Examples Across Media

Over-sexualization and Objectification in Media:

Video games

It seems that the gaming industry doesn’t know how to portray femininity in any other way, most female characters are way oversexualized. Also, many gamers are male, and this is what catches male eyes and draws them to the purchase and play the games, obviously they are trying to appeal to a male audience.

Anita Sarkeesian, the creator of Tropes vs Women In Video Games, says, “The pattern of presenting women as fundamentally weak, ineffective or entirely incapable also has larger ramifications beyond the characters themselves and the specific games they inhabit. We have to remember that these games do not exist in a vacuum, they are an increasingly important and influential part of our larger social and cultural ecosystem. The reality is that this trope is being used in a real-world context where backward sexist attitudes are already rampant. It’s a sad fact that a large percentage of the world’s population still clings to the deeply sexist belief that women as a group need to be sheltered, protected and taken care of by men. The belief that women are somehow a “naturally weaker gender” is a deeply ingrained socially constructed myth, which of course is completely false- but the notion is reinforced and perpetuated when women are continuously portrayed as frail, fragile, and vulnerable creatures.”

For more on oversexualization of women in gaming, see:

Social Media

Women and girls have been led to believe that they have to be scantily clad and pose in sexually provocative ways on social media to be appealing to men.Teenagers are becoming victims of over-sexualization, without even realizing it. Teenagers want likes and views on their posts and will endanger themselves, to do so. Posting pictures in bathing suits or tight clothes can draw unwanted attention and even be dangerous, drawing sexual predators. Seeing sexualization and unrealistic standards set on social media at a young age has been connected to the three most common problems in girls and women: eating disorders, low self-esteem, and depression.

In an article about over-sexualizing children in media, Matilda actress Mara Wilson wrote, her opinions on children in social media and the dangers of public posting. "A 13-year-old girl is not all grown up...I thought of the media outlets that posted countdown clocks until Emma Watson or Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen were “legal”—that is to say, “safe” fantasy material. These adults fetishize innocence, and the loss of innocence even more. They know what they’re selling." Wilson warns about the media and about the effects it can have on young girls. " What’s really at play here is the creepy, inappropriate public inclination to sexualize young girls in the media. We do not need to perpetuate the culture of dehumanization Hollywood has enabled."

Ads and Commercials

What is this ad selling? "Sex sells," and it is seen almost everywhere. Stores in malls, grocery stores, websites, youtube, games, You name it, sexualized ads can be seen just about everywhere. Carl's Jr commercials are some of the worst in terms of Over-sexualization. Women's bodies are used to sell burgers. In some of these commercials, the burger isn't even in the frame until the last seconds of the commercial.

Music/ Music Videos

Music uses sexualization to gain attention and be "relatable." One Example of this is Ed Sheeran's "Shape of You." This song, like many others, focuses on the idea that love is about image and looks. When talking about attraction, females often think emotionally, where men think sexually. Shown here, through music, women are sexualized to appeal to men and their innate desires. Over-sexualization in music continues to portray women as sex objects and supports the idea that love is based solely on sex. Some Women may see Female music videos and the oversexualized women as a symbol of "empowerment" for females and to show their strength through their sexuality. However, this typically results in women having lower self-esteem and body image. The actresses and models used in these videos are not representative of the female population. Extremely thin, with large breasts and lots of makeup, waving their breasts and rear ends, or making sexually charged gestures, men and women are "taught" that this is a general way that women should look and act. If men's view of women is over-sexualized, women are stereotyped and expected to look or act a certain way, counteracting this alleged empowerment and sexual displays of confidence.

Not Only Media...

Sexual degradation of women can be seen in "real-life" in restaurant chains like "Hooters" and "Twin Peaks," and bars like "Coyote Ugly." These places attract male customers, and they are a lot worse than they seem. “Before each shift at Twin Peaks a Hooters-like restaurant with 57 locations across the U.S., managers line up waitresses and grade them on their looks. The women get points for hair, makeup, slenderness, and the cleanliness of their uniforms: fur-lined boots, khaki hot pants, and skimpy plaid tops that accentuate their cleavage.” The expectations and standards put on these women, and their constant comparison to each other, can lead to harmful body image and depression. Being graded diminishes the worth of these women, and reduces them to a sexual number.

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The Over-sexualization and Objectification of Women and Girls in the Media:

Leads to Harmful Stereotypes and a False Perception of the Power of the Genders