When music meets sexual objectification: Examining hyper-sexualized portrayals in popular music videos
When music meets sexual objectification
Music enriches life as a form of art. Yet behind the veneer of entertainment and enjoyment, the industry runs on sex and sells it—often without audiences noticing. The argument here is that the music business is guilty of sexually objectifying both women and men in music videos, and that this practice carries serious consequences for listeners and viewers. This discussion will begin by clarifying what objectification means, along with the concepts of hegemonic masculinity and femininity. It will then look at real examples of songs where hyper-sexualized men and women appear. Finally, the psychological harm these portrayals may cause will be examined.
To start, the American Psychological Association (APA, 2007) explains that sexualization happens when someone is judged, to the exclusion of their other qualities, by a standard that equates physical attractiveness with being sexy. The APA further states that a person becomes sexually objectified when they are "made into a thing for others' sexual use, rather than seen as a person with the capacity for independent action and decision making." While some argue that looking and being sexy is a personal choice, the reality is that society pressures people to look and act a certain way to achieve success (Hawk, 2014). That pressure comes from hegemonic masculinity and hegemonic femininity—society's ideal of how males and females should behave (Kareithi, 2014). The obsession with a "perfect body" links traits associated with "real men" to physical strength, muscularity, aggression, and control over their work. For women, video clips tend to equate femininity with a thin body featuring extremely large breasts and buttocks.
Songs by male artists that objectify women have been a staple of popular music for a long time across hip-hop, country, rock, and pop. Robin Thicke's unrated version of "Blurred Lines" and Maroon 5's "Animals" are just two examples. However, objectification is not exclusive to one gender. There are also videos where men become the primary sexual objects of women, and the women hold positions of power. Examples include "I Luh Ya Papi" by Jennifer Lopez, "Call Me Maybe" by Carly Rae Jepsen, and "Ex's and Oh's" by Elle King.
Some have claimed that sexualized music videos can be "objectively empowering" (Mound, 2016). But parenting researcher and author Justin Coulson (2014) argues that the messages these videos send are harmful to both boys and girls. On one hand, Coulson contends, "boys grow up believing girls are really only here to be a boy's 'new thang'." On the other hand, "girls accept that if they're to be valuable to someone, they'd better be sexy." Even worse, being exposed to unrealistic and sexualized bodies can lead men and women to doubt their own appearance. This loss of confidence can carry dramatic health consequences, including anxiety, shame, depression, anorexia, and bulimia (Grabe et al., 2008).
In summary, the very medium meant to bring people together—music—now finds itself in trouble, having unintentionally sparked a debate about whether sex actually sells. The real problem is that people have become so desensitized to sexual language and imagery pervading everyday life that they hardly notice it anymore. Yet, as shown, exposure to unrealistic and sexualized bodies is dangerous because it can make both men and women struggle with their own appearance.