better” than others, which contradicts the purpose of the movement.
Critics also responed to Ratajkowski’s recently-launched podcast “High Low with EmRata,” where she talks to controversial women in pop culture, including Alex Cooper, Bella Thorne, and even Julia Fox. However, one of the most controversial guests on the show was retired porn actress Mia Khalifa.
Ratajkowksi posted a clip of the episode on her TikTok account, where the women discuss the predatory nature of older men dating younger women. The comments on the video are not exactly brimming with positivity, with a few standouts including, “Imagine respecting what either of these two says,” and, “she is the last person in the world who can talk.”
Most people in the comment section do not necessarily disagree with what these women are saying – they just don’t think they have the right to speak on feminist issues because of their current and former careers. Nobody was criticizing Ratajkowski before she started talking about feminism; it seems that what people want the most is for women to stay in their lane.
Can porn actresses be feminists? Can models be feminists? Can wives and mothers be feminists? The answer is yes, and it’s silly to think otherwise. Feminism is not about vilifying women for showing off their bodies or preferring a more “traditional” lifestyle. It’s not even about hating men––it’s about equality—and everyone should be allowed to fight for it, even if they’re a so-called “bad feminist.”
