Sexualization Defined: Objectification

Sexually objectified advertisements often feature women's body parts rather than a whole person. They are not seen as a "person with capacity for independent action and decision making;" nope, they're just seen as another product to purchase, like Victoria Beckham's legs in this Marc Jacobs ad. There is also a strong suggestion of violence because of the disembodied legs.









Another common objectified body part is a woman's
mouth, as shown in this Burger King ad:






Sexual objectification also applies when a person is "made into a thing for others' sexual use." Think of all the ads you've seen where women are portrayed in submissive, sexual poses.

So What's the Big Deal?
Girls learn to think of themselves in objectified terms. This self-objectification is a process whereby girls learn to think of and treat their bodies as objects of others' desires. They learn to treat themselves as objects to be looked at and evaluated for their appearance.
Objectification also strongly affects males' perceptions of girls. When boys and men view girls and women as sexual objects, they become unable to relate to other aspects of their nature or characteristics. At the extreme end of things, it can lead to increased violence against women, including sexual abuse or assault.