FEMALE OBJECTIFICATION ON SOCIAL MEDIA

“… To objectify means to treat something as a mere object and deny it of its dignity…”

This is an aspect which has made the society uncomfortable for women. Everyday women and other gender activists fight for the rights of women and the girl child. This struggle seems to yield little or no fruits as women are objectified and misrepresented on social media everyday.

It has become “common” to find nudies of girls being circulated on WhatsApp and Facebook daily. I take the “Epie” incidence in my country Cameroon, where a young girl’s nude photos and videos were taken by a young man against her will and posted on social media. This video went viral and so many brows were raised. With this, the young lady’s life will not be the same again as she has been ripped off her dignity. When we go to the cinema and music worlds, a majority of video vixens who pose naked or partially naked are the women. This has made men and the society to look at women as objects and toys they can just play around with. The female folk are being misrepresented on the media.

All these happenings bring me to tears because I am a woman and the social media represents us as people with no value. I sometimes want to be a man to “get a taste” of male chauvinism. At the end of the day, I am only just a woman. As a female, I deserve to be treated with dignity and also given a place of pride in the society. I should not just be a “mere object” for people to laugh and make fun of, treated as an object for entertainment.

I am tired of this objectification.As a lady,I will like to be looked upon as an icon of change and not as a tool for entertainment... I deserve better. I also have the ability to change the world. Instead of making the female folk look weak and vulnerable, using them as toys, we should rather make them know what they are worth. Let the woman look positively upon herself and be made to know that she is the mother of the nations. The society will be a more comfortable place if the girl is also given the chance to make the difference.

Looking at all these happenings, I made up my mind to build my community in the best way I can. I have taken upon myself to talk to my fellow girls, making them see reason to think outside the box face their own challenges rather than being dependent on men especially. I am inspired by women like Oprah Winfrey, Michelle Obama, Hillary Clinton and Margaret Thatcher who despite all the challenges and oppression took the challenge of becoming brave and today, they are represented on the media as icons and role models. I wish to be looked upon one day as a change-maker and as one who inspires the female folk to be the best they can and not merely objects for entertainment and fun.

“I am not an object, I am a human, I am a woman and above all I have my dignity”

Let’s say “NO” to objectification!!!