March hosts the global celebration of women, International Women’s Day. It allows us to celebrate women from a diverse range of backgrounds in all their deserving glory.

In order to fully get into the spirit of International Women’s Day, I’ve been reading and indulging in a lot of media that particularly celebrates women and will be reviewing a book and a film that especially stood out to me.

My Body – Emily Ratajkowski

I loved this book. I found it particularly interesting how Emily wrote this and explores her finding her sexuality and feminism from a young age. As a victim of sexual assault, Ratajkowski writes with such reflection and intent which made it such a touching read. The essay format of her writing is so personal that it creates a sense of tenderness and vulnerability, giving the reader the feeling of reading her a diary.

I found it extremely inspiring to read, especially how she learnt to dictate her own image, how she’s been portrayed by society since her rise to fame and the impact male gaze has had on her career. This book is extremely interesting and an eye opener as Emily highlights her relationship with her mother and how she compared her to other girls from a young age; implicating female competition and male gaze ideology from birth.

Despite Emily not going into great detail, by sharing her experiences, I think this book makes you think about your own life and how it’s so important who you surround yourself with and the relationship you have with yourself. This book would be a fantastic read for everyone.

Barbie – Greta Gerwig

I simply cannot express how much I love this film.

I love Greta’s take on such an iconic franchise and how she made it extremely relatable, yet fun and nostalgic. From the soundtrack, costumes, ideology behind the film and the way it unapologetically celebrates women; I think it is inspired and very well portrayed. I personally loved how you’re taken on a journey, not only with Barbie, but with Ken too. The juxtaposition of the two characters and how their stories intertwine and reŲect each other is so interesting and very relatable as a consumer, both male and female.

As a woman watching, it truly makes you open your eyes, seeing the struggles we face such as being shown in this film was a hard truth and an emotional watch.

This film not only heals your inner child but makes you reflect on society today, recognising that although women’s rights and equality have come so far, there’s still such a long way to go. This film really celebrates womanhood and reflects on the society we live in today.

The hype behind this film, in my opinion, is very deserved. Every time I’ve watched it I’ve found a new angle and something new to take from it which makes me love it even more. This film is not only iconic but truly genius.

While International Women’s day and work centering the female experience such as My Body and Barbie celebrates what it is to be a woman, they also highlight how there is still significant work to do! It provides us with an opportunity to celebrate how far we’ve come regarding gender discrimination but also realise how much there still is to achieve and strive for.

By Eve Hughes – TLSE Graduate Intern

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