Sexy: Objectifying or Empowering?
Why isn’t the difference more apparent?
It’s no secret that sex sells — from hamburgers to high-end cars and jewelry and everything in between. Nude or nearly nude women (and sometimes men) appear in conjunction with products that may have no natural correlation with what is being marketed. This practice has been criticized for contributing to the objectification of women, in other words, converting them from being seen as a person to instead having them be seen only as a thing to desire and consume.
As a counter-balance, many women seek ways to embrace their sexuality in a way that feels empowering to them. Having grown up in a society that tells girls and women their physical self is not their own, but something that is to be displayed for others, some women want to take back ownership of their sexuality. This is what Miley Cyrus claimed to be doing in her now-infamous video where she was swinging naked on a wrecking ball. Most people saw that as a young woman being sexually exploited by the music industry. How do we know which one it is?
