Objectification

Recently, I have been far more involved in a current class that I am taking rather than any of my previous classes. This class that has opened my eyes considerably has given me new ideas, ways to change myself for the better, and most importantly: it's given me the power to value myself more as a woman and a successful human-being.

Coming into my Representing Women Across Borders and Contexts class has given me the strength and power to see myself as more than just a woman. It has also given me and my peers a reason to request more than respect from our social counterparts. Being a woman with a successful past and future, I had never realized how many things a woman is subdued to until I listened to the stories of other women. Women just like myself. These women have inspired me to be stronger in my daily life challenges and to live above discrimination and victimization.

Prior to being in a class with women just like myself, I had never questioned the uncertainty and true value of a woman until I had learned to open my eyes. Daily, I often find myself looking at things differently. I realize the smallest things in public when I'm doing simple things such as grocery shopping. Walking into a store with my boyfriend today and looking at his dress and pant sizes which were measurements made me realize the confusion that women face when shopping for clothes. Men look at pant and shirt sizes with measurements, while us women guess on what size we may be in one store (most likely we were another size in a different store). What does this say about the society we live in? It lets women across our country know that confusion between dress sizes is only because we aren't certain about our weight. We may feel slender in some dresses, but heavy in another one. Therefore, we stick to the smaller size and never shop elsewhere. Our weight follows everywhere. It is calling us to look at  ourselves as objects rather than consider ourselves as beautiful, empowered women with educations.

By looking around in the same store I was able to notice the availability of business attire in the menswear section. Perhaps maybe I'll find a plain white button up dress shirt for myself? Who am I kidding? Not one in plain sight. The message that department stores relay is the message that women aren't meant to be in professional jobs. For clothes that are appropriate enough for business attire, we've got to shop in expensive clothing stores to look professional. There are no dress pants, dress shirts, or suits in department stores for women. The normal man is a businessman, while the normal woman is a stay at home mother. Those women in the professional field looking for a suit must make far more money to be shopping in a department store.

These subtle hues that markets relay to the public is what shapes us into the way that we think. We should be thinking that we are overweight. We should be thinking that we should be stay at home mothers instead. We shouldn't be looking at professional attire in a department store that offers it only for men. Is this all true? Should it be true? Should we justify our weight to that of supermodels in magazines? Should we objectify ourselves to find a man who will want us?

More importantly, should we objectify ourselves to live a happy life?

My answer is no. Women are not here for the  purpose of objects, to deliver babies and raise them. We are here for God's purpose and only his purpose! To be happy. To be happy with whatever it is we WANT to do and whatever it is that HE has planned for us.