When was the last time you saw a woman portrayed as a whole person? By whole person, I mean a complete, autonomous human being—not the archetypal damsel in distress, sexual object, etc. More often than not I see women portrayed as pieces. I’ll see eyes, lips, hips, breasts, or legs in isolation. What kind of message is this sending us?
When we look at a woman as disembodied pieces, we don’t equate her to a whole person. When we don’t see them as complete people, it becomes easier to objectify them, which can lead to all sorts of negative behaviors. As consumers, we need to become more aware of the roles that various forms of media affect our perception of people, and demand advertising and business practices that promote fairness and human rights. CEO’s respond most immediately to changes in consumer demands. As businesses, we need to respond to the growing body of knowledge at our disposal. Fostering a sense of shame, hatred, and objectification will not be a sustainable business practice as we move forward. Developing a community of stakeholders (not only shareholders) will.
