Sexual objectification

In feminist studies, the objectification of women is defined as ignoring the personal and intellectual abilities and abilities of women and reducing the value and role of women in society to an instrument for sexual satisfaction that it can cause in others ^{[2] [3]} . Many feminists note examples of objectification, such as sexualized images of women in advertising and the media , images of weak and submissive women in pornography , as well as in advertising and the visual arts , striptease and prostitution , situations where men openly evaluate or judge women from a sexual or aesthetic point of view vision in public space, and statements about the need for plastic surgery , especially breast augmentation and labioplasty .

Throughout history, despite some notable exceptions, women have been evaluated mainly by their appearance. Many feminists and psychologists believe that such an objectification can lead to negative psychological consequences, including despair , depression and lower self-esteem of women as a result of the belief that their knowledge and skills will not be recognized and will never be recognized in society. There is no consensus among researchers about the exact degree to which objectification affects women and society as a whole. Some authors note that girls' understanding of the important role of appearance in society can contribute to feelings of fear , shame and disgust , which some of them experience during puberty , as they feel that they become more visible in society as sexual objects ^[6] . Some researchers believe that young women are especially susceptible to objectification, since they are often inspired by the idea that power , respect and wealth can depend on the appearance of a person ^[7] . Some feminist culturologists accuse the media and advertising business of supporting the objectification of women to promote goods and services ^{[8] [9] [10]} .

Women's Self-Objectification

Some feminist authors claim that Western women exploiting their own sexuality, such as wearing revealing clothes and defiant behavior, is a form of female self-objectification. Although some women believe that such behavior helps them to become stronger and achieve their own, critics insist that it unduly reinforces the role of physical criteria in shaping women's self-esteem, which Ariel Levy calls a “raunch culture” ^[11] .

Levy describes this phenomenon in the book “ Female Chauvinist Pigs: Women and the Rise of Raunch Culture ”. She analyzes the statements of the members of the crew working on the TV show Girls Gone Wild , and argues that modern sexualized culture in the United States not only objectifies women, but also encourages them to self-objectify ^[12] . According to Levy, today the image of a woman participating in a wet T-shirt contest or ready to calmly watch frank pornography has become a symbol of feminist courage. She notes that she was surprised at how many men and women working in television shows such as Girls Gone Wild told her that the new “obscene” culture does not mean a “defeat” of feminism, but its “triumph” because it proved that women in the US have become bold enough to publicly express their sexuality.