Speaking of Self-Objectification

Earlier today I posted the difference between performing sex and experiencing sex from Princesses & Porn Stars by Emily McGuire.

Speaking of the same self-objectification Ms. Magazine and Jezebel are talking about the same thing.

Some excerpts:

Self-objectification, or “viewing one’s body as a sex object to be consumed by the male gaze.” More and more women are viewing themselves as sex objects, says Caroline Heldman, Ph.D., an assistant professor of politics at Occidental College, and it’s due in large part to the veritable onslaught of advertising images that we’re subjected to. The average American, according to Heldman, views “3,000-5,000 ads per day, up from 500-2,000 in the 70s,” and a good chunk of those ads show naked and/or fetishized women.

There are some nasty side effects to self-objectification. One of them is “low political efficacy” which is exactly what Violet and Ashley and I were talking about in Shut Up Skinny Bitch! in reference to women being too distracted by their body’s appearance to take action in the world.

Other listed side effects include: depression, low self-esteem, less faith in their own capabilities, which leads to diminished success in life, low political efficacy, disgust and shame about their bodies…