Gender equality and women’s right has been the banner of feminist movements since the sixties. But even after years of fighting for equality, the female gender continues to be exploited, sexualized, and objectified. This cannot be more evident in the images of women presented in advertisement, television, film, and other media forms. Many of these mediums use images of the female body which are highly objectified and sexualized as if they are objects to be ogled, looked at, touched, used, and, to some extent, purchased. There are hundreds, if not thousands of evidences that indicate how women are objectified. These are seen every day – from beer advertisements and car commercials to music videos and various men’s magazine. Accordingly, many scholars assert that these images bring with it numerous adverse effects such as social oppression, violence towards women, as well drug use to name a few. In the same way, many scholars believe that any efforts or progress in feminist movement will only be undermined as these images send message of toleration and encouragement of sexual objectification of the female gender. Hence, the prevalence of these images, along with its negative effects, therefore suggests that the demeaning portrayal of women in media is an important and urgent issue that must be addressed.
This paper will discuss the feminist issue of media’s demeaning representation of women in the media. It will primarily provide an overview of how women are sexually objectified in mainstream media as well as its negative social effects. Finally, this paper will propose possible forms of social protest that can be employed in order to make changes in this area of women’s concern.
Sexual Objectification of Women in Media
The process of sexual objectification takes place whenever images of a woman’s body are singled out and separated primarily as physical object of male sexual desire (Szymanski, et.al. 7). The objectification theory maintains that women are sexually objectified as an object valued specifically for its use by others, particularly men. One of the main channels of this objectification is in mainstream media wherein majority of the images of women focus mainly on their appearance and sexuality. Studies reveal that women are presented in such a sexual manner in numerous media platform. For example, recent research reveals that about 30 percent of the female models that appear in television commercials centers particularly on their appearance and physical attractiveness. Film is another media platform which fairs no better as nearly 30 percent of women in Hollywood movies wore sexually revealing clothing. Among these, print proves itself as the worst offender as over 50 percent of the ads in magazines show women as sexual objects as evident in her facial expression, clothing, activity, camera angle, amount of skin reveal, as well as posture (Hatton & Trautner 256).
Studies similarly reveal that there is a 49 percent possibility that the ad has at least one camera shot focused on the female model’s chest as compared to the 24 percent among men. An equally important finding relates that majority of women in these ads appear in either leisure clothes or bathing suits as compared to men who are often depicted wearing business attires. In addition, shots of female crotch also appear five times more in ads. This means that coding for women in these ads is that women are made to be desired and possessed my men (Lehman 64).
Effects of Objectifying Women in Media
According to media scholars, these media platforms that bank mostly on female appearance and sexuality as it promises its viewers a fantasy of sexual appeal, sensuality, sexual esteem, and sexual attractiveness which will come from the use of product. Buying a beer for instance, will make the consumers more sexually attractive to women. In the same way, scholars point out that these sexualized ads sends a message that, much like the product, women are always available for men. A beer ad from Budweiser for example, shows a woman wearing a skimpy swim suit while looking and posing provocatively at the camera. Such ad communicates the message that the female body is available to the male consumer just like the beer. In other words, advertisements that show sexualized images of women present an ideology that women are objects of sexual fantasy and consumption. That is, the manner in which these images are presented, including the body positions, clothing and facial expressions among many others communicate sexual power relationships between men and women. More specifically, these demeaning images support the ideology of male dominance and female subordination where inthe female gender exist only to satisfy the desires of the opposite sex (Cory & Burns 97).
In addition to this, a growing number of studies also indicate that the sexual objectification of women in media also yields a number of adverse effects. Research shows that sexual objectification of women in media causes them to also become target of sexual advances and remarks in real life. Studies demonstrate that many women become target of sexist remarks which includes cat-calling, and other offensive comments about their body parts. Such sexualized images also cause women to become victim of sexual harassment and violence. Alternately, hypersexualized images of women in media also affect how women perceive their bodies. As media depicts a narrow and unattainable standard of female beauty, this communicates a notion that beauty is only based on a woman’s sexual appeal and sexual worth. In other words, media’s representation of women creates a distorted image of beauty which in turn can result to self-objectification, appearance anxiety, and low sense of self-esteem and self-worth. In fact, one study indicates that nearly 70 percent of girls who participated in the research, admitted that models in magazines are their main idea of what a perfect body is. In the same way, 47 percent of the respondents who admitted that the images in magazines are the ideal body also revealed that they want to lose weight when only 29 percent were actually overweight. Such figures are a clear indication of how sexualized images of women affect the self-esteem and self-worth of the female population (Szymanski, et.al. 9).
But perhaps the worst effect brought about by the sexualized and objectified images of women in media is that it undermines any effort to improve the condition of women in the society. This is mainly because media strongly influences how people perceive and understand the world around them. The cultivation theory explains that mainstream media has an effect on the attitudes and behavior of an individual. This means that a person who is heavily exposed to highly sexualized and eroticized image of women can influence his values and beliefs towards the female gender. A man for example, who constantly sees eroticized and objectified pictures of women presents a high tendency of developing a sexist view and value about female gender and their role in the society. Hence, the existence of these images does not support the efforts of feminist movements to change perception of women. Any attempt of feminist groups to advance gender equality would only be thwarted largely because the society is still exposed to images where in women are still objects of sexual desire and fantasy. In the same way, these demeaning representations of women in media can also cultivate how women see themselves. That is, a girl who is heavily exposed to objectified female images can eventually develop a belief system that sexualizing and objectifying women is a norm. As such, the poor media representation of women encourages and reinforces the opposite sex to carry on with their distorted ideology regarding the female body. In short, prevalence of demeaning images can “lose women ground instead of gaining it” (Faludi 2).
Efforts to Stop Sexual Objectification of Women
As the sexual objectification of women causes negative consequences in the society as well as in the efforts of feminist movements, it is therefore of utmost importance to stop in the soonest time possible. There are many in ways in which women can stop the prevailing objectification of women in media. One of which is to boycott any consumer products or media program that promotes and uses sexualized images of women. There are currently a number of products that presents eroticized female pictures as part of their advertising and marketing campaign. Examples of which include cigarettes, beers, and other alcoholic beverages. In the same way, there are many magazines that degrade women by sexualizing the female body as a come-on for their male audience. Most of these products and businesses use the female body in a sexualized manner in order to garner the attention of their male target market. In other words, the female body becomes their male tool to entice their male consumers to purchase their products. Female groups can act out by boycotting these products. Boycotting businesses and services that uses sexualized and degrading images of women sends a strong message to the company that consumers do not tolerate gender exploitation and sexualisation.
Individuals and groups can alternately, let their voices be heard by writing these businesses. Many advocates of women’s right are airing their concerns regarding sexualized images of women by sending a direct message to the company. Advocates can also use the power of social media to promote or air their cause. Social networking services such as Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram are effective mediums that will allow people to connect directly with these businesses. In the same way, they can also use social sites to promote their cause.
Lobbying is another activity which can be used to prevent the further proliferation of sexual images of women. Lobbying in particular can be used to call the attention of a particular government agency or public official to create efforts and policies that will ultimately limit or stop the objectification of women in media. Creating a petition to regulate advertisements and other media platforms also presents itself as a viable action that will allow the government to acknowledge and address this feminist issue.
However, the most effective approach to finally put a halt to this issue, in my perspective, is to educate girls, women, as well as men regarding the ill-effects of sexually objectifying women in media. Education means empowerment. Teaching the society about the adverse consequences of eroticizing women, enables them to not only understand the issue better but it alternately empower them to create concrete steps on how, on their own way, they can stop this issue.
Conclusion
Based on the points provided, it can be argued that the sexual objectification of women is an important and urgent feminist issue that requires the attention and action of the public. This, in my view, is a crucial issue mainly because sexual objectification of women in the media is one of the root causes behind the slow progress of feminist and women’s rights movement. Since the media proves itself as a powerful force that influence the society, any efforts to advance the cause of women becomes thwarted because of the prevalence of such demeaning images. In the same way, sexualization of women can also result to adverse societal consequences such as violence against women, sexual harassment, as well as develop a sense of low self-worth among women. While this issue presents itself as a major problem, the society can act out by boycotting businesses the use degrading images of women. Other approaches include lobbying, petitioning, and educating people about this issue.
Works Cited
Cory, A. & Burns, S. What did She Say: An examination of the Influence of Conversation and Media Exposure on Participants’ Body Objectification and Anxiety. Journal of Undergraduate Research, 12(2007): 97-103
Faludi, S. Backlash: The Undeclared War Against American Women. NY: Crown Publishing, 2009
Hatton, E. & Trautner, M. Equal Opportunity Objectification: the Sexualization of Men and Women on the Cover of Rolling Stone. Sexuality and Culture, 15 (2011): 256-278
Lehman, K. Woman, Divided,: Gender, family, and multiple personalities in media. Journal of American Culture, 37 (2014): 64-73
Szymanski, D. Moffit, L. & Car, E. Sexual Objectification of Women: Advances to Theory and Research. Journal of Counselling Psychologist, 39, (2011): 6-38