Nowadays, the objectification of women and girls begin at a young age. Sadly, I have had hands on experience with this.
From a young age I have been more physically mature than others. In other words, I have bigger boobs than others. To many that seems like a benefit but it is something that I have struggled with so much. I have been told to embrace it, to love myself and my body, but that's kind of hard to do when I'm scared to walk my own town's streets in daylight.
I either get hollered at, or cars will pull up and say something absolutely revolting to me. I find it disgusting at the young age that girls are objectified. It may seem that this is a very hot topic, but it is not nearly talked about enough.
From changing school clothing regulations to shaming girls and women who are not at fault for being raped, abused, etc, clearly what we are doing isn't enough. Instead of blaming a single party, why can't we just educate more? Educate boys, help people realize that they are able to control themselves but get passes because seeing shoulders is just "too much" for them.
This is how people are getting away with abuse in present times because we are sending the message that it is the victim's fault. I am tired of not being treated with respect. I am not some object that a man who is working on a construction site and just call me "Mama," say something to me in a foreign language, and then give me air kisses. A 40-year-old man doing that to a 15-year-old? Does no one see the wrong in that?!
I spent so many years blaming myself, and experimenting and realized that no matter what I wear, the comments still happens. I just find the contradictory comments so amusing. Wear long sleeves to cover your arms and shoulders, but at the same time, you shouldn't be doing this because it shows that you do not love or respect your body.
Moving away from these experiences, women are objectified in ad's every single day. Each woman featured in a sexualized add is someone mother, daughter, sister, and so on, but many tend to forget that. They are shown as sexual objects, possessions or things, but again, nobody sees that. Everybody just pays attention to the pretty image, forgetting about how scarred a woman who was in the photo is now, she just didn't know how to say no. This is considered okay, not being able to deny uncomfortable situations, when a person should always have a way out.
It's this constant confusion and mixed messages among our community and society which doesn't result in any effective solution.
And so, I would like to leave you with 5 words.
We are women, not objects.
