the objectification of women in advertising

By Sydney Redigan

what is objectification?

“objectification is making into an object one who is not an object but a person. this is done by conferring the properties of an object onto a person.

making someone into something.” – Sam Hawkins, University of Illinois at Chicago

why we’re focusing on advertising

media, such as ads, shape the way we think and behave, individually

and as a society

an average American sees 3,000 ads per day

advertising’s influence isn’t always obvious; it mostly affects us on a

subconscious level and over years of exposure

body as object

body compared to object

dismemberment as objectification

objectified as food

objectified as animals

objectification of men

“what affects us is not our experience of any one ad, but of

the totality which represents certain kinds of messages again

and again.” – Stuart Ewen, historian and media culture critic

how women see themselves

women internalize the idea that they are an object to be looked at and may begin to view themselves

in a similarly detached, critical way

extensive research shows that once they begin self-objectifying, many young women fall prey to

depression, appearance anxiety, body shame, sexual dysfunction and eating disorders

dismemberment ads leave many women feeling that their entire body is “spoiled” on account of

one less-than-perfect feature. they view themselves as “works in progress” or something in

need of constant alteration

how men view women

media images of women influence everyone. they influence how women feel about

themselves and influence how men feel about the real women in their lives

the negative and distorted image of women in advertising affects not only how men feel about women, but also how men feel about anything

labeled “feminine” in themselves

for example, a recent study by Princeton found that images of scantily clad women activated men’s brain regions associated with objects or

“things you manipulate with your hands”

societal effects

so much of our reality is shaped by media images such as ads that these portrayals of

women have potentially serious societal effects

because images of objectified women are so prevalent and influential, they suggest that

advertising’s portrayal of women is an accurate reflection of reality

they legitimate such violent acts as domestic abuse and rape through their dehumanizing

power

how to be media literate

recognize how media messages have the ability to influence and persuade us

think critically about media messages to uncover underlying messages and values

understand how things we see and hear can lead to stereotyping, desensitization and

objectification