Emily Ratajkowski has drawn a connection between Sean “Diddy” Combs and the Menendez brothers, claiming that both cases involve the shame surrounding male sexual assault.
The 33-year-old model took to TikTok to share her theory linking the jailed rapper to the Menendez brothers, who claim to have murdered their parents after being sexually abused by their father.
“I think we need to have a conversation about male sexual assault,” she said, arguing that the reason Diddy “was able to hide in plain sight for so long is because so many of his victims are men.”
“Our culture views male sexual aggression as extremely emasculating.”
Ratajkowski made the comments earlier this week while discussing the Netflix series Monsters, which has been criticized for inaccurately depicting Erik and Lyle as being in a consensual incestual relationship.
Emily Ratajkowski drew a link between Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs and the Menendez brothers
The model shared her theory linking the imprisoned rapper to the Menendez brothers, who have claimed they killed their parents after being sexually abused by their father.
Ratajkowski recalled an interview decades ago in which Erik denied being gay and suggested homophobia played a role among the men on the jury at his 1996 trial, where the defense unsuccessfully argued that the brothers killed their parents after years of sexual abuse.
The model claimed that some assumed Erik “probably wanted it” since his sexuality has been questioned “because of what his father did to him” and that “it’s really, really scary.”
Ratajkowski says the cycle of victims becoming perpetrators is also visible in Diddy’s case, as well as that of disgraced singer and convicted child molester R. Kelly, who said he was sexually assaulted as a child.
“And to be clear, I’m not making excuses for these people, I’m just saying there are ways we can stop the cycle,” she added.
“I’ve seen it in my own life, with men I’ve known, who have had really unhealthy sexual tendencies and behaviors, and they say, ‘Oh, that’s just how men are. We just naturally have these weird sexual inclinations that women don’t have.’ Which is an excuse. And then it turns out they’ve been sexually assaulted.
“I really hope we start having more conversations about this so that men and boys feel more comfortable talking about it.”
Ratajkowski says the cycle of victims becoming victimizers is also visible in the Diddy case.
Ryan Murphy has been criticized for having brothers Erik and Lyle Menendez kiss in his new Netflix show Monsters
This comes as Diddy remains jailed without bail in New York on federal charges alleging he ran a vast network that facilitated sex crimes and committed shocking acts of violence, using blackmail and other tactics to protect the rapper and those close to him.
Prosecutors say Diddy hosted events called “Freak Offs” where he drugged women and male sex workers to force them to participate in sexual performances that sometimes lasted several days and left participants needing intravenous drips.
Diddy has pleaded not guilty to charges of racketeering and sex trafficking. His attorney said he is innocent and will fight to clear his name.