Culture of Objectification

The Culture of Objectification:

An Overview with Advocacy Proposals

 

 

Mr. Daniel C. Tarsetti

University of Maine

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Introduction

 

Today’s media has a tendency to objectify individuals, particularly women, through increasingly sexualized images and messages. (Hatton & Traunter 2011) People are objectified whenever their bodies, or parts of their body, are viewed as a commodity, without regard to their sense of self (Gay & Castano, 2009). In this paper I will explain what objectification is, who it affects, and why objectification is a current issue worth our consideration. I will do this, in part, by investigating the many potential negative consequences from such objectification. I will then explore three different possible ideas to combat objectification. From these, I will choose one plan to outline in detail and explain why it is has the best chance to reverse the harmful effects of objectification.

 

Objectification: Why We Need Change

 

            Sexualized images saturate American culture, and this trend only seems to be increasing. “We find that sexualized images of men and women have increased, though women continue to be more frequently sexualized than men” (Hatton & Traunter, 2011).  Glorification of thinness, “photoshopping”, and extreme models all contribute to what Fredrickson and Roberts call “unrealistic standards of beauty” (1997). “There is no doubt that Western women are subject to a great deal of pressure to conform to the thin ideal of feminine beauty” (Harper & Tiggemann, 2007). This nearly impossible to achieve, sexualized standard has led to varying degrees of objectification by virtually all (Noll at el., 1998). Muehlenkamp & Saris-Baglama understand the prominence of objectification on women: “Objectification of women is prominent in our society, occurring in a variety of contexts, thus it is assumed that most women encounter objectification and are affected by it to some degree” (2002).  An increasing field of research is amounting in the study of the objectification of women in western culture and though certain direct causes are unverified there is a virtually unanimous agreement that such objectification has negative implications for both the physical and mental health of all women. 

People are objectified whenever their bodies, or parts of their body, are viewed as a commodity, without regard to their sense of self (Gay & Castano, 2009). Fredrickson and Roberts, in their 1997 report in Psychology of Women Quarterly, constructed a framework for objectification theory that pushed forward the thought process on critiquing the effects of media on American women.  Objectification theory states that American culture socializes women to adopt observer’s perspectives of themselves as solely a physical entity, to be evaluated without consideration of their abilities (Noll et al., 1998). That is, women are looked at as objects whose physical body is considered an asset that can be obtained. Since then innumerable numbers of reports have been published in support of this theory. Most scholars agree the objectification of women is a vital area of study for its links to an array of physical and mental health problems, among American females in particular. 

Iconic scholars like Cooley have long since established the idea of self that says, in its most basic sense, we perceive ourselves as others perceive us (Cooley 1902). This idea is widely accepted in the social sciences, and Cooley’s concept of “the looking-glass self” is a staple in sociology- that individuals view themselves as they believe the public views them. (Cooley, 1902) This is vital groundwork in understanding that women measure themselves not to their own standards, but to the standards that the public, and media in large, have set. Many scholars have found this to be problematic when we consider the hyper-sexualized images of women in the media and the virtually unachievable standard of beauty that’s been set; this has led to an increase in study of objectification and its possible effects. 

Though men aren’t necessarily unaffected, women have been shown to be disproportionally affected by objectification: “Empirical studies have documented that in both of these arenas, women are targeted for sexually objectifying treatment more often than men” (Noll et al., 1997). An experiment by Noll et al. found out of 42 women and 40 men, effects on body shame and restrained eating replicated for women only (1997). Additionally, self-objectification diminished math performance for women only. As an example, print media and artwork tend to portray men with an emphasis on the head and face, with greater facial detail, while women are more commonly shown with an emphasis on their body, sometimes containing no face at all (Noll at el., 1998). Mainstream media, particularly in print and advertising, display women’s bodies have with more importance and pressure placed on them then men’s, and for this reason women are the main subject of concern around objectification. (Mercurio & Landry, 2008).

Objectification could be broken up into two main subcategories, sexual objectification and self-objectification, both of which fit into the broader definition of objectification while bringing their own more specific meanings. Sexual objectification can result in direct sexual oppression from objectification. “Sexual Objectification of women occurs in a variety of contexts and forms, such as sexual gazing, commentary, and evaluation; sexual harassment; and sexual violence” (Muehlenkamp & Saris-Baglama, 2002). Sexual objectification has been thought to be able to contribute to women’s mental health problems via two main routes. The first form is quite direct and the more extreme of the two, involving actual sexual victimization (e.g. rape, sexual assault and sexual harassment) (Szymanski & Henning, 2006).

The second form is more indirect and involves women’s internalization of objectifying experiences, or self-objectification (Szymanski & Henning, 2006). Self-objectification may be more subtle and hence the more problematic of the two terms and is the main focus of this paper. Self-objectification is quite simply, the objectification of one’s own self. Self-objectification occurs when the self is viewed from an external perspective, as a physical body, rather than from an internal perspective, which emphasizes one’s inner states and abilities (Fredrickson & Roberts, 1997). This, of course, has been more prominently seen in women who are particularly likely to internalize a societal view that sees them as sexual objects (Muehlenkamp & Saris-Baglama, 2002).  Self-objectification is thought to increase body surveillance, or self-monitoring, and to have several negative psychological consequences (Greenleaf & McGreer, 2006). Tiggeman and Slater (2001) found that, in a sample of 50 former dancers, self-objectification led to habitual body monitoring, which in turn led to less flow, greater body shame, and greater appearance anxiety. In an experiment conduct by Mercurio and Landry, they showed BMI was unrelated to self-objectification, which supports the idea that females can be preoccupied with their body regardless of their size (2007).

The effects of objectification on women have been documented both physically and mentally. One of the most documented effects is increased body shame and increased appearance anxiety (Mercurio & Landry, 2007). In the report, “Effect of Thin Ideal Media Images on Women’s Self-Objectification, Mood and Body Image”, Harper and Tiggemann concluded women who viewed thin-idealized magazine advertisements showed higher levels of state self-objectification, weight-related appearance anxiety, negative mood and body dissatisfaction, as opposed to those who viewed product control images. (Harper & Tiggemann, 2007)

It has also been suggested that conditions that result from objectification, such as increased body shame, appearance anxiety, and less flow (or full immersion in activity), lead to higher rates of depression. Szymanski and Henning cited increased body shame, appearance anxiety and less flow (or full immersion in activity) all as variables that led to depression (2006). However Szymanski and Henning (2006) found no significant relationships between self-objectification measures and internal awareness or between internal awareness and depression. This is in contrast to Muehlenkamp & Saris-Baglama whose research demonstrated that internal awareness was positively correlated with depression and that depression mediated the relationship between self-objection and depressive symptoms (2002). Though not all researchers agree on the connection between internal states and depression, the link between objectification and depression through body shame and appearance anxiety appears strong (Fredrickson & Roberts, 1997).

One link of self-objectification that seems logical and easy to follow is the connection to eating disorders. Eating disorders are a substantial problem in this country with studies that show up to 61% of college women engaged in some form of disturbed eating (Myers & Crowther, 2008). It seems very sensible to link the media’s images of super-thinness and its relation to self-objectivity as it relates to disordered eating. Roberts and Gettman (2004) found that girls who showed increased eating disorder symptomatology had experienced significant increases in their exposure to fashion magazines, magazines being considered a key outlet of sexual-objectification.  In her study, “Self-objectification among physically active women,”  conducted by Christy Greenleaf (2005) she found a relationship between self-objectification and an increase in disordered eating for both young and old. “For both physically active and sedentary women in this study, body shame and appearance anxiety were significant predicators of disordered eating, which is consistent with previous research” (Greenleaf 2005). Another finding by Myers and Crowther took the connection further, examining introspective awareness and finding that “introspective awareness mediates the relationship between self-objectification and disordered eating” (2008). However, these results aren’t consistent, for in her own attempt to connect flow and eating Greenleaf found, “flow did not mediate the relationship between self-objectification and disordered eating” (2005). Still, these studies show many of the undesired effects of objectification on women.

Self-objectification also led to a decrease in the appeal of the physical aspects of sex. In an experiment by Roberts and Gettman (2004), they found using words that highlighted body’s appearance (e.g., weight, attractiveness, physique) as opposed to its health and functioning, led to increased feelings of self-objectification and body shame. This culturally duplicated pressure on appearance over function may lead to self-conscious “spectatoring” which has been identified as a key barrier to women’s comfort with sex (Roberts & Gettman, 2004). Fredrickson and Roberts, in their important work (1997), also found that increased self-objectification led to a decrease in the appeal of the physical aspects of sex.

Possibly one of the most concerning findings of objectification is its link to decreased awareness of internal states, capacity to reach peak motivational states, and cognitive function. “This self-conscious appearance monitoring can disrupt an individual’s stream of consciousness, and thereby limit the mental resources available for other activities” (Noll et al., 1998) Noll theorizes that mental resources are depleted as the individual preoccupies themselves with envisioning an observer’s view of her body (1998). An experiment conducted by Gay and Castano (2010) appears to confirm this notion; “The two studies here show not only that cognitive load is indeed increased by state objectification, but also more importantly, that this occurs primarily among women high in TSO [trait self-objectification].” A women being self-objectifying not only loses cognitive resources but experiences a loss in personal agency. “Objectification, therefore, is detrimental to performance, either physical or mental, in which concentration is required and cognitive resources need to be garnered” (Gay & Castano, 2010).

More broadly, Mercurio & Landry found the combination of the effects previously discussed have been linked to an overall lowered self-esteem and satisfaction with life (2007). Self-esteem can be defined as a personal judgment of overall self-worth. Self-esteem is seen as a fundamental component of mental health as well as a protective factor that promotes and contributes to health and adaptive behavior (Mercurio & Landry, 2007).  Research by McKinley (1999) showed a negative association between body surveillance (the core of self-objectification) and autonomy, environmental mastery, personal growth, positive relations, purpose in life and body self-esteem. The chain of reason is relatively straight forward: self-objectification leads to body shame, body shame leads to self-esteem, and finally self-esteem leads to life satisfaction. Mercurio & Landry (2007) found:

 Additional evidence that a preoccupation with the body is not only associated with depression, disordered eating, and other negative emotional and physical outcomes but also this it is associated with aspects of well-being such as the degree to which one feels satisfied with one’s life as a whole.

 

Research has suggested, however, that women of different ages are affected to different degrees by objectification. Fredrickson and Roberts (1997) suggested that during midlife women have the chance to move out of the “objectification lime-light” and reclaim an inner connection with their bodies. The situations and environments for women of midlife may be less pressure filled to conform to the societal ideas of beauty and this presents them the opportunity to distance themselves from objectification, therefore experiencing fewer of the negative psychological consequences of self-objectification (Fredrickson & Roberts, 1997). Research done by Tiggemann and Lynch in “Body image across the life span in adult women” (2001) found support for this claim, finding younger women report higher levels of self-objectification and self-surveillance than do older women. Related research has also provided some support for the contention that middle-aged women report fewer body-image related concerns than do college women, which could suggest less self-objectification (Greenleaf, 2005). A study done by Christy Greenleaf (2005) confirms most other findings in that she also found younger women reported higher levels of self-objectification, body shame and dieting than older women. “Younger women may gain their self-worth from their appearance, whereas middle age and older women may focus more on their accomplishments as a source of self-esteem” (Greenleaf, 2005)

Just how much exposure to objectification is necessary to induce feelings of body shame? Fredrickson and Roberts conducted a study in which women, all alone, tried on either a bathing suit or a sweater and then proceeded to complete a math test (1997). The study showed women who tried on the bathing suit were induced into a state of self-objectification and therefore performed in an impaired state on their math test (Fredrickson & Roberts 1997). A study by Roberts and Gettman, “Mere Exposure” (2004) wondered if even less could induce such self-objection. The researchers “primed” their participants by showing them a flurry of words in which just a few of them were sexually objectifying words; the participants asked afterwards reported no clue to what they were being primed for. “Our results indicate that a state of self-objectification can be activated automatically for women by merely encountering words that highlight the body’s physical appearance, as opposed to its health and functioning” (Roberts & Gettman, 2004). The increased levels of shame and disgust reflected the notion that women were reminded by the prime of greater cultural demands (even if just words) to live up to the culturally prescribed standards of beauty that they perceived themselves as a constant failure at.

Many scholars agree that education efforts are the best way to begin the fight against objectification. Roberts and Gettman (2004) suggest that if women can be educated on mass media’s objectification of the female body that they could utilize a more critical, aware eye that could work against the negative effects of objectification. “The objectification of women’s bodies must be reduced before positive body images can be developed” (Greenleaf, 2005). A redirection of values towards interpersonal skills, athletic ability and critical thinking is largely agreed upon as a pertinent move for the future (Szymanski & Henning, 2007). Noll and company cite the importance of informing women and men alike that women’s appearance obsession is really a survival tactic more than it is “natural” (1998). Muehlenkamp and Saris-Baglama also recognize that most studies have been done on primarily Caucasians and ponder the different ways objectification affects minorities and women of color (2002). Similarly, Gay and Castano, among others, question the role men have in objectification, and request further study on the possibility and to what extent men are also objectified in society. Many authors hope that their work is examined closely to further the discussion of objectification in our culture. Almost all scholars within the work of objectification agree that education and a continuous critical eye towards media and its gender portrayals are vital moving forward.

 

 

Objectification Advocacy Proposals

 

Objectification is the treatment of an individual as a mere object, a commodity there for others, and to be consumed as such. Women are the main targets of this objectification as they are primarily looked at as sexual beings with a strong focus on their bodies and particularly their thinness. Society’s view of what it means to be “beautiful” is socially constructed and it is an ideal near impossible to reach. The social pressure to reach this potentially unhealthy standard is increasingly heavy and the effects on females across the globe could be disastrous. As researchers in the field continue to understand the severity of the situation, more studies are being conducted and more information on the possible consequences are arising. Links between self-objectification and depression, increased appearance anxiety, bodily shame, eating disorders and sexual dysfunction have already been established, and research between objectification’s effect on inner psychological states, flow, and overall well-being continue to be examined. As we continue to study objectification we can only expect a more detailed understanding that may be able to solve this problem.  As for now, there are still steps we can take as a society to work towards at least improving the issue, through both legislative and literary efforts, and here I lay out three different proposals.

 

Public Service Announcements

The first of these ideas that I propose comes in the form of literacy efforts- a series of public service announcements broadcasted across America. These P.S.A.’s will be delivered across all media: television, radio, print and online alike. The goal of these PSA’s is simple: to educate the public on the harms of sexual objectification, and to encourage consumers to be aware of such practices. These ads will highlight the disconnect between most people’s reality and the productions of the studio. They will offer the suggestion to be healthy for yourself in lieu of falling for the deception of the unrealistic idealized standard of beauty currently being promoted. This effort will be vital in the literacy effort to raise awareness among the general public at a national level; right now the level of awareness is far too low to be effective in any mass change.  Quite simply put, you can’t fix a problem the public doesn’t know is a problem. This P.S.A. effort will work to put the problem of objectification into focus for Americans.

One important strength of this effort is the mass audience in which the message hopes to reach. By utilizing a different medium for every P.S.A. spot, the message should reach majority of people regardless of how they retrieve their news and information, albeit TV, radio online etc. With all media covered, only a total recluse should miss the message. Launching a government run website where people can gain more information plus explore the many consequences of objectification will be a must. This will ensure citizens access to the details of objectification that won’t be able to fit in the 30 second spots, or print ads. The website will be designed to be entertaining and user friendly to keep people interested while still proving the necessary information, including the negative consequences of objectification. The most important part of this P.S.A. campaign is the awareness this should bring to the less informed who currently do not know what objectification is, no less understand its consequences. Awareness is the foremost goal in this effort and the mission is to inform as many people as possible.

Possible weaknesses for the plan do exist however, and will have to work at being minimalized at all costs. One of these concerns is competing in the cutthroat world of marketing. Advertising today is a bombardment of sensationalistic ads, so our team will have to design spots that are sensationalistic enough to be intriguing without sacrificing our core message that the standardized ideal of beauty isn’t the only beauty. Another possible challenge awaits in reaching our target audience. Even though our goal to hit as many Americans as possible is a good one, it’s an ambitious one that could backfire to some extent. The target audience may be too broad to the point our message isn’t as effective. For this we would have to explore honing in on a younger audience, possibly giving up senior citizens for those who may be able to make more of a difference long term. Potentially the largest concern is the complicated nature of the message we are trying to get across. It will be a very tricky to accurately deal with objectification in a simple 30 second spot or print ad. One creative yet effective possibility could be to show a model before she’s had any makeup put on, or had her hair styled in any way. The P.S.A. could then follow her through the process of makeup, wardrobe, photo shoot, then most telling, Photoshop. The before and after could act as a startling wakeup call to the concerning gap between media and reality.

 

Proud To Be You Campaign

The second plan I propose to combat the ills of objectification is an education campaign targeted directly at youth. Staying within the field of literacy efforts, I believe working through the school systems is a fantastic way to directly speak to America’s children. The plan, working specifically with Middle Schools across the country, would speak of the perils of objectification while promoting the celebration of each child’s individuality. The movement would be named the Proud To Be You campaign, or P2BU for short. P2BU, roughly targeting seventh graders, would also promote healthy lifestyle choices through both exercise and healthy eating. An official P2BU week, a flurry of posters and banners, and an entertaining yet informative presentation at each school should make the movement highly visible. The campaign would also try to work with school cafeterias to create a healthy lunch schedule for the week of P2BU. P2BU would deconstruct the norm of objectification while endorsing healthy choices and celebrating uniqueness in each student.

The primary strength of this campaign is its ability to directly target youth.  The youth audience is ideal for this movement and there are a couple of reasons for that. Firstly, youth are the most open-minded audience members, as they have yet to cement rigid ideals that many older people have and are unwilling to change (here, based on traditional gender roles). Prepubescent students have a still developing brain, perfect for a movement trying to establish long-term commitment to gender equality and the valuing of “what’s inside”.  Young people hold the key to the future, and this campaign hopes to plant the seed that has the power to develop this change. Moreover, by working through the schools, attendance to these events is mandatory, and the movement should hit all American students who aren’t in some form of private education, which is obviously the vast majority. Schools are places of education, so what better place to enact an educational movement? P2BU should be especially effective because it’s not optional- all publicly schooled children will be there and their attention will be required- a perfect formula for getting a message across.

Working through the schools could also be an obstacle however. Even though the pros are overwhelmingly beneficial, if kids are forced to watch something educational in school they might not think it’s worthwhile, or “cool” enough. Think stereotypically how unenthused most children are to go to school to learn; a lack of interest in the matter can put a real strain on the children’s ability to take in the information. The answer here would be to make the campaign as entertaining as possible, but herein lies another possible weakness: packaging the P2BU message in an easily understood and entertaining presentation. The subject matter, inherently complex, will have to be delivered in its most simplistic form in order to be understood by children. Not only must it be understood, but also presented in a way that will capture the student’s attention. If both of these aspects can be achieved however, the results of the campaign should be powerful and effective.

 

Regulation

My last effort in the reform of current objectification ideology veers from awareness efforts and into the world of politics. Though education movements are vital in educating the public, legislation in the field could better protect the public regardless of their background on the subject. Ultimately I would like to see a bill passed completely outlawing the use of Photoshop (and other software editing tools) on any human subject without a clear and obvious disclaimer. This move would help close the gap between reality and media production and for those who still choose to Photoshop, the disclaimer next to the photo would inform its customers that what they’re seeing isn’t actually “real”. Now because this effort would surely face opposition from magazines and deregulationists alike, I propose easing into the law, with a reward system for those companies who voluntarily comply to start. These companies could receive a stipend from the government for voluntarily leaving their human subjects unedited and other companies could see this incentive as a reason to comply as well. These magazines (and such media) could proudly display a note that tells of their unedited subjects and wear it like a badge of honor. Individuals concerned with the practice of Photoshop would surely lean towards these magazines and a popular movement started in favor of unedited models would provide a compelling reason for other magazines to jump on board. The task would be difficult but it can be achieved.

One of the aspects that would make this difficult is the assured backlash from many large media conglomerates who are not looking for more regulation on their media. This is where easing into the idea and possibly garnering a social popularity to the movement would be key (as well as government stipends). If these companies see a financial benefit to this move, they will take action. However another downfall is the difficulty in regulating such a law. How do we truly know if someone touched up a photo? This is a problem with practically every law though and is no excuse not to try. Plus, if customers want the untouched models, why wouldn’t you give the customers what they want? Still, the law couldn’t prohibit models who are truly super-skinny or males who are truly super-muscular. Nonetheless we would see a reduction in over-the-top images of men and women in magazines.

The “all natural” bodies of individuals in print media would have an enormous effect on how people view celebrities and the like. The portrayal of actual bodies would help further close the gap between reality and media production, and in turn lessen the unachievable standard of beauty that’s promoted today. This glorification of the natural human form could have a ripple effect into other fields too, allowing for more pushes in legislation to further reduce how prone the public is to objectification. Though it may not be ideal, public figures act as role models to children across the country. If we can provide more realistic looking role models, not only will youth feel less pressure to conform to such unobtainable standards, an emphasis on who people are and what actions they’re capable of may begin to emerge.

Passing this law, starting P2BU, or even just spreading P.S.A.s could be difficult, but the effort is worth the cause. None of these measures would be a panacea for sexual objectification by any extent, but it’s worth taking small steps in the right direction in hopes of someday taking leaps and bounds. Raising awareness is the first move in gaining support from the public, and once a movement has support, it becomes an unstoppable force. The real issue right now is the lack of understanding about objectification and how it’s connected to all of our well-beings. Legislation in the field will help the progression of fixing this problem but the real change will come in individual’s attitudes towards the subject. If people come to realize the potential harm in objectification and demand something better, producers and cultural gatekeepers will heed the message. It’s all about taking the first step.

 

Advocacy Plan

 

            When it comes to the challenge of reversing the trend towards objectification, changing attitudes should be the primary focus. Forcing change through restrictive legislation could help to some extent, but a true shift in attitude must be done voluntarily. For this reason I’ve decided to construct a specific advocacy plan for literacy efforts on the matter. The suggestion for P.S.A.’s has potential but presents a real challenge in the scope of the projected audience. Sensationalist marketing campaigns would be hard to compete with, and successful thirty second ad spots would be challenging with the complexity of the message. Because of this, I propose an advocacy plan for the outreach program I’ve tentatively labeled as P2BU, or the “Proud To Be You” campaign.  Designed to work with middle schools across the country, P2BU would be given a specially designated week for a slew of educational activities and learning material. A presentation to kick off the week would outline what objectification is and how it’s problematic; additional activities during the week would complement this process. Working with schools across America would provide many benefits for the program and should raise the likelihood of success drastically.

            At the heart of the P2BU campaign is the goal to raise awareness in children about the effects of objectification in the media. One way to do this is to promote individuality and encourage children to embrace their uniqueness- hence the name Proud To Be You.  This is in attempt to demote the unrealistic, hegemonic, standardized ideals of beauty that currently lay at the root of objectification concerns. One way to do this would be to show a model before makeup or Photoshop, and then show the grueling transformation that actually takes place before people see her as a final “product.” This should provide a compelling insight to many kids about the disconnect between “normal people” and how they’re presented in the media. Similarly, taking the weight and numbers of a particularly small celebrity and comparing it to the statistics of the average woman may provide a comparable effect.  Another possible activity could feature the popular Barbie doll. Blowing Barbie up to life size and reading off her inhumanly disproportionate measures could also be eye-opening to many children. Most children recognize Barbie as a staple female toy, and identifying how unrealistic her features are could help children realize that much of what’s produced doesn’t reflect reality. These displays should work towards making children more comfortable in their own skin while raising awareness about objectification. 

Alongside the goal of raising awareness on objectification are the goals to promote healthy lifestyles that include regular exercise and consuming wholesome healthy foods. One way to help implement the campaign into all parts of the school would be by working with school cafeterias. During the P2BU week school cafeterias could upgrade their food selection to serve up particularly healthy choices. By working with school cafeterias all children who have school lunch would necessarily be exposed to new healthy options. If done well, these courses would be tasty and nutritious, proving to kids that healthy food doesn’t always have to mean a downgrade in taste. As for exercise, I propose a week long class tournament in a relatively gender neutral sport such as basketball, softball or tennis. Different classes could make different teams that would encourage teamwork, togetherness and friendly competition, while also supporting exercise. Though missing a fraction of class time could be seen as negative, for children missing some class would be seen as exciting and would help the image of the campaign in their eyes. The fun these children have playing these games would likely be remembered by the students for a long time afterwards and be positively linked to the P2BU campaign and the ideals it encourages.

            The major strength of P2BU lies in its specific and targeted audience, America’s youth. By working through the school systems, the campaign should hit basically all seventh grade children excluding outliers in private or home school. This would ensure that all children receive important awareness information on the issues of objectification. Because school is mandatory, the presentations would also be mandatory, and the posters and flyers around school would be seen by all children throughout the day. Additionally, children haven’t yet fully developed rigid ideologies and so they will be more open-minded and prone to accepting new ideas. Introducing our deconstruction of objectification at a young age should hopefully relay a positive message objectification has already negatively impacted the youth. Children hold the key to the future and a successful campaign promoting positive body images could go a long way in changing attitudes on women’s bodies down the road.

 

Conclusion

 

            Objectification is a large-scale issue that affects virtually everybody. It is a problem deeply rooted within our culture and this makes it an extreme challenge to reform. The negative effects of objectification outlined in this paper point to the need for change within this arena. Major shifts in ideology will be required in order to reverse the harmful effects of objectification, and this will be a slowly evolving process. Literacy efforts and education will be necessary to inform the public of such effects and to give an outline of how to challenge and resist these ideals. Other such actions such as regulation prohibiting the advancement of objectification could also work to slow the problem. With an idealized standard of beauty already in place, the media simply helps maintain such ideologies; changing how the media, particularly print media, portrays messages of the role of women will be a vital step in changing how our culture views the role of women. The good news is ideologies are always in flux, so change is always possible, but it will take action and understanding in all fields. We must make a concentrated effort to understand women as more than physical entities made for consumption in the name of greater wellbeing for all humans.

           

 

 

 

Works Cited

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