The Question at Hand

So back to the question at hand: Why are women seen the way they are? Is it men, women, feminists, science, or the media that are responsible? There is evidence that suggests that media and society are responsible but other evidence that suggests that women or men are responsible. There is even evidence that proves that women are sexually objectified because of science. So who is to blame? The answer: All of the above.  It is not just one thing, or one group of people that is responsible for the objectification, but rather the combination of all of them. The women who work in the sex industry, along with feminists, influence women to pose nude and dress promiscuously.  These images then influence the media and the culture, which in turn persuade men.  These men then manipulate society which once again influences women.  It is an ongoing and everlasting process. 

With that said, what can we do to change it?  The biggest problem with changing how women are viewed is that practically everything needs to change.  “Simply taking naked women out of the picture (both figuratively and literally) is not going to resolve the problem, and implying that ‘men can’t help it’ will just be used to contribute to the same sexist customs … that we’re fighting against” (Valenti). Because sexual objectification is the result of many things, all of those things need to change in order to escape this view of women.  However, the only plausible solution is to raise awareness that this objectification does exist.  As women, we need to think about what is truly important to us, and what we are suggesting by the way we dress and act. Men need to remember that women are people and their counterpart, not just a piece of meat. Lastly, society as a whole needs to work together to remove this norm.  After all, “
This is no simple reform. It really is a revolution ... We are talking about a society in which there will be no roles other than those chosen or those earned. We are really talking about humanism” (Steinem).  Any change requires effort, but a change as big as this requires altering people’s perceptions and mindsets.  It will take time, but it can be done.