“I am not ashamed”: Aussie model shuts down her wedding dress critics
<p dir="ltr">Australian model Ellie Gonsalves has spoken out against the wave of negativity surrounding her wedding look, putting pen to paper for <em>9Honey</em> to highlight the sheer importance of universal bodily autonomy. </p>
<p dir="ltr">As Ellie wrote in her piece, the controversy aimed at her dresses - one a floor-length embellished lace gown for the ceremony, another a figure-hugging gown that also reached the floor, and the other a shorter tulle swept dress for the reception - had “shed light on the ongoing societal expectations imposed on women.”</p>
<p dir="ltr">She noted that “in an era where women are encouraged to exercise agency over their bodies, it is disheartening to witness the barrage of hate and derogatory comments I received for what some have described as my ‘daring’ dress.”</p>
<p dir="ltr">And it was this that prompted her to dive into the wider issues regarding women’s autonomy, and the “restrictive narratives” that influenced their choices. </p>
<p dir="ltr">According to Ellie, the hateful feedback she’d gotten for her outfits on her happy day served to “highlight a fundamental misunderstanding of women's agency over their bodies” in a society where women were expecting to meet “predetermined standards” that only limited their individual choices and desires. </p>
<p dir="ltr">“Every individual, regardless of gender, should possess the autonomy to decide what they wear, how they present themselves, and what they share with the world,” she continued. “By denying women this autonomy, we perpetuate a harmful culture of control that infringes upon their fundamental rights.”</p>
<p dir="ltr">Ellie noted that while “recognising and respecting” this autonomy would empower individuals, it would also have the added benefit of striding towards a society that was both “more inclusive and equitable”. </p>
<p dir="ltr">As “when women are allowed to make decisions that shape their lives and bodies without judgement or interference, it leads to greater fulfilment and self-determination”, and embracing such agency assists in dismantling “harmful gender stereotypes” while supporting “individual choices and diversity”.</p>
<p dir="ltr">“It is liberating to wear what I want,” she shared, “express myself freely, and reject the notion that my body is meant to be controlled or owned by anyone but myself.”</p>
<p dir="ltr">She then revealed that the act of embracing her own agency was a reminder of her worth, and how it isn’t defined by - or limited to - how other people perceive her, their opinions, or their expectations. Instead, what’s important is her “ability to honour” her own truths and values. </p>
<p dir="ltr">However, she did take the opportunity to point out that “it’s important to understand everyone’s life experiences are different so their choices will ultimately reflect that”, and that her own story had been shaped - at least in part - by her lifetime of experience in the modelling industry.</p>
<p dir="ltr">“It's crucial to understand that these differences are perfectly acceptable and should be embraced as well,” Ellie wrote. </p>
<p dir="ltr">“While the choices I make may be daring, I am not ashamed of them,” she declared, before stressing that people of all genders had to work together in the fight to “inspire and motivate more push back against negatives stereotypes” </p>
<p dir="ltr">As a result, Ellie believes that women would “receive the support and resources” needed to “nurture their individual personalities”, and that challenging such “restrictive narratives” would allow room to celebrate choices at an individual level, and empower women all over. </p>
<p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>
