Antiobjectification

Antiobjectification is a position or movement that seeks to prevent reducing people to mere objects, with particular focus on gendered objectification in media, culture, and everyday interactions. It emphasizes human autonomy, dignity, and agency, and aims to reframe how people are portrayed and treated so that full humanity is recognized.

Origins and theoretical background often lie in feminist and human rights discourse, drawing on critiques of sexualization and objectification theories in psychology and media studies. The term encompasses academic analysis, educational initiatives, and activist campaigns that challenge imagery, language, and practices that instrumentalize or commodify people.

In practice, antiobjectification influences media and advertising guidelines that promote non-objectifying portrayals, efforts to diversify representation, and reduced emphasis on body-centric framing. It supports curricula and workshops in media literacy, corporate codes of conduct, and advocacy for consent-based interactions and non-exploitative portrayals in pornography and other media contexts. Proponents argue that respectful, person-centered representations foster healthier self-images and social relations.

Debates and challenges include tensions with freedom of expression and artistic or sexual representation, as well as concerns about context, nuance, and potential overreach. Intersectional critique highlights how objectification affects people differently across race, disability, body size, and sexuality. Critics also question where lines should be drawn between critique and censorship while affirming individual agency and diverse modes of expression.

See also: objectification theory, sexualization, feminism, media literacy, consent.