The obsession with the human body causes our society to become a fixture of sexualization. While men reduce women to objects for gratification, women are also participating in the sexualized gaze. This engagement of objectification among Gen Z challenges how culture and media play a role.
The coexistence of male and female looking through the lens of lust has a lot to unpack under its surface — consent, the sexualization in media, the politicization of the human body, and how Gen Z is using social media to share trauma and sexuality.
There are many examples among this generation such as the advertisement and portrayal of women with unrealistic beauty standards. The press uses the male gaze to represent women, which turns them into sexual objects.
Nonetheless, females are no better, there is an increase of sexualizing celebrities or even book characters on social media that women use to fantasize and look at the male body. Objectification causes desensitization of the human body.
Sexualization in television
Sex is so popular; it seems like a normal thing to view a naked person while watching a new TV series such as Bridgerton or Euphoria, which is a bit complex that younger generations are also viewing these shows. It is a bit concerning to see young people sexualizing everything, which isn’t a new thing, it is taught.
The most recent example of objectification is the Internet’s reaction to Luigi Mangione, who is accused of shooting United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Although it may be a harmless infatuation, it is a dangerous mindset to uphold. #FreeLuigi is trending as more and more people call him hot and innocent, and the current healthcare crisis also plays a role. In a different TikTok video, user tukunisi commented “gen z is so unserious and I love it 🥰🤣🤣” to which user poohkie90 commented back with “My millennial ass in the back cheering yall on. I love this generation 😂.”
Without a doubt, this is where the female gaze comes in when there’s a viral fan edit about a celebrity every other day. The first that went viral was Timothée Chalamet’s edit with the song “Playdate” by Melanie Martinez. The next one to gain popularity was Jacob Elordi with Flumes’ “Never Be Like You.”
Sexualization in social media
Furthermore, the actor from “The Menendez Brothers” is also being portrayed as a sexual object, which is odd because the show is about sexual trauma. Why are we as a society sexualizing every small thing?
The Nicholas Alexander Chavez edit from “The Menendez Brothers” has gotten even bigger using the song “Shake Dat Ass” by BossMan Dlow. The song has explicit lyrics of objectification, so the edit is a mixture of objectifying Chavez’s body and also enjoying the male gaze of him objectifying women as the song plays.
It seems that the male gaze is dominant, so perhaps women use social media such as TikTok to fulfill their desires. There is a huge fanbase called BookTok, which reads erotic books. Women ask their husbands to react to a scene from the book or some men cosplay as the character mostly shirtless.
While women’s participation in the sexualized gaze can be seen to reclaim control and agency of desire, it shows the increase of objectification within Gen Z culture. The double standard is damaging as it increases the objectification of the human body as merely the concept of lust.
Easy access to sexual content
OnlyFans is on the rise and women are using it to earn an income. Men on dating apps report either bots or women selling their OnlyFans. However, they are the ones that are making the apps a place for hookup culture to remain alive.
Bumble had a huge controversy using anti-celibacy ads stating “a vow of celibacy is not the answer.” Bumble is known for allowing women to make the first move to empower them, so the ad was the complete opposite of that. Promoting sex within a dating app removes the personal choice that led many women to leave Bumble.
Lily Phillips is a 23-year-old OnlyFans performer gaining attention for sleeping with 100 men in one day. In an interview with a YouTuber, Josh Pieters, Phillips expressed, “I’ve only ever felt empowered by the fact that I’m making money off something that all guys are going to do anyway; all guys are going to sexualize me anyway.” Yet throughout her videos on social media, she was updating as she did the 100 challenge, she was using the phrase “run through.” Is she feeling empowered or has society desensitized us into thinking being lusted over is what all men do? Phillips cries in the end about dissociating and not offering pleasure to all men in the way they wanted removing her own emotions or trauma her body just went through. Now, she is preparing to have sex with 1000 men in 24 hours.
As I spoke to a male friend about Phillips, he commented sleeping with 100 men is sex-positive, and this is normal, but something society has claimed to be seen as bad. As a woman, this frustrates me because if it is about sex positively, why is Phillip using the words being “ran through” and degrading herself?
Over-sexualization and AI
Further, with AI on the rise, deepfakes are easier to recreate from celebrities to children of influencers who are distributing. It can become a tool to harass and degrade women further and social media footprint is not easy to clear out. The image will remain online regardless of being deleted or not.
Degradement is a whole other issue within the sex realm whether in porn or the bedroom. Gen Z has made sexual choking mainstream. Personal choice is important during sex, but there is a lot we are doing as a society that we have become influenced to do. Rape is high among college students. Interestingly, social media is an open space to learn stuff, however, it is being used to exploit sexual desires beyond sexual education to encourage healthy sex.
Politicization of the female body
The female body has a strong fight left to advocate for. The overturning of Roe vs. Wade in the U.S. expresses the politics of autonomy. The recent Trump presidential win means less access to choices regarding healthcare. A third woman has died due to the abortion ban in which a doctor used D&Cs (a procedure to remove tissue from the uterus) due to the restriction of abortions. This elevates the fear of how the future for women may be and Pro-Life individuals supporting Trump express a strong opinion of what they think is right.
The politicization of the female body is shown in Trump’s past election when the locker room incident went viral where he said, “Grab them by the pussy. You can do anything.” This dialogue showcases the control a man thinks or wants to have on a woman’s body. An author and feminist leader Laura Bates said “…talking to pupils who often tell her that “rape is a compliment,” that “it’s not rape if she likes it” or, “it’s your boyfriend, you have to have sex with him.”
TikTok and shared experiences
Gen Z uses TikTok to share trauma and coping strategies such as setting boundaries or saying “no.” It is scientifically proven women are more invested in men due to releasing oxytocin, which is known as “Love Hormone.” Men release oxytocin but at a lower level compared to women. The “Love Hormone” helps with emotional bonding.
Oxytocin is like a drug, and because of that, when we don’t get our next fix, we can experience various degrees of withdrawal. It creates a craving for bonding, so when we don’t get it, we become anxious and irritable. We confuse this craving with feelings towards the person, when in reality, it is simply a biological need that is no longer being met when we engage in one-night stands, or certain casual sex relationships.
EliteDaily
TikTok and shared trauma
Men on TikTok make podcasts where they express their ideas of women. One popular idea is that women with a body count over 20 are “run through,” or a woman over 30 is “expired.” Men speak about females using the terms “high value” and “low value.” The high value means the woman exhibits femininity based on appearance and sexual appeal.
The beauty of TikTok is the community’s bonding of pain. Many artists make songs to express heartbreak and not being chosen. Katie Gregson-MacLeod, in her song Complex, expresses pain and grief after a relationship.
But I’m wearing his boxers, I’m being a good wife
We won’t be together, but maybe the next life
I need him like water, he lives on a landslide
I cry in his bathroom, he turns off the big lightI’m being the cool girl, I’m keeping it so tight
I carry him home while my friends have a good night
I need him like water, he thinks that I’m alright
I’m not feeling human, I think he’s a good guyKatie Gregson-MacLeod
These lyrics touched many girls and women across the world as they shared being used for their bodies and giving all of what they had yet not been chosen. Furthermore, other people including men started to rewrite this song based on their perspectives. Shared experiences allow those with trauma to heal.
The importance of consent
The idea of true consent is overlooked. A simple “yes” carries the power of mutual respect and offers automacy to the person, while also allowing a simple “no” and stopping. Many females in TikTok videos are sharing their exploration of sexual trauma, objectification, and body ownership.
Therefore, sexual trauma has become the norm due to it being normalized on social media. The lack of consent causes the rise of coercion. Coercion happens at least once to women. The “yes” is due to being pressured, threatened, or forced in a subtle approach. It can be hard to recognize what happened. Repeatedly being asked to have sex may make the women eventually agree.
There are huge cases of men charged with sexual abuse against women. Andrew Tate rose to fame due to his extreme misogyny, which young males are choosing to follow.
That’s because many women don’t even realize how brainwashed they are. It starts early on, with insidious scenes in childhood films and books. I can’t imagine how many young girls have been unknowingly traumatized by the kissing scene in Lady and the Tramp. Having a mouth full of spaghetti is no excuse to not ask for verbal consent before kissing someone, and too many women don’t realize that.
Katherine Timpf
The rise of “youthful” fashion and objectification
Sexualization occurs when men objectify women who display youth or innocence. Women are wearing bows, skirts, and ponytails to reclaim what they lost in childhood and this can be a form of reparenting. However, these items play into the fetishization of young girls, allowing men to fulfill sexual fantasies.
Feminism evolution
Lana Del Ray’s 2020 discussion of “soft feminism” is reflected as more women wearing pink and bows. Lana Del Ray wrote:
“Question for the culture: Now that Doja Cat, Ariana, [Camila Cabello], Cardi B, Kehlani and Nicki Minaj and Beyonce have had number ones with songs about being sexy, wearing no clothes, f***ing, cheating etc – Can I please go back to singing about being embodied, feeling beautiful by being in love even if the relationship is not perfect, or dancing for money – or whatever I want – without being crucified or saying that I’m glamorizing abuse?”
There are artists using nudity to promote art. Lana Del Ray experienced controversy for glamorizing abuse in her music where she acts “soft” or submissive. We need to discuss how relationships can be complex to lessen the focus on objectification of the human body.
Lana Del Ray further expressed:
“Despite the feedback I’ve heard from several people that I mentioned in a complimentary way, whether it be Ariana or Doja Cat – I want to say that I remain firm in my clarity and stance in that what I was writing about the importance of self advocacy for the more delicate and often dismissed softer female personality, and that there does have to be room for that type in what will inevitably become a new wave/3rd wave of feminism that is rapidly approaching. Watch!”
Lana Del Ray was not wrong when predicting this. Women want to be more delicate and men also want to date more women in their “feminine era” as Gen Z calls it.
Lana Del Ray’s statements about being softer hold some truth. We might have to remove the rose-colored glasses. There has to be a stronger balance between soft and strong to explore the notion of consent to challenge societal norms.
Gen Z and addressing reality
Gen Z is an open-minded and progressive generation. There is research showing they are having less sex compared to prior generations. This is a shock due to the rise of “hookup culture” or “situationships.”
A UCLA study confirms Gen Z want less sex on screen; “Also per the survey, 44.3% of youth felt that “romance in media is overused.” Around 39% would like to see more depictions of aromantic and/or asexual characters, and 47.5% reported that sex is not necessary to the majority of TV show and movie plots.”
Variety
Nonetheless, people understand sex involves emotional, physical, and psychological consequences. Building healthier relationships through mutual respect, communication, and emotional safety. Young people discuss boundaries and the importance of consent. Both partners should feel heard. It goes beyond a simple “yes” and “no” as Gen Z redefines what a healthy relationship looks like.
As a result, Gen Z has found and built resources online using TikTok. Gen Z is the most inclusive generation that goes beyond labels. Gen Z is also having less sex according to the American Psychological Association and other studies. The choice of celibacy is rising. Consent is important and they view it as an ongoing and the need to be enthusiastic. This may help to avoid sexual coercion.
Building change
Conversations are needed to explore strong core beliefs with consent, sexualization, and body autonomy. Consent is ongoing and most importantly, it needs to be enthusiastic going beyond a “yes” or a “no.” Consent can also help both partners to share boundaries and needs. Young women have been socially conditioned that they need to accommodate whether in relationships or sexual situations. The emphasis on having control over one’s body and eliminating objectification is huge.
To illustrate, UCLA research about Gen Z wanting less nudity may cause the media to listen since Gen Z’s voice is the highest priority since they are the future consumers.
As a society, it is important to find a community that embraces you as you are beyond how your body looks. Better sex education where Gen Z doesn’t rely on social media to learn and challenge norms to lessen objectification. It can be done in small acts whether stopping a friend from sexualizing someone or adopting a more diverse outlook within the media. Gen Z have the power but they need help and lessons from prior generations can be useful.
Nonetheless, change takes time however conversations can help. Open dialogue about what’s happening or challenging a person’s actions without attacking them can have a bigger effect.
The rise of TikTok has brought issues of body ownership and empowerment with viral videos of shared experiences and songs like My Body, My Buddy opening a dialogue of accepting what the body has gone through and what my body has given me.
If we want change, we must challenge societal norms. Whether objectification is done to both men or women, it causes the human body to become an object. We must challenge how we disregard how multidimensional a person is beyond their physical appearance and body.
Resources for help
Here are some resources to learn more about healthy relationships and sex:
- PlannedParenthood – Resources/Sex Education
- TedTalks – Videos
- Securiti – Types of consent
- WomensHealth – Relationships and safety
- LoveisRespect – Education on healthy relationships
- RAINN – Sexual Assault Hotline
- The Guide to Getting It On – Book (Guide to sex)
- Charlie Health – Therapies for sexual trauma
- Scarleteen – Sex Education, Identity, and Relationships
- Our Bodies Ourselves – Women’s health and sexuality
- SASS – Survivor Support and Skill-Building Groups
