Question

In your opinion: Why do you think society sexualizes women so much more than men? (In advertisement and media, women are sexualized much more commonly than men. Even in a society that’s starting to move towards gender fluidity and acceptance, it seems that women are still seen as the over sexualized demographic.)

Answer 1

I completely agree with the fact that women are sexualised much more than men in advertisement and media. I feel that this sexualisation is a fall out of the prevailing gender norms in our society, that objectifies women as sexual beings. The media and advertising industry would put forward any content that can be sold to the public. Since this is what the public seem to want, this is what they will present.

From the society’s perspective, I think that sexualisation of women is the result of deep rooted patterns of patriarchy. When a woman is sexualized, she remains nothing more than a mere object of desribe, thereby dehumanising her in many ways. This sexualisation is also very warped and twisted - as long as it is fulfilling the male desire, it is readily accepted. However, when a women expresses her sexuality openly and independently, it suddenly becomes an act of shame. I feel tha there are a lot of complex undertones to this issue.