OBJECTIFICATION OF WOMEN IN MEDIA

Objectification of Women in Media

Objectification of Women in Media

Introduction

The objectification of women in media is simply the presentation of a woman on the media. This mainly focuses on the portrayed women in videos and pictures. It has been perceived, as the attitude of women in media that is threatening the subjectivity. Many people argue that the objectification of women is like empowering the sexual freedom, considering it to be an important legacy of the sexual revolution. The subject is very much degrading for women, and objectification of women is a social fact, that is found in all kinds of media, and influences many aspects of a society.

Sexual Objectification of Women

Many elements constitute what we consider objectification of women: equalized images of women in music videos, women in pornography, sexualized magazines. The media are 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. 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 (Harrison, 1997).

Therefore, objectification of women is a negative phenomenon that is highly offensive and detrimental to the female gender. 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 interes. 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 behaviour through what they perceive in popular media (Milkie, 1999).

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 sexualisation of girls is pervasive in U.S culture and negatively impacts women” (Lerum, Kari, and Shari L. Dworkin.)

Platforms Of Media That Objectify Women

Magazines

Appealing to sexual desires is the media's primary advertising scheme. With basic knowledge, one can infer ...