Emily Ratajkowski may seemingly be riding high as a supermodel, but that doesn’t mean that it’s all been roses and sunshine. As she’s revealed over the past few years, she’s been through some sh*t following those (as she described them) “teenage dirtbag” years and entering a field where she’s taken ownership of her own body back after being objectified. For one thing, Emily has accused Robin Thicke of groping her on the “Blurred Lines” set, and in retrospect, she emerged with a surprising stance on that mess while also advocating for the importance of feminist causes.
Emily also recently endured divorce (from Sebastian Bear-McClard) and has (hopefully) had better experiences in the aftermath while dating Pete Davidson and (most recently) Eric Andre, but she does have regrets like the rest of us do. And Emily got real while delivering a commencement speech to grads at NYC’s Hunter College.
As the supermodel and activist urged Winter 2023 grads to celebrate, she told them that the time is now, before they miss out: “Here’s what I missed in not celebrating: I missed out on joy.” Emily posted a clip of her speech on Instagram:
Via PEOPLE, Emily detailed her struggle to celebrate her own worth:
“It’s hard to celebrate myself, not as an imposter in a body, but as a soul deserving of joy. And I bet a few people here feel the same way. So, if you can’t celebrate yourself, maybe do it for others; for the friends and family that greeted you when you returned home after your long day, who listened to you complain about your workload and your schedule, who encouraged you when you were filled with stress and hopelessness — for the loved ones who fill this audience, who can remember when you first had the idea to try and get this degree and cheered you on when you were sure you’d never make it. The people in your life who love you are a precious gift; treat them as such, enjoy them as such, celebrate with them.”
It’s sound advice, and you can watch her full address above.
(Via PEOPLE)