Sexualization

Sexualization.
 It disgusts me. In all honesty, this is a topic that makes me want to cry because of sheer anger. To be truthful, it makes me upset because of the effect it can have on us.
Sexualization is defined as making something sexual (1). In our culture that "something" is us; women. According to the American Psychological Association, sexualization occurs when...

• "a person’s value comes only from his or her sexual appeal or 
  behavior
• a person is held to a standard that equates physical attractiveness 
  with being sexy;
• a person is sexually objectified—that is, made into a thing for 
  others sexual use, rather than seen as a person
• or sexuality is inappropriately imposed upon a person" (3) 

 Everyday, in some way, shape, or form we are taught by the media that we are sex objects. We are told that the greatest gift, the best thing we can do for a man is "give it up." We are shown that to be worth something we have to be sexy. Sexualization can be seen in..

TV shows: like the Bad Girls Club, Jersey Shore, Real Housewives, and Flavor of Love

Music: Miley Cyrus dancing on a pole at the Teen 2010 Teen Choice Awards, and lyrics such as Christina Aguilera's hit, "He's a one stop shop, makes my panties drop. He's a sweet talkin' sugar coated candyman."

And Magazines/advertisements

The American Psychological Association states that Sexualization can have very negative effects such as.... 

1.  low self-esteem
2.  depression or depressed mood
3.  stronger [approval/support] of sexual stereotypes that depict women as sexual objects 
4. Appearance and physical attractiveness at the center of women’s value.

Sexualization, especially in mass amounts, is hurtful, harmful, and unacceptable. This needs to stop. We can't have this continue. There is more to a relationship then sex, and we will never have high self-worth if we measure it on how sexy the media says we are or are not. 

The first step is to be conscious that sexualization exists. In our busy lives we often over look it. *This week G4G is going to make an effort to be more alert and conscious about identifying sexualized images. This week we are taking a STAND by  watching what we watch. We hope you stand with us! Join us in the conversation on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/pages/G4G/268873239847616)! We would love to hear your opinion! Feel free comment below as well!      

Sources

(1) http://www.thefreedictionary.com/sexualization

(2)http://psychcentral.com/news/2011/08/11/medias-growing-sexualization-of-women/28539.html

(3) http://www.apa.org/pi/women/programs/girls/report.aspx
*All pictures were taken from Google Images