Emily Ratajkowski has made headlines after asking Australian comedian Celeste Barber to stop mimicking her photos, sparking a debate about consent, satire, and the portrayal of women online.Ratajkowski, 33, is a model and actress known for her roles in “Gone Girl” and “We Are Your Friends.” She first gained recognition from her appearance in Robin Thicke’s controversial “Blurred Lines” music video.
Beyond her acting and modeling career, Ratajkowski is known for her outspoken stance on feminism, body autonomy, and the struggles women face in the entertainment industry.
Celeste Barber, a 42-year-old comedian, has gained fame for parodying celebrity Instagram posts. She humorously recreates glamorous, often unrealistic, photos shared by stars like Kylie Jenner, Kim Kardashian, and Bella Hadid.
Her side-by-side comparisons are meant to highlight the absurdity of celebrity culture and the unattainable beauty standards often presented on social media.
Barber’s parodies have been widely popular, with many celebrities embracing the humor and sharing her posts. However, Ratajkowski’s reaction to the comedian’s mimicry was notably different.
In 2021, Barber posted a recreation of a bikini-clad Ratajkowski with the caption: “We are sick of you objectifying our bodies! Also, here’s my a**.” The post was met with mixed reactions.
While some praised Barber’s humor, others argued that her parody implied that women who share revealing photos are responsible for their own objectification.
Ratajkowski did not respond publicly at the time, but Barber later revealed that the model had blocked her on Instagram.
Speaking on the Fitzy and Wippa radio show, Barber said, “I don’t think Emily is a fan. That’s okay, she’s allowed to not love it. But she blocked me.”
Ratajkowski later addressed the issue on her “High Low with EmRata” podcast, clarifying that she generally found Barber funny but wanted the parodies to stop.
“This whole drama with Celeste has been blown out of proportion. In general, I find her to be really funny. But, [the] message I was trying to send to her was, ‘I just don’t want you to do this to me anymore,’” she explained.
The model also expressed frustration over how female influencers are often ridiculed. “We really love to pick on female influencers like they are considered the trash, lamest, most cringe, most embarrassing people on the planet.”
She added, “Yeah, no s*** women want to be influencers – it’s one of the ways that women have learned to be successful and make money. They’re hustling.”
Barber responded in an interview with Marie Claire, saying, “I like running my mouth off. I do it a lot. I’m quick-witted – it’s one of my favorite things about me.”
She admitted that while she sometimes censors herself, other times she operates “from a place of already being canceled.”
The exchange between Ratajkowski and Barber raises questions about the fine line between satire and shaming, as well as the complexities of consent in digital spaces.
As social media continues to evolve, discussions like these highlight the ongoing struggle for women to control their narratives in a public and often critical online landscape.
Feature Image Credit: (Credit: @emrata/Instagram)
