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Objective: Self‐objectification is linked to disordered eating (DE) behaviors in women. However, the awareness of objectification by the self and others, not just the objectifying experiences themselves, may be differentially related to DE. The proposed study examines the development and validity of the Conscious Objectification Questionnaire (COQ), which seeks to evaluate awareness of objectification by others and intentional self‐objectification. Method: In Study 1, 24 participants who identify as women (≥18 years) will provide qualitative feedback on COQ items, and survey items will be updated based on participant feedback. In Study 2, separate participants will complete the COQ and questionnaires assessing DE, self‐objectification, and mental health correlates. Exploratory factor analyses will be conducted on the COQ, and reliability and convergent and divergent validity will be assessed. Results: Results will clarify whether the COQ is a reliable and valid instrument that measures the distinct construct of awareness of objectification. Discussion: If proven psychometrically sound, the COQ may be useful for future research on the link between awareness of objectification and disordered eating. Public Significance: The novel Conscious Objectification Questionnaire (COQ) assesses the degree to which women recognize and act upon being objectified. The COQ will be reviewed by self‐objectification experts and pilot participants before being psychometrically evaluated with data from a larger sample. The COQ is expected to differentially relate to disordered eating above and beyond existing self‐objectification measures and accurately represent the distinct construct of conscious awareness of societal and self‐objectification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gendered processes in the sport industry often perpetuate male dominance and female inferiority. While these gendered occurrences have been well documented, the outcomes of such processes are underexplored. Under the guidance of objectification theory and the production-reception relationship, the authors investigated the influence of objectification in sports-media outlets' coverage of a female sporting event for a national sample of U.S. consumers (N = 225). In addition, given the lack of coverage directed toward female sporting events, the current study investigated the influence of previous viewership on consumer behaviors for a future women's sporting event. Findings suggest that processes of objectification influence both men's and women's consumer behaviors and that previous viewership influences future consumer-behavior motives. Furthermore, objectified images and language did not adversely affect future consumer behaviors for those who had previously viewed a similar women's sporting event. Sport-media and communications professionals alike can leverage these relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research increasingly explores body positive (BoPo) messaging and diverse model representation in advertising. Fashion and beauty brands are incorporating diverse models in traditional media to address criticisms of promoting narrow appearance ideals, yet their social media communications remain understudied. This content analytical study (n = 460 models, 16 brands) analyzes BoPo messages and diverse model representation in fashion and beauty brands' Instagram posts. Variations according to the brands' reputation, posts' framing, and posts' popularity were considered. Results showed that although diverse models appeared to be prominently featured in the brands' Instagram posts (71.50 %; n = 329), the majority of these posts displayed only one aspect of diversity. Racial diversity was the most represented diversity trait (76.29 %, n = 251), while body (32.80 %, n = 151), facial (12.10 %, n = 38), and generational diversity (22.50 %, n = 73) were limited. The sexualization frame (88.70 %, n = 408) prevailed over the empowerment frame (32.40 %, n = 149). Positive changes were noted with the empowerment frame significantly relating to the representation of diverse models. Yet, this study also highlighted that such positive messages still co-occur with negative messages as an empowerment frame co-occurred with a highly prevalent sexualization frame. • Most of the models in brands' Instagram posts were diverse. • Most of the diverse models merely portrayed one diversity trait (mainly racial). • Body-,facial-, and generational diversity were less portrayed. • Diverse models were frequently portrayed within a sexualization frame. • The empowerment frame significantly related to the presence of diverse models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectification scholarship highlights how traditional media portrayals oftentimes direct attention toward women's bodies and away from their faces which communicate important social information. This study sought to investigate how thin-ideal, white women's facial expression potentially attenuates the negative effects of appearing in a sexually objectifying manner using validated imagery. In a 2 × 3 between-subjects experiment (N = 1001 U.S. adult women; M age = 42.56, SD age = 12.72), portraits of women varied in their sexualization (non-sexualized vs. sexualized) and facial expression (neutral expression, low-intensity smiling, high-intensity smiling) to better understand how these factors influence dimensions of social cognition (competence, warmth, authenticity), self-promotional attributions, and viewers' own self-objectification. Results revealed that viewers rated sexualized (vs. non-sexualized) women lower in competence and authenticity, as well ascribed more self-promotional explanations for their behavior. Moreover, exposure to sexualized women heightened viewers' self-objectification, regardless of facial expression. Results also indicated that smiling intensity positively influenced viewers' ratings of social cognition. However, there is little evidence that smiling intensity overrides the negative effects of sexualization. Implications for the sexual objectification of women are discussed. • An experiment examined how sexualization and facial expression affect social judgments. • Sexualized (vs. non-sexualized) women were judged more harshly by other women. • Smiling intensity positively influenced viewers' ratings of social cognition. • Sexualized women heightened viewers' self-objectification, regardless of facial expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the literature has shown that sexually objectifying women leads to negative outcomes for the target and perceiver, measures of objectification perpetration are often adaptations of measures designed to assess targets' self-objectification or reported experiences of objectifying behaviors. In the present article, we introduce the Objectification Perpetration Scale (OPS) that assesses not only men's perpetration of objectifying behaviors directed toward women but also their objectifying cognitions and beliefs. Data from 855 men were collected across two studies. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) in the first sample revealed two distinct factors and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) in the second, independent sample, supported the factor structure of the newly developed 16-item OPS, including: sex-based (10 items) and appearance-based (6 items) objectification perpetration. Supporting its construct validity, scores on the OPS and the subscales were positively associated with scores on other measures of objectification perpetration, measures of sexual violence perpetration, and sexual exchange and misogynistic ideologies. The OPS contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of the objectification perpetration phenomenon, including objectification that reduces women to either their sexual appeal or appearance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Adolescent girls appear more vulnerable to experiencing mental health difficulties from social media use than boys. The presence of sexualized images online is thought to contribute, through increasing body dissatisfaction among adolescent girls. Sexual objectification through images may reinforce to adolescent girls that their value is based on their appearance. This study explored how sexualized images typically found on social media might influence adolescent girls' mental health, in positive and/or negative ways.Methods: In-depth interviews were conducted with girls aged 14-17 years (n = 24) in Perth, Western Australia. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis.Results: Participants identified body image as a major concern, reporting negative appearance comparisons when viewing images on social media. Appearance comparisons were perceived to exacerbate adolescent girls' appearance-based concerns. Comparisons also influenced adolescent girls' efforts to change their appearance and seek validation on social media. The importance of awareness and education from a younger age about social media and its influence on body image was emphasized, as was the need for strategies to promote positive body image and counteract negative body image.Conclusion: The findings of this study have important implications for professionals working with adolescent girls and for the development of health promotion programs addressing social media use and body image concerns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With this study, we aimed to advance objectification theory research with sexual minority women by examining the understudied roles of appearance anxiety and interoceptive awareness concomitantly with other key variables, including sexual objectification experiences, internalization of cultural appearance standards, body surveillance, and body shame. We also examined depressive symptoms as a criterion variable in addition to eating disorder symptoms. Survey data from 201 sexual minority women were analyzed. Manifest variable path analysis of the hypothesized model explained 35% and 27% of the variance in eating disorder and depressive symptoms, respectively. Results revealed a distinct pattern of cross-sectional direct and indirect relations for eating disorder and depressive symptoms. Specifically, body shame was a key unique correlate of eating disorder symptoms and linked internalization of cultural appearance standards and body surveillance with eating disorder symptoms. Appearance anxiety was a key unique correlate of depressive symptoms and linked internalization of cultural appearance standards and body surveillance with depressive symptoms. Sexual objectification experiences and interoceptive awareness generally did not yield significant unique direct or indirect relations in the model. These findings suggest distinct and complementary points of intervention to mitigate eating disorder and depressive symptoms for sexual minority women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pervasiveness of sexualization in Western societies is harmful to women, regardless of racial or ethnic identity. However, predictors of sexualization among Black women are understudied. To address this gap, we examined whether listening to and liking hip-hop music would each independently relate to the sexualization of Black women in everyday life, and if this relation unfolded through greater exposure to objectification of Black women in music. A sample of 215 college students completed self-report questionnaires that assessed preferences for liking and listening to hip-hop music, exposure to objectification of Black women in music, and biases toward sexualizing Black women in everyday life. Results revealed that more exposure to objectification of Black women in music mediated the relation between increased listening to hip-hop music and greater sexualization of Black women in everyday life, B = 0.08, SE = 0.03, 95% CI [0.03, 0.13]. Similarly, the link between liking hip-hop music and sexualization of Black women in everyday life was mediated by exposure to objectification of Black women in music, B = 0.09, SE = 0.03, 95% CI [0.04, 0.15]. Results provide an initial step in understanding how preferences toward hip-hop music and exposure to objectification of Black women in music contributes to sexualization of Black women. Future research should continue contributing to conversations that challenge the hypersexualization of Black women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Very little is known about viewers' attitudes toward sexualized portrayals of men on social media platforms. Using an experimental methodology, the present study investigated the effect of a sexualized versus non-sexualized Tinder profile of a young White man on college students' perceptions of the profile owner. The impact of multiple aspects of sexualization including a self-sexualizing self-description on one's profile (i.e., interested in casual sex) as well as a sexualizing appearance (i.e., muscular and shirtless) were investigated. U.S. college students (N = 567) viewed a mock Tinder profile and then rated the target's competence, social appeal, physical attractiveness, and likelihood of engaging in risky sexual behavior. Findings indicate a young White man with a sexualized self-presentation on a dating app may be perceived as less competent and as a sexual risk-taker. These results contribute to the small body of research documenting the impact of self-sexualization on a dating app profile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fraternities and sororities are popular organizations within university life. Even though their activities are usually secretive and protected, social media offer a chance for the public to understand these groups. In the present study, we investigated how sexualization is communicated on fraternities' location pages on Instagram. Applying a multi-dimensional coding scheme composed of 12 sexualization variables, we analyzed 600 Greek life posts from 49 fraternities. Among the posts, we found (a) body shots, (b) revealing clothing, (c) sexualized mouths, and (d) breasts/chests to be the most frequently used sexualization cues. In addition, there was a positive association between the number of sexualization cues in a post and the number of likes the post received. The results also point to gender differences: fraternity posts portraying only women included a greater number of sexualization cues, on average, than posts showing only men or mixed genders. Also, gender of individuals in the pictures moderated the relationships between sexualized mouths/buttocks and likes. Implications for gender inequality and risks of sexualization are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article analyzes the performance of hypersexuality in Bollywood item songs. Topics covered include an assessment of the extent to which these songs represent empowerment for Indian women, the representational politics of the women who play item girls in Bollywood, and how the item song has been understood within contemporary culture since it can be understood as representative of the sexual and gender politics of Indian society.

Copious research has shown that sexualized and stereotypical portrayals of women in the media are the norm, but there is a gap in the literature regarding the portrayal of lesbians. The aim of this study was to assess how lesbians see themselves and their relationships portrayed in the media. A second aim of this study was to experimentally test whether exposure to a sexualized portrayal of a lesbian increases self-objectification while decreasing mood, self-esteem, and body image. A third goal was to explore the role of race in lesbian perceptions of media portraying lesbians. A sample of 178 lesbian women were recruited via the online survey platform Prolific Academic to participate in a study with quantitative and qualitative components. Results indicated that the hot lesbian was the most common portrayal, as predicted, and the most frequently reported stereotype of lesbian relationships was the idea of lesbians moving too quickly in their relationships, especially among White participants. Qualitative findings revealed that lesbians found media portrayals mostly negative and stereotypical, in that they were hypersexualized and for the male gaze, with lesbian relationships portrayed as temporary. Experimental exposure to a sexualized portrayal of a lesbian caused decreased body area satisfaction but did not affect self-objectification, mood, self-esteem, or overall appearance evaluation. Most findings did not vary by race, but those that did reflected racialized stereotypes. The impact of stereotypical portrayals of lesbians in the media should continue to be examined in both lesbian and outgroup populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, there have been a number of studies examining the sexualization of female characters in various media. However, most studies to date have not clearly delineated whether sexualized images or the presence of assertive versus passive female characters influences negative attitudes toward women in viewers, as well as female viewer anxiety. The present study investigated whether the inclusion of powerful female characters in movies with sexualized content influences both male and female viewers' attitudes towards women as well as anxiety responses of female reviewers. Participants included 134 undergraduate students attending a private liberal arts university in the southern region of the United States. Participants were randomized to watch one of three movie conditions: first, movies that involve strong female lead characters, but which also include sexualized characters, Second, movies that involve strong female lead characters without sexualization and third, movies that involve sexualized female characters without strong portrayals (i.e. damsels in distress). Participants were measured on attitudes toward women, rape myth acceptance and anxiety. Results indicated little support for the view that sexualized media impacted viewers' attitudes toward women, rape myth acceptance or anxiety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article highlights the reasons for the use of sexist advertising by Ukrainian companies and the impact of such phenomena on a woman's social image and general well-being, as well as consumer culture. Although there is a more entrenched view of equality in the Western world today, sexism still prevails in advertising. It is believed that the way women are portrayed in advertising affects how a woman's role in society is perceived and how a woman should act and behave. The specific purpose of this study was to analyze promotional videos of the company Jinsovik and the El Paso Tavern in 2020 to demonstrate the use of sexualization and objectification of women. Apart from research implications, the findings also emphasize the feasibility of making specific control decisions related to the work of the executive bodies of the Office of Advertising, information and advertising departments and utilities.

• Sexualized female pictures posted on Instagram lead to greater body dissatisfaction. • Appearance comments have no effect on body dissatisfaction. • Instagram addiction predicts greater cosmetic surgery intentions. • Instagram addiction moderates the condition's effects on cosmetic surgery intentions. Instagram is a visually centered social media that involves the presence of sexualized imagery posted by users. Such Instagram sexualization may have a negative impact on women's body image. The present study examined whether exposure to Instagram sexualization, namely posts of sexualized women along with appearance-related comments, affected women's body satisfaction and cosmetic surgery intentions. In doing so, it also considered the moderating role of Instagram Addiction Proclivity (IAP). Young Italian female participants (N = 247) were randomly exposed to one of four video conditions resulting from the combination of either sexualized or non-sexualized women's pictures on Instagram, paired with appearance or neutral comments. In the sexualized picture condition participants' body dissatisfaction increased compared to pre-exposure levels and to the non-sexualized picture condition. The type of comments did not affect participants' body satisfaction. Moreover, IAP predicted cosmetic surgery intentions and moderated their reactions to Instagram content. Indeed, the higher the IAP, the higher the cosmetic surgery intentions of participants viewing sexualized pictures with neutral comments and non-sexualized pictures with body appearance comments. These findings suggest that female Instagram users should be aware of the negative impacts of viewing sexualized imagery as well as the role that IAP may play. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a between-participants experimental paradigm, the present study investigated U.S. adolescent boys' (n = 96) and college men's (n = 194) attitudes toward media images of male athletes as well as their thoughts about the athletes. Participants viewed either sexualized (i.e., skin exposed, sexual pose) or performance (i.e., in uniform and in action poses on the field/court) images of male athletes. They then rated the athletes' competence, esteem, and sexual appeal and completed a writing task about their reactions to the images. Male viewers rated the sexualized athletes lower in competence and esteem and higher in sexual appeal compared to the performance athletes. These results have implications for advocacy efforts calling for less sexualization in today's media environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Representations of masculinity and femininity within the most listened-to commercial music and its evolution, based on a system of our own elaboration of 11 analytical categories of gender stereotypes that explore gender binarism, are examined. In so doing, qualitative and quantitative content analyses of 50 video clips of the most listened-to songs in two periods (2009 and 2019) are carried out. From a post-feminist critical perspective (Gill, 2007, 2017), the study verifies that gender binarism is maintained over time, albeit with important nuances in both years. The results conclude that the most prominent stereotypes are Western hegemonic femininity, associated above all with romantic narratives (mainly in 2009), and Western pariah femininity including dialogs with elements of greater sexualization (especially in 2019). On the other hand, Western Protestant masculinity is present in most of the songs associated with musical genres such as rap or hip-hop, in both periods; while Occidental assured masculinity, which is evident in 2019, is associated with the need to maintain the heteronormative and hegemonic representation of masculinity, even when not fitting the sexuality of the artist. The article concludes that, in ten years, there is an evolution of the heteronormativity among the most popular music videos, where dominant masculinity stereotype continues to be the heterosexual hegemonic masculinity model, in both the romantic and sexual context, while the representation of femininity shows some confrontation with the traditional model. This study contributes to other work on masculinities and femininities as it establishes categories that may be applied to different cultural products and social realities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Media images often present one idealized type of woman: she is thin, sexualized, and White. Although research has shown that there are stereotypes associated with sexualized women, known research has not addressed whether these stereotypes vary based on other characteristics such as body type and race. The current study aimed to examine the stereotypes associated with women who varied in sexualization, as well as body size and race, and whether participants' characteristics moderated these stereotypes. U.S. college-aged students (n = 500: 101 men, 393 women, 6 unknown) completed measures of gender stereotypes and rated the attributes of women who varied in sexualization (sexualized vs. non-sexualized clothing), body size (thin vs. plus-sized), and race (Black vs. White). Results suggest that body size is more salient than sexualization and stereotypes about sexualized women are differentially applied to White and Black women. Additionally, participants' gender and race moderated stereotype ratings. Lastly, viewing sexualized images was related to higher endorsement of sexualized gender stereotypes, but only in women. Taken together our results highlight that research on sexualization should address important intersectional components, such as race and body size. We also discuss broader implications of our results on lessening stereotyping and weight stigma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Body-positive images shared on social media can enhance positive body image. • We experimentally document how the beneficial effects of these images can be diminished. • Sexualized images led to more support of traditional beauty ideals and self-serving reasons. • Sexualized images also instigated other-objectification. • Images thought to be digitally modified were less effective and more negatively evaluated. The body positive movement on social media seeks to challenge narrow conceptualizations of beauty that media outlets traditionally perpetuate and reinforce. Through a 2 × 2 between-subjects online experiment, we examined how the nature and authenticity of body-positive imagery on social media affects female viewers and their evaluations of body-positive content (N = 425, M age = 35.47, SD age = 13.52). Specifically, participants viewed and reacted to a series of 10 body-positive images of women on social media varying in their degree of sexualization (sexualized vs. non-sexualized) and evidence of digital photo modifications (modification icons vs. no modification icons). A control group that featured landscape images was also included. Results indicate body-positive images that are considered sexualized and are believed to be digitally modified can undercut the movement's intended aims: Participants who viewed body-positive images that were sexualized (vs. non-sexualized) and included photo modification icons (vs. no modification icons) reported greater endorsement of traditional beauty ideals (e.g., thinness) and thought the images were shared for self-serving reasons (e.g., to gain likes/shares/endorsements); these relationships were mediated by the extent to which viewers believed these images were sexualized and digitally modified. Further, results indicate that sexualized body-positive images can instigate sexual objectification of others and oneself. Those who viewed control images (vs. experimental body-positive images) produced significantly fewer sexually objectifying words about others and themselves. Implications for both viewers and producers (e.g., individuals, corporations) of body-positive imagery on social media are discussed in light of objectification theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Postfeminist young women are encouraged to "embrace" their sexuality by sexualizing their bodies as a means of empowerment. In stark contrast, dominant understandings of violence identify these same bodily displays as risk factors, condemning women who enact them as "asking for" victimization. While these competing demands on the female body have been widely documented in popular media, empirical work has not investigated if, and the extent to which, women reproduce these tension-filled constructions of the body in their own lives. Using in-depth interviews with 15 participants of varied race, class and gender identity in the US, this paper explores the ways in which these conflicting discursive constructions of the body are enacted by participants in their everyday lives. While participants took up varied sensibilities of the body and empowerment (including several that emphasized sexiness and sexuality), participants uniformly discussed perceptions of risk that inscribed the female body as vulnerable. This produced tensions in reasoning for some participants (but not all), in ways that were intersectionally inflected by race and gender presentation. More broadly, data suggests that postfeminist (and other) visions of the body that appear to otherwise produce lived experiences of empowerment are deemed invalid in contexts of risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social media platforms like Instagram enable users to share, view, and provide feedback on images, including photographs of oneself (e.g., selfies). In a 3 × 2 between-subjects online experiment, we investigated how women evaluate and react to photographs of their peers on social media and the role that feedback might play in both objectification of others and oneself. U.S. adult young women (N = 256; M age = 20.06, SD age = 1.57) viewed social media images of sexualized peers, non-sexualized peers, or landscapes (control). Then, they provided feedback on the images via social media hashtags (#) or not (tagging vs. no tagging). Results revealed that participants who viewed sexualized peers demonstrated the highest levels of state self-objectification and were more likely to dehumanize the women in the photos. Hashtags generated by participants indicated that those who viewed sexualized peers engaged in greater appearance-related objectification, specifically related to body parts, and sexual objectification than those who viewed non-sexualized peers. In addition, generating hashtags that specifically focused on body parts heightened viewers' state self-objectification. These findings illustrate the complexities of social media content production and consumption, particularly for young women. • We experimentally tested how women react to sexualized peers on social media. • Exposure to sexualized peers on social media heightened viewers' self-objectification. • Viewers dehumanized sexualized peers on social media to the greatest extent. • Sexualized peers received more appearance-related and sexually-objectifying hashtags. • Appearance-related hashtags given to sexualized peers specifically focused on body parts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the interplay of race and gender in shaping the journeys of Asian female digital nomads who navigate the realms of travel and work simultaneously, through the lens of post-colonial feminism. Through our qualitative exploration, we contend that prevailing discourses constrain understandings of Asian women's lived experiences. While our respondents' narratives align with existing knowledge, our original contribution lies in our nuanced examination of the intersecting power dynamics of gender and race. These women's accounts highlight the pervasive influence of internalized racism, sexualized and racialized hegemonic norms, and the differential treatment of Westerners within digital nomadism. These revelations challenge idealized portrayals of digital nomadism, revealing the racial and gender-based discrimination that these Asian women confront on their journeys. [Display omitted] • Explores critical drivers shaping Asian women digital nomads' travel experiences • Employs post-colonial feminist standpoint • Critiques western feminist and mobilities discourses of digital nomadism • Argues extant explorations of digital nomads are gender and racially blind • Presents intersectionality to acknowledge the diversity of female experiences [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this essay the aim will be to reflect on the connection between colonization and feminization of the conquered territory, considering that in the asymmetric scheme of patriarchal domination, the territory or nation includes and incorporates gender, and gender is the sexual center of recognition in the construction of territorial and colonial identities. The analysis will refer to the intersections between sex and race, fundamental elements in the dichotomous domination-oppression mechanism, which is very strong in the colonial conquest phase. Colonialism emerges, therefore, as a masculine and phallocentric dimension, in which the female body becomes the center of production of the sexualization of the body inscribed within a social and public racial reproductive process. Feminism, especially the postcolonial theoretical horizon, has reflected on the connection of colonialism with racism and sexism, as elements aimed at a process of othering the 'other world' with a connotation of permanence. In this perspective, the categorization of the "Third World" woman – as a sexually oppressed woman – is interpreted in a post-modern key of colonizing misogyny that has influences in today's society, and this conceptualization is linked to the opposition between "western" feminism and "non-western" feminism.

Sexual objectification of others has seen a growing research interest in recent years. While promising, the field lacks standardized stimuli, resulting in a confusion between sexualization and sexual objectification, which limits the interpretability of published results. In this study, we propose to use point-light display (PLD) as a novel methodology for manipulating sexualization levels as a first step toward isolating movement from other visual cues (e.g., clothing or physical appearance) for studying effects of sexual objectification of others. To do so, we first developed 8 virtual reality animations varying on 3 dimensions: 1) nature of movement (dance vs. walk), 2) level of sexualization (low vs. high), and 3) animation speed (slow and fast). Then, we validated these stimuli with perception ratings from 211 participants via an online survey. Using mixed linear regression models, we found evidence that our manipulation was successful: while participants took longer, were less accurate, and less confident in their response when confronted with a dancing, sexualized PLD, they also rated it as significantly more sexualized. This latter effect was stronger for participants perceiving a woman dancing compared to participants who perceived other genders. Overall, participants who reported more frequent sexual objectification behaviors also perceived the animations as more sexualized. Taken together, these results suggest that sexual suggestiveness can be manipulated by rather simple movement cues, thus validating the use of PLD as a stepping stone to systematically study processes of sexual objectification. From there, it is now possible to manipulate other variables more precisely during immersions in virtual reality, whether by adding a skin to the animated skeleton, by situating the PLD into different context, by varying the amplitude and the nature of the movements, or by modifying the context of the virtual environment.

The aim of this article is to analyse the different areas of sexualisation to which the protagonists of four picaresque 17th century novels are subjected by their authors. They are degraded characters who embody all the vices considered to be feminine and in whom the maternal inheritance determines their destiny and their moral depth, aggravated by a non-Christian ethnic origin. The picaras are shown to us as sexualised women in all their spheres of action: they carry out jobs directly or indirectly related to the sexual sphere, but also, by transgressing all the rules of behaviour and circulation imposed on women, they are going to identify themselves with prostitutes, in the broadest sense of women who wander into public spaces without any modesty. The cheeky ones will be window dressers, walkers, lovers of dancing or singing and, above all, loose tongues. The impudent character, which relates sexuality to their skilful use of language, is reflected in their condition as narrators of their own stories, but also in their characterisation as readers or writers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Childhood are increasingly present in certain digital media, where commercial messages directly appeal to children's participation, enabling them to express their identity and establishing relations with their peers, who become opinion leaders. The aim of this exploratory qualitative research is to analyse a child's perception towards sexualized girls depicted in fashion advertising in a digital environment. The investigation conducts a qualitative methodology among Spanish girls between 8 and 11 years old corresponding to the target audience of fashion brands advertising that has been categorized in different levels as sexualizing. The results point out that girls generally reject the images of their peers and models whenever they are portrayed more sexualized because the style does not correspond to real life and does not seem chosen by the girls depicted. Furthermore, girls associate the combination of sexualizing contexts, postures and gestures with personality traits negatively considered -self-centred, defiant, rebel, sad, alone-and are afraid of the normalization among children of make-up and certain behaviours not keeping with their age. In light of the results, the study recommends an ethical reflection by advertisers that use an adult style transgressive and the study of images that depict boys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Women's representation in social media is becoming increasingly sexualized, even when they are victims of sexual harassment (SH). In the present research, we adopted a bystander approach to investigate the role of victims' sexualization on bystanders' reactions to an episode of SH. In Study 1, female participants read a fictitious newspaper article that described a workplace SH episode: According to condition, the article included a picture of the victim who was wearing either sexualized or nonsexualized clothing. In Study 2, which also included male participants, we used a similar procedure and measured a series of traditional beliefs against women equality. As predicted, participants showed lower willingness to help the sexualized than nonsexualized victim: This effect occurred because they attributed lower morality to the victim and blamed her more for the SH event. Study 2 very well replicated Study 1 results and also showed that higher levels of endorsement of traditional masculine norms further enhanced biased perception of the sexualized (vs. nonsexualized) victim. Together, findings suggest that biased evaluations of workplace SH episodes associated with sexualized victims' appearance, consistent with traditional masculine norms, may have detrimental consequences by increasing legitimization and tolerance toward SH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To test the "sex sells" assumption, we examined how Italian men and women react to sexualized advertising. Women showed lower product attractiveness and purchase intentions toward products presented with sexualized female models than with neutral ads, whereas men were unaffected by ads' sexualization (Study 1, n = 251). Study 2 (n = 197) replicated the overall results. Study 3 (n = 198) tested hostile sexism as a moderator as well as negative emotions as a mediator of consumers' responses. Especially men with higher hostile sexism showed more purchase intentions after viewing female sexualized ads than neutral ads. Moreover, women's lower consumer responses toward sexualized female ads were due to higher negative emotions. Study 4 (n = 207) included ads with both female and male models, replicating responses to female sexualization and showing that both women and men had lower product attractiveness and purchase intentions toward male sexualized ads than neutral ads. Replicating and extending Study 3's results, women's negative emotions was the mediator. The present study has practical implications for marketers because it suggests that "sex does not sell." In addition, considering both the psychological damage and practical inefficacy of sexualized ads, our findings have important implications for public policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a case study about three underwear and footwear advertising campaigns aimed at girls and adolescents in the context of the promotion of the back-to-school season in Chile in February 2020. The adverts caused social and media controversy. Social media users accused the brands of sexualizing children and adolescents' images for marketing and commercial ends. Based on an interpretative analysis of the graphic pieces involved in the campaigns, this article reflects on the representation of girls and adolescent girls. This research observes a resort to female gender stereotypes characteristic of the fashion industry extended to childhood. Considering that advertising is one of the main discursive axes central in the social and media construction of infancy, we discuss the risk of normalizing communication strategies which appeal to the increasingly earlier seduction and erotization of infant and adolescent bodies through mass media despite prevailing ethical and self-regulation codes in the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A growing body of research has demonstrated negative effects of sexualization in the media on adolescents' body image, but longitudinal studies and research including interactive and social media are scarce. The current study explored the longitudinal associations of adolescents' use of sexualized video games (SVG) and sexualized Instagram images (SII) with body image concerns. Specifically, our study examined relations between adolescents' SVG and SII use and appearance comparisons, thin- and muscular-ideal internalization, valuing appearance over competence, and body surveillance. A sample of 660 German adolescents (327 female, 333 male; Mage = 15.09 years) participated in two waves with an interval of 6 months. A structural equation model showed that SVG and SII use at Time 1 predicted body surveillance indirectly via valuing appearance over competence at Time 2. Furthermore, SVG and SII use indirectly predicted both thin- and muscular-ideal internalization through appearance comparisons at Time 1. In turn, thin-ideal internalization at Time 1 predicted body surveillance indirectly via valuing appearance over competence at Time 2. The results indicate that sexualization in video games and on Instagram can play an important role in increasing body image concerns among adolescents. We discuss the findings with respect to objectification theory and the predictive value of including appearance comparisons in models explaining the relation between sexualized media and self-objectification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breastfeeding is universally recognized because it provides health benefits to both mothers and infants, reducing infant mortality and morbidity. Despite the recommendations of the World Health Organization and a large number of national health bodies in the Western world, breastfeeding rates, especially those up to six months, remain lower in Romania than those recommended and may vary across cultures and communities. The discomfort caused by the idea of breastfeeding in public was mentioned in the present study as a reason why some women choose not to practice breastfeeding or they choose to shorten the duration of this process. When they choose not to breastfeed their baby while in public is because the female breast is frequently associated with a sexual organ and, therefore, it designates a private part of the body, which must remain invisible to the public (Newman, 2009). The research focused on the gender and education level differences in the social perception of public breastfeeding. Recently, this topic has generated many debates in the online environment, and especially on social networks, which led me to conduct a sociological survey in order to discover the essence of these controversies, while testing the validity of the arguments on which my research was based. The sociological survey has been applied on a sample of 100 Romanian women and 100 Romanian men, aged between 20 and 60, and the data collected were analyzed based on the interpretive model, which enabled us to formulate observations and conclusions on this topic. Among the recurring reasons discovered during the analysis were the following: physical and task management related difficulties, specific to the modern woman who is forced to integrate the process of breastfeeding and raising the child within her daily activities; the factors conventionally called ‛activators’, which represent the set of elements that contribute psychologically to this process, thus influencing the mother's perception of breastfeeding in general and breastfeeding in public in particular; the involvment of the family and, last but not least, the public health system in Romania. To these, socio-cultural factors are added, such as society’s perspective on breastfeeding in general and the perception of individuals who witness the act of breastfeeding in public spaces in particular, which directly influence women’s self-image from a dual perspective: the position of a woman as an independent entity, engaged in a socio-professional dynamic and that of a mother, often in this position for the first time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The potential negative impact of sexualized video games on attitudes toward women is an important issue. Studies that have examined this issue are rare and contain a number of limitations. Therefore, it largely remains unclear whether sexualized video games can have an impact on attitudes toward women. This study examined the consequences of sexualized video game content and cognitive load (moderator) on rape victim blame and rape perpetrator blame (used as a proxy of rape myth acceptance), and whether the degree of humanness of the victim and of the perpetrator mediated these effects. Participants (N = 142) played a video game using sexualized or non-sexualized female characters. Cognitive load was manipulated by setting the difficulty level of the game to low or high. After gameplay, participants read a rape date story, and were then asked to judge the victim’s and the perpetrator’s degree of responsibility and humanness. Based on the General Aggression Model (GAM), it was hypothesized that playing the video game with a sexualized content would increase the responsibility assigned to the victim and diminish the responsibility assigned to the perpetrator. Further, degree of humanness of the victim and the perpetrator was expected to mediate this relation. The results were partially consistent with these predictions: Playing a video game containing sexualized female characters increased rape victim blame when cognitive load was high, but did not predict degree of humanness accorded to the victim. Concerning the perpetrator, video game sexualization did not influence responsibility, but partly influenced humanness. This study concludes that video games impact on attitudes toward women and this, in part, due to its interactive nature.

Love relationships between black South African women and immigrant men have not been given adequate attention by researchers of migration, refugee studies, and those concerned with anti-immigrant attitudes and violence. In this paper, based on ethnographicr esearch conducted in the Alexandra township of Johannesburg, South Africa, in 2009, I argue that cross-border love relationships provoke sexual and racial jealousies between the two sets of manhood: South African and black African immigrant. These are eventually expressed in anti-immigrant violence, such as the events that occurred in May 2008 mainly perpetrated by men, exhibit characteristics of masculinisation, racialisation and sexualisation. Intermittent poverty and unemployment also play a role in this drama. Incidents of hatred based on competition for women and resultant resentment by men who lose out deepen. I contend that in order to fully comprehend this kind of violence, one needs to understand the dynamics of love relationships between black South African women and black African immigrant men and pervasive myths like immigrants stealing jobs and taking women, that are common in the community.

Despite the growing interest in the experiences of transgender individuals, the phenomenon of fetishization of transgender bodies and identities has been overlooked. The present study was aimed at investigating the experiences of fetishization of transgender and nonbinary (TGNB) people. Participants in the current study represent a sample of 142 TGNB volunteers from the community who answered the prompt: "If you feel comfortable, could you describe your experience of being fetishized?" Using thematic analysis, we developed three overarching themes relevant to the experiences of fetishization of TGNB participants: (1) context of fetishization; (2) negative experiences of fetishization; and (3) positive or ambiguous experiences of fetishization. The results demonstrated that, in most cases, fetishization was understood by TGNB people as a negative experience of sexual objectification, although some individuals experienced fetishization as a positive experience, perceiving the sexual desire of the other person or living it as a kink. Consistent with the integrated theory of dehumanization, the results demonstrated that both sexual objectification and minority stress contributed to participants' understanding of fetishization for TGNB individuals. Implications for clinical work with TGNB individuals are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Slasher films are known for their graphic depictions of sex, brutalization and death. Many argue that these films sexualize and punish female characters. A content analysis of 48 influential slasher films from the 1960s to 2010s was conducted to evaluate the presentation of women in these films. Sexualization (measured via specific acts and total sexualization), strength, flaws, brutalization, and fate were coded for 252 female characters. Results indicate that purity was significantly related to lower brutalization and lower rates of death for all women. Within each role (hero, killer, and potential/actual victim), unique portrayals of sexuality and related repercussions emerge. Female killers were most commonly portrayed having sex, heroes were most sexually dressed, and actual/potential victims were brutalized and killed most for their sexualization. These messages reinforce ideas of gender roles, stereotypes, and relationship expectations by punishing female sexualization and demonizing female sex. Issues of violence against women, toxic masculinity, rape culture, and the normalization of combining violence and sex are discussed as significant concerns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The potential negative impact of sexualized video games on attitudes toward women is an important issue. Studies that have examined this issue are rare and contain a number of limitations. Therefore, it largely remains unclear whether sexualized video games can have an impact on attitudes toward women. This study examined the consequences of sexualized video game content and cognitive load (moderator) on rape victim blame and rape perpetrator blame (used as a proxy of rape myth acceptance), and whether the degree of humanness of the victim and of the perpetrator mediated these effects. Participants (N = 142) played a video game using sexualized or non-sexualized female characters. Cognitive load was manipulated by setting the difficulty level of the game to low or high. After gameplay, participants read a rape date story, and were then asked to judge the victim's and the perpetrator's degree of responsibility and humanness. Based on the General Aggression Model (GAM), it was hypothesized that playing the video game with a sexualized content would increase the responsibility assigned to the victim and diminish the responsibility assigned to the perpetrator. Further, degree of humanness of the victim and the perpetrator was expected to mediate this relation. The results were partially consistent with these predictions: Playing a video game containing sexualized female characters increased rape victim blame when cognitive load was high, but did not predict degree of humanness accorded to the victim. Concerning the perpetrator, video game sexualization did not influence responsibility, but partly influenced humanness. This study concludes that video games impact on attitudes toward women and this, in part, due to its interactive nature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In September 2013 student leaders at Saint Mary's University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, used a chant about the rape of underage girls as part of an Orientation Week activity for new students. The incident garnered national and international media coverage. In this article, we analyze and critique a selection of Canadian media articles published in the weeks after the rape chant was used. We draw on feminist analysis of post-feminism and the sexualization of youth cultures to show how, in their struggle to make sense of the incident, the media critique reiterates harmful discourses of youth, gender and sexuality while undermining deeper understanding of rape culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using an experimental methodology, the present study investigated college students' attitudes toward media images of female athletes. We are particularly focused on how viewers perceive media images of female athletes that have both an appearance and athleticism focus, such as those found in ESPN's The Body Issue. An aim of our study was to assess viewers' attitudes toward these images that are not purely objectified, thereby contributing to the objectification literature and providing empirical data relevant to theorizing on the social impact of these images. U.S. college students (n = 563) viewed one of four types of images of the same athletes including: (a) sexualized athletes, (b) sexualized performance athletes (in which both athleticism and sexualization are present), (c) sport performance athletes (in which athletes are depicted playing their sport), or (d) non-sexualized athletes. They then rated the athletes' competence, esteem, and sexual appeal. Overall, sexualized performance athletes were rated more positively than sexualized athletes, but less positively than sport performance athletes. These results have implications for advocacy efforts calling for more media coverage in which women are depicted as athletes rather than as sexual objects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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