By Jen Connors

In an world where engineered images of the ‘ideal’ person are thrust upon people from every which way, objectification is common in both genders, and it’s one of the biggest problems faced today. With publications like Maxim and GQ, not to mention an uncountable amount of online content, it’s almost unavoidable. With the advent of the Internet, the images are shown and spread quicker than they ever have been before. The spread of these images often leads to body issues and various insecurities.
Recently, three cast members from the cast of Glee did a spread for the November issue of GQ magazine. Stars Dianna Agron and Lea Michele, both 24, were photographed posing as what Agron calls “very heightened versions of our school characters. A ‘Hit Me Baby One More Time’ version,” while costar Cory Monteith, 28, was fully clothed. Upon the release of the photos last week, the Parents Television Council condemned the FOX network for allowing the shoot to happen, declaring that the shots “border on pedophilia.” While the shots are rather risque, the actresses in question are both in their twenties, well beyond the legal age, and posing for magazine geared towards grown men. As pointed out by Agron in a post on her blog, if an eight year old viewer is looking at these pictures, how did they get ahold of such an adult magazine to begin with?

Yes, these are women who are role models to young girls. Were they dressed like role models in the shots? Not necessarily. Clad in short skirts, high heels, bras and underwear, Agron and Michele were portraying the kind of girls men fantasize about every time they see a girl in a school uniform. By exploiting their bodies the way they did in the shoot, most likely at the urging of their agents, Agron and Michele subjected themselves to the type of objectification that is common in locker rooms, office cubicles and dorm rooms today. How are women supposed to move past names like “skank” and “trick” when many are so willing to display their bodies in such a fashion? “Guys whisper behind our backs about how we look every day,” Agron’s character points out in a recent episode. How is this supposed to end with shoots like this, inspiring millions of young girls to dress the way they did in the shoot?
Michele and Agron are just the tip of the iceberg. Other stars such as Megan Fox, Minka Kelly and Miley Cyrus have been known to pose provocatively. Cyrus, at just seventeen, has had a slew of photo scandals to her name in just three short years, peaking with a topless shot for a 2007 for Vanity Fair at just fifteen. Annually, the highest-selling issue of Sports Illustrated is the Swimsuit issue, featuring various models and female athletes in various bikinis. The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, showcasing dozens of models in their underwear, is generally the highest-rated program in its timeslot during its annual airing. Halloween is just as bad, with women’s costumes ranging from “sexy nurse/teacher/librarian/police officer” to “sexy animal.” Children’s costumes are just as bad, getting skimpier every year.


That’s not to say that objectification is a one-way street. While it is not as publicized, women objectify men just as much. People Magazine has its annual “Sexiest Man Alive” issue, generally the publication’s highest-selling issue. For three seasons, there was a character on One Tree Hill whose exact purpose was to comment on how good-looking the basketball players were. In the Rocky Horror Picture Show, the character of Rocky, a good looking Frankenstein-esque creature, traditionally wears gold briefs and not much else. There are countless blogs and web pages dedicated to celebrating “hot”, generally shirtless men. Things like “Mrs. Andrew Garfield” or “I LOVE RYAN REYNOLDS” are common on notebooks around the world. Shirtless magazine covers are common on publications like Rolling Stone or Men’s Health. Also common are covers with men in tight, water-soaked, white T-shirts. Women covers often feature bared midriffs, lingerie or occasional nudity. In films and on television, men are often shown as being completely comfortable with their bodies, while women are seen as shallow and insecure about their flaws. One of the only times I have seen a man portrayed as being insecure about physical appearance was Monteith on Glee. On the October 26th episode, Monteith is shown as being afraid to wear a costume traditionally worn by Brad Majors in The Rocky Horror Picture Show. “I actually started showering with my shirt on,” his character laments during a workout with the “ab-ulous” Chord Overstreet, who hates himself after eating a cookie or Doritos. Male insecurity, with the rise of weight obsession, often leads to men overdoing it when they work out, which leads to many adverse consequences.


Objectification is a double-edged sword any way you look at it. It is a big problem in our world today, and the fact that so much content is available in both print and online is a major factor. While the idiom “sex sells” is always relevant and applicable, one should not have to completely lose their dignity to make their point.