Think Men Aren't Sexually Objectified by Women? Think Again...

[scarlett]

We constantly hear the phrase from women that we are always objectified by men. We hear about how wrong and degrading it is. However, as a woman, I can say myself that just as many men are objectified by women too. This is not something that only affects one sex. Both men and women can be objectified, judged for their looks, and sexualized. So why does it seem that it's only an issue when it's happening to women? Let's not be hypocrites. If we want to stop the objectification of women, we need to also stop the objectification of men too. It's only fair...right?

As I'm sure all of you are aware, hurricane Irma recently caused massive devastation in Florida. In response to the disaster, the Gainesville Police Department uploaded a photo of several officers who would be working to do cleanup and rescue efforts.

What they didn't expect, however, was the overwhelming amount of sexual comments they would receive from women about the specific men in the photo. I think it's safe to say that this post "broke the internet." Here are just a few of the thousands of comments they received:

Of course, there were also comments from both men and women mentioning the double standard...

I for one, have to agree with the latter statements. If this was an image of three professional female officers and it were men making crude comments, I imagine there would be a huge outcry from women. If we are going to say it's bad to objectify or make sexual comments towards women, we have to hold ourselves to that same standard and avoid treating men the same way. Otherwise, how can you expect anyone to take your concerns seriously?

So, what's your opinion? Is objectification inherently wrong and if so, should it apply to both men and women? If you are a feminist, do the sexual comments by the ladies above bother you? Share your opinions below!

[Anonymous]

This is nothing new. If you vist the IG accounts of most male athletes, musicians, actors etc... you'll these type of comments. I remember last year, Julian Edelman from the New England Patriots held a woman's camp. He took a picture with some of the women and posted it on his IG page. In the comments, a few of the women who were in the picture were saying stuff like " I cupped a feel", "I didn't get a touch" yet no one seem outrage. The women were literally admitting to sexual assault, and the funny think was, this happen around the time of the Trump "grab her by the pussy " tape when people were losing their minds.

So there is a double standard with sexual objectification.

[ThisDudeHere]

I bet most women who support this would just sweep it under the rug with something like, "but men do it more so it doesn't matter!"

[ADFSDF1996]

Yes, this happens a lot more than people think but most people refuse to talk about this because it's not "politically correct". If a guy complains about this, he is almost instantly assumed to be "playing for the other team". This is something that needs to be discussed more often. Thanks for writing this.

[JimRSmith]

If the objectification is consensual, there is absolutely nothing wrong with it at all.

[Frosteh]

Of course men objectify women, and women objectify men. And it's not just about sex and sexuality, it's about a wide number of different things. You don't think that a woman objectifies a male plumber when he comes over to fix her sink?

Men objectify women sexually because we're driven to by biology, our body reacts involuntarily to beauty and markers of sexuality, pupils dilate, heart rate increases, increased sweating, increased anxiety, etc...

Women objectify men, they look at men for their status and utility, in fact women are far more choosy about their intimate partners than men are.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with any of the above, it's how the human race survived and engaged in pair bonding and mating for millions of years that allowed us to evolve. The problem has been the radical 3rd wave feminists who have whined on and on about how facts of reality, such as men are sexually attracted to women, is somehow a problem that needs to be stamped out.

Just because we sometimes see the utility in each other doesn't mean that's ALL we see, it's just sometimes that's what we care about in the moment. The idea that feminists will unprogram millions of years of evolutionary history by being shrill and irrational is so painfully stupid, words don't even begin to describe it.

[errorgoodnameunfound]

Wow. Doesn't surprise me too much, but usually it isn't so apparent and especially not called out. I noticed also the "fuck the police" comment got over 10000 likes. Meanwhile, 3/4 of the guys got over 100 likes. That one f the police comment in particular getting the most likes paints a good pic. These officers may be married. Imagine the awkwardness. Also, one thing if these gals mentioned their actual good will BEFORE the looks, but NO, they didn't even consider the part of the good will. Nothing. Just looks. I had a feeling many girls were more shallow than people think and this may prove a lot. Just makes me more confident in being single. can't stand the looks based attraction shit of today. Not gonna worry much about it. I work my ass off standing my ground and staring them down when my roommates catcall and shit. But its not making it easier to persuade them not to if girls are gonna do similar shit! I can actually see a society in the future when men are more sexualized. If that means girls and guys are on a more even playing feild, fine, but that doesn't advance society. Society will advance when looks dont matter at all and only brain and heart do. Cause looks can change easy. Brain and heart often not so much.

[Bananaman177]

Nobody gives a shit about men's feelings:
http://i.imgur.com/AaZpIp1.png

pics.onsizzle.com/...t-you-jeff-fraser-3428904.png

stupidbadmemes.files.wordpress.com/.../...-man.jpg

pics.me.me/...ting-our-gender-anewkin-13794306.png

[Daniel_James]

That superhero one was a great point, women at the most are pressured to stay lean and that's a hell of a lot easier than building muscle.

[Bananaman177]

@Daniel_James Women judge men's looks far more harshly than men judge women:

i.redditmedia.com/...z4PlPI7ytWIksArJuuWrhX5bA.png

http://i.imgur.com/2MstAzl.gif

Women complain about being "objectified." Who can men complain to about women only finding the top 20% of guys attractive enough to date?

This is how most men feel almost all the time:
i.pinimg.com/.../...f051006eeed0c3659ac8b92bfe.jpg

Who cares about that? Who cares about us? Goddamned no one. Women hog all the sympathy in the world all to themselves and they leave us with all the blame.

You hate a man for looking at your tits, guess what, he feels lonely all the fucking time and he felt less lonely for one second by looking at your tits because your beauty and the mere imagination of your love was enough to make him stop looking inward at his own pain just a little bit, just for a second.

And all you could think is, "Eww, disgusting pig! How DARE he?"

[Anonymous]

Yes men get sexually objectified, assaulted, raped, etc too. It's ignorant to say it only happens to women. But I think it happens to women all the time, and a lot of examples used for guys getting sexually objectified in my opinion is tame in comparison. Women and young girls get sexualised in the media 24/7. Sexualisation, like in your examples, is just people getting shown sexually when it's not necessary. Like that little girl in IT was in someway sexualised, the girl from Léon: The Professional (I just remember these examples because the kids weren't necessarily sexually objectified it was just uncomfortable to watch because they were sexualised lol). The whole male stripper movies, men are sexualised, most comedy films and tv shows like how I met your mother women are sexualised (strippers in female cases are seen as whores unlike men who are gratified for it).
Yes, it happens to everyone much like rape and assault and shouldn't be ignored. There are many double standards to fix, but I still believe women have been treated very sexually in the media especially and our day to day lives. Things like Facebook comments is laughable to me when compared to getting catcalled by fifty year old men for the first time walking in your school uniform at 14.

[nalaa]

media.giphy.com/media/3h5pe45FM9qUM/giphy.gif
First of all, there's a difference between objectifying and sexualising.

Sexualization (or sexualisation) is to make something sexual in character or quality, or to become aware of sexuality

objectification - the action of degrading someone to the status of a mere object.

The difference should be painfully obvious to everyone. And what you're talking about is sexualisation not objectification

Second of all, who is saying men aren't objectified? I don't think that's most people. Most people might say men are less objectified on a daily basis but I don't think I've ever heard someone say they think men are not objectified at all

[Z-Spark]

dude does it really men if they are sexualised or objectified? women are literally saying we want to fuck them and we want to see them naked

[nalaa]

@Z-Spark yes yes it does

[Z-Spark]

not really no one really cares about the precise word, slut, whore, hoe... etc they have different meaning but used for the same purpose.

[nalaa]

well "hoe" is just colloquial for "whore" but whore and slut are not that interchangeable

I think objectification is really bad and sexualisation is normal. And that's ok because they're totally different things. Thinking about sex when you see a woman/man IS ok, treating them an object is not
They are different things and need different terms
Otherwise if you throw them into one pot it devalues the strongest one. In this case objectification

And that's why many men say stupid stuff like "you should take it as a compliment" when women complain about being objectified. Where is the compliment in being treated like an object? What they're really talking about sexual attraction.

But when it comes areas where men tend to be objectified more such as conscription or being wanted for only their money, they don't think it's a compliment suddenly

[Z-Spark]

liking us for our money is not liking us, liking you for your body is actually liking you thats the different, you can use fancy words but that won't change the fact, all this paragraph you wrote is useless, dont be a smartass no one like smartasses, you won't win this.

[nalaa]

@Z-Spark and that's the thing liking our body is not objectification

[Z-Spark]

well in that case why do some many women feel threatened and uncomfortable (single ones) when a man admits he does like their body? i mean he is not objectifying them he is simply saying " i like how you look" if we can't say that then whats the point of attraction

[rocksongwriter]

"liking our body is not objectification"

Then what is objectification? Could you give an example?

[nalaa]

@rocksongwriter well, treating someone like an object. Having no consideration or appearing to have no consideration for their feelings, wishes and needs.
Considering them to be an object to be used rather a person

@Z-Spark
Well that's not an easy question to answer. But as for "what is the point of attraction" even if stating it obviously makes some women feel uncomfortable?
Well we're descended from women who picked their partners wisely and men who tried hard to get as many partners as possible. And just stating your interest doesn't make you a suitable mate.

That is in general how mating works in most mammals. The male approaches, the female chooses. google Male competition, female choice

[SuperEunuch]

@Z-Spark Actually, women like rich men because it means they're successful and powerful and stuff, and that literally makes the men seem more attractive to them so liking them for their money counts as actually liking them. You guys were talking about rich men with lots of money, right?

[troychapman]

I agree with op owner however I think the choosing thing is fucked up you should be with someone because you like them not because of what they can give you or they are more of a family man hence the choosing

[mermaidrocketship]

I agree with you that this happens a lot to men and is ignored. Jason Momoa actually ended an interview early because the women interviewing him repeatedly asked him to take off this shirt. While it's uncomfortable for a man or a woman to be objectified, I think society is more opposed to men sexualizing women because men are typically more threatening. Think about the amount of fear a woman feels while being catcalled. You don't know if the guy who's winking at you while you're driving is going to follow you home. But, for a man, it's less likely he's in danger from any unwanted advances. Nevertheless, most of these comments, while some are pretty funny, are way out of line.

[savalisk]

I think its great to acknowledge when someone looks good but I have to agree completely. If those were comments made by men towards female officers, they would be be destroyed by the news, feminists, vilified nationwide.

I don't think people should stop giving compliments or acknowledging the good looks of others but it should be treated in the same manner both ways. If women can make comments like that on facebook, garnering tens of thousands of likes without backlash, I should be able to as well without being vilified.

[animus1988]

women dont actually dislike being "objectified' they actually love it. they just want to be able to shame and punish ugly dudes for talking to them haha

[Warmapplecrumble]

@animus1988 lmaooooo truth be told

[savalisk]

@animus1988 I've heard that more often than not. Oddly enough, the ones who never get catcalled are the ones I usually see complaining.

[animus1988]

very legit. i forget to add that. its almost always (99% of the time) ugly and fat girls who are the ones bitching about getting attention aka "catcalled" by guys IN THEIR LEAGUE LOL. another reason they bitch is to get more attention

[Warmapplecrumble]

@animus1988

I think you're right on this one.

But I remember being bought up as a South Asian (North Indian) even though my family is pretty much western, I still was shamed to be sexual.

On top of that I was forced to take contraceptive pills by doctors at 14 till 20, I think I wasn't old enough to make the choice. I remember saying to the doctor I don't feel taking them, and he said, "I don't trust you, you'll get pregnant".

So my sexual desire was nada. Nothing. I was pretty much asexual. I didn't really understand what catcalling is. I was told by other womennnnnnn that it's bad. Verrrrry bad.

It is indeed verrrrrrrry bad when a man that finds me attractive.. and I feel similar towards him !!! But because of the shit was ingrained in my head, I had to be disgusted with it and think of it as some sort of abuse.

What is sooooo wrong with a man saying to a woman, I think you look beautiful.

I still get catcalled. But now my response is thank you or a smile.

[AdaRichardsZ]

I agree.
If it had happened to 3 police women, feminists would be bitching how women aren't taken seriously in the workforce as well as probably find someway to bring up the bullshit, non existent wage gap.

[TMarissaWL]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAh that's so true

[FatherJack]

This ^^^ !! ... the feminists will also be having their usual #KillAllMen froth at the mouth rabid man hate sessions !! Feminist downvote... hahaha !!

[somewheresomeway]

MHO female opinion

[FreedomByChoice]

actually the wage gap is real, also im a vegan.

[RedVulcan]

Well, I suppose you should pay close attention to your terminology first of all - there are slight and somewhat important differences between "objectified", "sexualised", and "sexually objectified". I think you've hit the nail on the head though in your title. These cops appear to have been labelled by all these women as hot cops, with nothing else to do with disaster relief.

But is this really a negative thing? I don't think so, and unless a sexually objectifying comment belittles or insults the receiver it should be perfectly okay. The men's reputations might have even been bettered by the Twitter comments.
The women who commented, on the other hand, may be more likely to be seen as shallow for their shallow judgements or objectifications, or perhaps unfaithful or promiscuous. Their actions rightly come with consequences.

[HereToProveMyPoint]

I think this comment adds a lot to the take, and I totally agree! Are you really 17? You're very mature

[RedVulcan]

@HereToProveMyPoint I get that a lot lol. I'm really 17, and I've been stupid lots of other times to prove it.
Sexism and gender biases are just something I became interested in a while ago. It's a topic of social interest I happen to know a lot about.

[scarlett]

This take isn't about whether or not objectification is okay or the irrelevant minor differences between those terms. The point is, for those who think it IS wrong, then it must be wrong both ways, not ONLY when men do it. That was the sole point of this.

[RedVulcan]

I suppose you're correct. I just happen to think it's not fundamentally wrong.

[Yayeet]

This is what I've always been saying, and I'm glad a woman said it too.
I honestly don't mind the comments those women made, but it does bother me that if the genders were reversed, there would be a huge outcry about it.

A big hypocrite about this issue is buzzfeed. They write articles about how sexist society is because women are objectified, but right beneath that article there's one about men in basketball shorts.
This is something feminists have created, they only talk about women, and never men, and they mask that with the equality excuse.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for pointing out the obvious (that feminists are somehow hypocritically blind too).

I once had a women in her 60s make a sexual comment about ass when I bent over to pick up a package in the mail room in my old apartment. It was weird... but it was somehow "funny".

You know most guys don't give a rats ass about this kind of attention. But vice versa it's "harrassment" (if the guy isn't good looking). Women have two options: quit being hypocrites or quit bitching. But feminists want to have their cake and eat it too...

[animus1988]

bbb b b bb but women aren't as visiual as men! T_T T_T T_T T_T T_T

[Blonde401]

some of those comments are disgusting 😷 I'm aware that women do sexually objectify and harass but I am not one of them.

[Gayview_Mahat]

Women are so much more classy and creative with it tho.

"Be careful ladies... hang out with these guys and that thin blue line just might be on the pregnancy test" yo that is hilarious 😂😂

We all objectify eachother so what's the harm?

[DogEatsCat1973]

Why would a feminist be offended by these women's comments to a feminist men are nothing more than cattle to be flayed open and hacked up at a whim and if murder against men were legal they would be the ones doing it through extreme torture by the hundreds every day! As far as is it wrong to objectify sexually I cannot say because if I do it to a woman she will take offense but if a woman objectified me and made sexual comments about me I would feel flattered that I was hot enough to provoke such desire in them, better than "OH GOD EVERYONE RUN SHREK THE OGRE IS COMING!", I mean seriously would you as a woman rather I say "Damn could you cover up some and here put this paper bag on your ugly mug!" OR "Wow you are fine as hell! What are you doing later?". But If millions of women are going to say it is the worst evil to happen on earth to be desired than yes we should stop it both ways and look for surgical methods to stop human breeding in both genders!

[KaseyRouqe]

Sure they are, no one says they don't. But it's far less then women. Not that it's a competition. If you look at it even girls considered unattractive are objectified more than a guy who's just average. Both sexes have their own struggles and most we share, but one sex usually gets it to a larger proportion. For instance men and women commit suicide, but there's an overwhelming majority of men suffering from depression leading to kill themselves more than wome.

[shortguyloser]

"even girls considered unattractive are objectified more than a guy who's just average"

That's just proves average men have it much difficult than average or ugly women.

[KaseyRouqe]

If it comes to picking up sex partner, then yes.

[Svennedude2]

Men are more visual than women because they need to check if you are fit for pregnancy. It's biology. Women are also more picky for biological reasons like child birth as well. Biology doesn't take into account the invention of birth control. It's so logic, but sometimes I feel like people don't understand this natural concept.

[shortguyloser]

@Svennedude2 Men are more visual in the sense that they judge women only by their looks, while women judge men by their looks, money and status.

[Svennedude2]

@shortguyloser True. I think for women it's more the psychological image they create of the guy in their head.

Not to say that they don't like a guy with a symmetric face, but the body and appearance isn't as important to them. For us men, attractiveness is more about visual stimuli with 'less' emphasis on status and image.

[FreedomByChoice]

the ''men are visual'' tests didn't even test 0.000000001% of the general population. Cyber scientists make me laugh all the time. whats next, will you talk about the left and right side of the brain and which gender uses it more?

[Anonymous]

Yup. Women are hypocrites. Like many other things this is just another example.
Here's another:
For ever, sexual promiscuity of men was always criticized by woman. Given the opportunity women start to behave the same way. Then tell us that it's nobody's business and that 'slut shaming" is wrong. Maybe so, but how is it different?
Here's the difference. If you collectively criticize the other gender for so long only to turn around and do the same thing- your worse then the group that didn't criticize. You claimed to know better but do it anyways.

[Anonymous]

this is something most of us guys are fully aware of but if we bring it up, we're "sexist pigs" or just trying to keep women oppressed. There's a lot of this going on in the world today. "You can't do this or that because it's wrong, but it's okay if I do it". I say the same thing about magazines. It's totally fine and socially acceptable for them to put a plus sized model on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue, but where are all the guys with the dad bods on the covers of magazines posing as sex symbols? Oh they must be standing behind that guy with the shredded abs and giant biceps. Unfit guys are only pushed as "sex symbols" if they have money or fame. But yeah ladies, my eyes are up here. Not down there on my ass. Thanks. :P

[Waffles731]

www.facebook.com/.../?type=3
Well, the fact is there is going to be a calender now

[HereToProveMyPoint]

Tbqh I really want to see this

[FreedomByChoice]

@HereToProveMyPoint hahahaha!