Media - Is 10 Years Younger an Example of Celebration or Essay

Media - Is 10 Years Younger an Example of Celebration or Objectification of Women - Essay Example Brooks claims that men seek women like they see in magazines because they believe those women are the cultural ideals in today's society. This is problematic because this viewpoint is not realistic. Furthermore, as a result, men often miss out on meaningful relationships with women that are not so perfect physically, but that would make wonderful soul mates under the surface. Brooks calls this problem the centerfold syndrome. The centerfold syndrome, indoctrinated sometimes subtly, depersonalizes women, perpetuates anatomical falsities, and creates idealized and unreal fantasies about sex and sexuality; in short, it makes women objects of conquest, not people to interact with. The elements of this syndrome include (1) voyeurism (omnipresent images of naked and near-naked women), (2) objectification (women become objects to be observed), (3) need for validation through sexual conquest, (4)  Ã‚  (women's bodies as trophies to be "collected"), and (5) fear of intimacy (insensitivity t o emotional needs and issues). Levy (2005, pg. 1) agrees with the aforementioned viewpoints on the objectification of women. ... What we once regarded as a kind of sexual expression we now view as sexuality. Spectacles of naked ladies have moved from seedy side streets to center stage, where everyone-men and women can watch them in broad daylight." Kaschak and Hill believe, like many others, that objectification of women is a form of injustice to women all over the world. They often write about it in the context of feminist theories and the like. Feminist theory states that the objectification of women is immoral and unethical and, therefore, presents a continuous challenge for women, no matter their race or background. Objectification of women can vary according to a number of qualities, such as a woman's sexual orientation, physical appearance, race, income level, social status, religious beliefs, morals, values, ethics, exposure to men, criminal background, disability status, res ponsibility level, and level of self-care (Kaschak and Hill, 1999). The Channel 4 TV programme '10 Years Younger' is an example of the objectification of women via the broadcast media. Its content influences women-both participants and viewers to become more like the magazine centerfolds and ideal women described above. It teaches these women that, in order to have meaningful relationships, they need to be as close to perfect in their physical appearance as possible. This is not realistic and can leave these women feeling vulnerable and suffering from a low self-esteem. According to Dominguez (1989, pg. 1), "Concern with objectification is both new and old.  Ã‚