My name is Gemma Aitchison and I want to talk to you about sexual objectification.
This is my passion, what gets under my skin, what drives me every day. Let’s explore what it means and you will see why.
An object is something that serves a purpose for a subject. It is to be used to serve or gratify the needs of the subject. An object is replaceable. An object is disposable. You do not have to respect, consider or gain the consent of an object. You do not have to justify using or destroying or disposing of an object. It’s just a thing, it doesn’t matter. Keeping this in mind.
Sexual objectification is to teach in ingrain the idea that a females worth is in her appearance. Or the approval of the male gaze. Their gratification.
We see this in pornography, newspapers, magazines, advertising, TV shows, movies, the music industry, the fashion industry, the beauty industry. On the news it’s about what women look like and what men are doing. In the street men shouting approval or disapproval according to their list of specifications.
We see FGM, child sexual exploitation, sexual assault, domestic violence…… Objects do not need consent, respect or consideration.
KMore women have died in the last 50 years simply because they are women, than men have died in all the wars of the last century. Objects are disposal, replaceable.
Less than 3% of rapists spend a day in jail…..you don’t have to justify using an object.
My name is Gemma Aitchison and I founded YES Matters. I believe that women are somebodies not some body’s.
