Objectification of Women by the Media Essay Example

major source of control over societal norms, the media plays a huge role in shaping the society’s opinions and perspectives (Luttrell, 2014). Now the question is when the media objectify women, what messages are they sending to the society?

Some think it is dehumanizing while others believe that it leaves women to be seen as mere decorations disregarding their feelings and abilities while others see it as a normal thing since, in the society, heavy weight is placed on the dominant narrative of gendering and giving subject-object status with men, most of time, granted the subject status and women object status. Media objectification of women has its negative impacts on women and the society at large.

Extensive research has cited appearance anxiety, eating disorders, depression, sexual dysfunction and body shame as some of the repercussions of women objectification. The assault against women is another consequence of this growing trend. The secondary purpose of this research will be to shed light on some of the consequences of the ways media objectify the view of women.

From a sociological perspective, objectification refers to the treatment of a person as if he or she was an object or a thing, with disregard of their dignity or emotions. It involves treating a person as if they belong to someone else, or as if they are someone’s tool of self-fulfillment or meeting their needs and are open to use, abuse, destruction, and damage (Calogero et al. 2011). The media has made women prone to objectification, more specifically, sexual objectification. Sexualized messages have flooded the media with dozens of vulgar and sex scenes.

The issue has been worsened by the culturally masculine perspective where women

intellectual capabilities are disregarded and are portrayed solely as objects for sexual gratification. For instance, although the women’s and men’s magazines follow a similar general formula, the popular culture where men’s magazines are fully of highly eroticized women images while women’s magazines are also centered on highly eroticized images of fellow women indicate the seriousness of the issue. Highly eroticized and heterosexual magazines depicting female-female bonds have been used extensively in the Fashion magazines. In Victorian England, women are presented admiring other women.

According to Marcus, women were perfect to reveal the heterosexual feminine identity because of their intense friendships between them. She argues that the eroticized images do not mean that they are lesbians, but rather she was a woman and as a woman they are supposed to evoke some fantasies and desires in the viewers minds (Marcus, 2009). Many people argue that both men’s and women’s magazines do not only objectify women, but they also present their images for similar reasons.

The similarity in the images despite the different audience serve the same purpose which is to present women as sexual objects to satisfy and provoke the reader’s desires. Including women images in men’s magazines is like telling men that, women bodies are tools or objects for their enjoyment. Similarly, having female images in women’s magazines is encouraging them to view their bodies as objects for entertainment.

The music industry has contributed extensively towards objectifying women. The way music artists portray women in their music videos is a cause of alarm. Most music artists have become a mainstream in how the society views and treat women through their videos. Most of their messages persuade viewers that

treating women as sexual objects and subjecting them to sexual abuse, is a social norm. Hip-Hop videos portray women as tools for entertainment.

Their work is to dance, be provocative and evoke sexual desires and fantasies among men. The society has embraced this kind of music, and consequently, the culture it is spreading. This has made the making of provocative music videos a norm and the society does not see anything wrong with it. Stereotyping women have become synonymous with both women and male artists. Companies have also followed suit. Seductive photographs are everywhere promoting various products and services. Companies say that they prefer sexual appeals because they attractive and command some form of attention, which from a business perspective, any attention no matter it form is good and necessary to attract a large customer base which in turn will result in higher revenues.

Several companies have used sexual appeal to promote their products. Advertisements for axel are centered on sexual appeal (Zimmerman and Dahlberg, 2008). Although the product is for men and targets the masculine market, women images feature in their advertisements. The way the women surrounds a man who has worn the deodorant implies that women will surround them simply because they smell good. Women here are used as objects represented by the thin, emotionless, speechless blonde girls who appear zombie-like (Augustus-Horvath and Tylka, 2009).

The dismemberment of women goes hand-in-hand with sexual objectification. Dismemberment is where only some part of the body is used on a show as opposed to the entire body. The media has constantly reduced to the sum of their body parts. They have become highly photo shopped to fit the perfect

image that they want to portray. They have not only turned into things but also have been broken down to form the ideal form.

Today, there are many images of women ranging from lips, butts, breasts, torsos, legs among other female body parts (Calogero et al. 2011). This probably to distract them from thinking about themselves and viewing themselves as important people with intellect, dreams, ambitions, feeling and desires. They are made objects for consumptions and often associated with things. Artificial images of ideally constructed women with well-carved legs, hips, height have caused the real women to be appreciated and underrepresented. Some time back, the Breast Cancer Association, ran a champion with a slogan I love Boobies, highlighting how far companies are willing to raise money through the media even if it is a good course (Lewin and Reeves, 2011).

Objectification of women, specifically sexual objectification is an important idea in psychological theories and feminist theory. Feminist scholars believe that women objectification is degrading the personal and intellectual capabilities and abilities of women and reducing them to objects of pleasure for women. The pervasive objectification of women by the media is an example of how women have been degraded and reduced to mere things for pleasure.

They believe it is the cause of the gender inequalities experienced in the society since women are not given their rightful place and those defending themselves are regarded as rebels. Unfortunately, the intensity in which women have been affected cannot be underestimated. Women have become more submissive like sexual objects. Gender inequality fueled by the media has widened the gap between women and men. Objectification has penetrated deep into the society and

affected it to an unimaginable degree. This depiction of women as objects is in line with Max Weber’s symbolic interactionism perspective which asserts the importance of observing symbols in the society, their meaning and people interactions (Denzin, 2004).

Today, the society allows men to use and destroy women dignity as they please. Televisions have for over the last 20 years been filled with an overwhelming diffusion of messages objectifying and stereotyping women as sexual objects, passive, compliant, or dependent on men. Women are given less room to express and air their opinions but are likely to appear scantily and suggestively dressed, and posing in submissive and sexually provocative and exploitative postures.

Objectification is not only visual but also verbal. Men often make comments about women appearances using double meanings or in humorous contexts. Pornography is evidence enough of how women are subject to objectification. It is an intentional act aimed at taking sexual advantage of women. The scenes depicting women being tossed around like objects signify the powerlessness of women. Gender roles as dictated by the society have played a role in the objectification of women by the media.

The society has specific roles for women and men. The media has extensively integrated gender roles in its advertisements leading to the stereotypical notion that women place around the household context (Wolska, 2011). Women tending to disentangle themselves from these stereotypical roles may cause a conflict within the society. Many advertisements may depict the woman place is behind the husband, kitchen or children while the woman actually desires to get a career and excel. The stereotyping of roles ends up creating a barrier between men and women.

According to the

objectification theory, this trend may bring a culture where girls and women internalize the perspectives being observed in their own bodies (Calogero et al. 2011). In fact, many women today have been pressured to conform to the cultural beauty standards and are going to deeper lengths including manipulating their bodies and faces. The media has conditioned women to view their bodies and objects and faces as masks that need some sort of disguise, augmentation, or even alteration to conform to the society standards of beauty.

Many young girls to quest their desire for flat tummies and perfect bodies have failed and are suffering from Anorexia Nervosa to Bulimia Nervosa. The unrealistic pictures of glamorized models with long legs and zero wastes on the media have made them obsessed and uncomfortable with themselves and to seek satisfaction have resulted to huge obsessions with weight, body heights, and calories counting (Harper and Tiggemann, 2008). The flawless faces with no scars, wrinkles or blemishes have made women turn to use of harmful products in search of perfection.

Women believe they must look and behave in certain ways to attract and impress men. This indicates that the society has reduced women to symbols which are only recognizable through their bodies. Since the society has for decades viewed and valued women for their physical attributes, sexual objectification of women can cause serious negative psychological effects such as hopelessness and depression. It can also lead to self-objectification because they may feel that their competencies and intelligence is not acknowledged (Calogero et al. 2011).

Claims by several feminists suggest that young girls by understanding the importance of their appearances to the society may contribute to fear

while those transitioning from girlhood to womanhood may be filled with disgust because they are becoming visible as sexual objects to the society. The media has contributed to the dehumanization of women. Depression experienced by women as they try to look perfect for the society has led many women to look for ways to enhance their beauty.

The media has set very high standards most of which are unrealistic and unattainable for the audience. Many women are more than ever turning to skin lightening products and plastic surgeries to enhance their physical features. Plastic surgeries for liposuction, lip tattoos, eyebrow tattoos and breast enlargement have become a booming business. The psychological effects on the rest of the society cannot be ignored.

The media is a powerful tool for education and shaping the society’s views and opinions. It is through which societal perspectives certain issues are shaped. The society is also largely to blame for the ways in which the media objectify the view of a woman. The society does not see anything wrong with women being viewed as objects. It has allowed the media to portray women as such and it has reinforced this notion. However, the most saddening thing about this trend is that women are increasing falling prey to sexual objectification. They have turned themselves to be seen as objects intentionally. However, the recent trends in the cultural, social and fashion realms have contributed to women objectification.

Women are willing wearing revealing clothes, featuring in nude magazines and even pornography. They seem to have embraced themselves as the sexual symbols for men sexual gratification and pleasure. The resulting negative effects as a result of media objectification

of women are far reaching. The fatal negative effects experienced by young women such as body shame, eating disorders and depression are alarming and require immediate action. The issue of women objectification is deeply entrenched in the society and to combat it, attention should be devoted in tearing every shred entwined to it, to restore women dignity, recognition and appreciation.