subject: Sexual Objectification of Women [print this page] Sexual Objectification of Women Sexual Objectification of Women
The objectification of women is commonly used to mean the presentation of women in the media as sexual objects. This phenomenon portrayed mostly in music videos, has been perceived to be condescending to women, threatening their subjectivity. Many would argue that objectification of women is empowering to their sexual freedom, considering it to be an important legacy of the sexual revolution. Whether or not it is degrading, objectification of women is a social fact, found in all kinds of media, and influences many aspects of our society.
Many elements constitute what we consider objectification of women: sexualized images of women in music videos, women in pornography, sexualized magazines " The media is dominated by images of women as sex objects whose value is based on their appearance. These portrayals can potentially limit girls' self-perceptions and influence their attitudes regarding the importance of appearance." (Gordon, Maya K.) In music videos, women are perceived as sexual objects, which are submissive to the masculine presence in the video. This reduces the value of women to their aesthetic coordinates, and accentuates the sexual aspect of women, while ignoring their humanistic entity, thus preventing any real potential/talent to matter, besides the physical one. As theorists such as Jean Kilbourne and Susan Faladi have argued: "the influx of objectified images of women has occurred at the same time that women have gained other kinds of power in society, serving as a backlash to keep women from becoming too powerful." Therefore, objectification of women is a negative phenomenon that is highly offensive and detrimental to the female gender.
"Identities do not exist ready-made, but are established and maintained through social interactions with others"(Milkie, M.). Which is why, some would argue that women cannot be objectified if they are voluntarily involved in these acts of objectification: it should not be considered offensive, abusive when practiced with mutual consent. The sexual revolution, from its inception was founded on sexual freedom and emancipation from all social and religious fetters, so then why does its practice constitute universal offense to women? The issue of objectification is not about individual women's decisions, which are deliberately exercising a sexual right of theirs; it is about the universal impact of this kind of representative action on society. Interpretations of media portrayals manifested a patriarchal ideology that is responsible partially of the enshrinement of hierarchical gender relations. Furthermore, when women are perceived as sexual objects, as tools to satisfy men's sexual appetite, it promotes male dominance in society. Therefore, the objectification of women may seem harmless on the individual level but it is highly detrimental to the gender system.
Not only is he objectification of women degrading and diminishing to women's subjectivity, but it also presents serious social and psychological consequences. "For women, media use predicted disordered-eating symptomatology, drive for thinness, body dissatisfaction, and ineffectiveness." (Harrison, K. & Cantor, J.). The phenomenon of eating disorders is rapidly developing, and is responsible for negative self-image. The objectification of women is also indirectly responsible for sexual violence against women: sexual assault against women has been on the rise. The increasing number and intensity of sexually explicit music videos is a definite contributor to the sexual violence against women: women's role in Hip-hop videos is to dance, look provocative, and suggest sexual interest The lyrics and images that can be accessed by all ages through TV and Internet convey that these acts are permissible; sexual offenders often rationalize their behavior through what they perceive in popular media. However, this doesn't link the objectification of women to sexual violence in a direct way, but the influence and the contribution that the objectification provides is incontestable. "The task force concluded that the sexualization of girls is pervasive in U.S culture and negatively impacts women" (Lerum, Kari, and Shari L. Dworkin.)
Historically, women have always been exploited and abused by men; today after recuperating their rights and after equalizing their status with the status of men, women are deliberately diminishing their role in society, by portraying themselves as sexual objects. Society should critically think about the kind of message that it is being exposed to, before supporting artists and media players that may be deliberately or inadvertently promoting the objectification of women.
References:
Gordon, M. (2008). "Media Contributions to African American Girls " Focus on
Beauty and Appearance: Exploring the Consequences of Sexual Objectification."
Psychology of women quarterly, 32.3, 245-256.
Harrison, K. & Cantor, J. (1997). "The Relationship Between Media Consumption
and Eating Disorders." Journal of Communication, 47(1), 40-67.
Milkie, M. (1999). "Social Comparisons, Reflected Appraisals, and Mass Media: The
Impact of Pervasive Beauty Images on Black and White Girls' Self-Concepts."
Social Psychology Quarterly, 62.2, 190-210.
Lerum, Kari, and Shari L. Dworkin. (2009). "Bad Girls Rule": an interdisciplinary
feminist commentary on the report of the APA Journal of Sex Research 46.4
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