The pervasiveness of sexual objectification in our surroundings and the media we consume has made the difference between sexual empowerment and sexual objectification blurred particularly for our generation. When ads objectify people, they present objectification as something that should be desired. I’d like to consider if there’s actually empowerment in objectification.
First it is important differentiate between the two terms. Sexual empowerment is acceptance of the parts of us that are sexual, recognizing our own desires and respecting them. A society that allows sexual empowerment is one in which it is safe and accepted to express our sexual sides. Sexual objectification on the other hand is seeing only the sexual aspect of a person. While empowerment recognizes that sexuality is one aspect of the human, sexual objectification recognizes only the person’s sexual appeal. Sexual objectification is disregard for other qualities in person.
Is being treated, represented and looked open as a sexual object empowering?
Here are some questions that might help:
- Is your sexual availability the only human quality that is represented in the ad ? If so, it’s not empowerment. Reducing a whole human being to one dimension isn’t an upgrade but a downgrade!
- Only a part of the body shown?
“Grab one and enjoy”
Again, not empowering. It would be empowerment if advertisements start adding personalities to bodies for a change.
- Can you be bought in a shop? Hey, you really are an object.. Where is the power in being a thing to be bought? There’s some value in things that are for sale, but there’s more value in a human being.
Is the body used as a canvas? Something to make art on? Something to put labels on? Something for others to act on? I already said it- “something” and not “someone”. Ads that do this, usually do number 2 in combination.
- Is the person being used literally as an object? A table, a rug or a beer bottle?
Now that must be so empowering! Not. - Are you in a state of vulnerability and passivity? Unable to take action under the control of someone else? Not empowering!
Can I now safely say that sexual objectification is not sexual empowerment? I think I can.
However, I’ll have to be careful before saying that there is always no sexual empowerment in sexual objectification. For an example, a model that is be objectified in a commercial can experience empowerment in her skill (a power) to use an aspect of herself to earn money and attraction. A person can feel empowered in expression sexuality with his or her partner, by sometimes being a sexual object. Empowerment is in choice. Thus in these situations, empowerment and objectification can happen simultaneously in different aspects of their behaviours.
But! Let’s consider the ads. While it is empowering for the individuals who choose to use their bodies the way they want to, the images produced and publicized in the process are most definitely degrading to the “image” of woman created for our society. It might be empowerment for a few people, while it is damaging to a thousands of others who are the audience. As we are bombarded with hundreds of ads a day, we are bound to internalize these images and act accordingly. As a result many people experience the negative effects of these ads. The importance is to consider the damaging consequences to people as a result of widespread objectification of humans, while respecting the choices towards empowerment made by individuals. Our minds and bodies are being shaped by the mass market, and what do we do in turn to shape the mass market? Sometimes we consume, sometimes we fight it.
Image sources:
1.”‘Real Housewives’ star strips down for PETA: Stars who strip for a cause” http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/gossip/stars-strip-gallery-1.8070?pmSlide=22
2. http://www.flickr.com/photos/heroic_cheddar/4797662515/
3. http://carolineheldman.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/11.png
4. “Portrayal of Brazilian Women” http://womeninbeeradvertising.blogspot.ca/2012/12/portrayal-of-brazilian-women.html
5. http://freethoughtblogs.com/carrier/files/2013/02/sexuallyobjectifyingpicture.jpg
6. “Top 10 controversial print ads” http://www.toptenz.net/top-10-controversial-print-ads.php
She Is Not A Thing 