Emily Ratajkowski: 'Why can't I be a feminist sex symbol?'

Emily Ratajkowski is determined to fight back against people stereotyping her as an airhead, sex symbol.

The 25-year-old model first shot to fame in Robin Thicke's Blurred Lines video and has since landed roles in movies including Gone Girl and We Are Your Friends.

She is also known for sharing sexy images on her social media pages, but said in a new interview with Marie Claire magazine that just because she is proud of her sexuality, doesn't mean she can't also be a women's rights advocate.

"In every profile written about me, there is, ‘She’s so sexual and she’s such a sex symbol,’ paired with, ‘But, wow, she knows about politics,’” she told the publication's Fresh Faces issue. “And that in itself is sexist. Why does it have to be one or the other?"

Emily has two movies in post-production - In Darkness, in which she stars alongside Natalie Dormer and Joely Richardson and romance Cruise.

While her good looks see her offered a variety of film roles, Emily has become more picky about the projects she takes on.

These days, she is determined to take on parts that offer her more than just a chance to show off her stunning figure.

“I am way more interested in working with unexpected and cool directors on interesting projects than being in this big studio movie where you’re in a bikini,” she added. “I turn down a lot of movies, but I have to fight for the ones that I really want.”

Emily previously penned an essay for Glamour.com in which she insisted it's wrong for women to be accused of seeking attention more often than men - regardless of whether it's for speaking out on political issues, dressing a certain way or even for posting selfies.

“It’s absurd to think that desire for attention doesn’t drive both women and men,” she wrote in the essay. “Why are women scrutinised for it more, then? And if a woman dresses up because she does want attention, male or otherwise, does that make her guilty of something? Or less ‘serious’? Our society doesn’t question men’s motivations for taking their shirt off, or shaving, or talking about politics - nor should it. Wanting attention is genderless. It’s human.”