Sexual objectification
From Biocrawler, the free encyclopedia.
Sexual objectification is, in some circumstances, the fetishistic act of regarding a person as an object for erotic purposes. Allen Jones' sculptures Hat Stand and Table Sculpture, made in 1969, which show semi-naked women in the roles of furniture, are clear examples of the depiction of the fantasy of sexual objectification. (This particular interest, a form of sexual bondage that involves making furniture designed to incorporate a bound person, is also known as "forniphilia".)
Some feminists have long argued that traditional attitudes to women in many societies constitute non-consensual sexual objectification of women. Masculists and other critics of feminism often contest these claims.
A desire to be objectified occurs in many men and women's sexual fantasies. Objectification for fetishistic purposes may for example provide erotic humiliation for the person so regarded, whether male or female. As with most sexual activities, it is generally viewed as abusive if it is not part of a consensual arrangement, such as in BDSM play.
