EP. #181: Why Self-Objectification is Harmful and How to Stop It

Weight Loss for Foodies podcast | Ditch the Diet and Lose Weight with Shari Broder

I think women spend way too much time and energy trying to meet some societal standard for how we should look, and this confirms patriarchal ideas that what women look like is the most important thing about us.

In this episode, I’m talking about how we unknowingly do things that perpetuate this problem and what you can do to change that.

I’m not blaming you.

I think many people are unaware of how their behavior on social media and elsewhere contributes to or exacerbates a problem we didn’t create.

The problem of viewing women as objects to admire for their appearance has persisted for a very long time. In 1792, Mary Wollestonecraft wrote, “Taught from their infancy that beauty is woman’s scepter, the mind shapes itself to the body, and roaming round its gilt cage, only seeks to adorn its prison.”

The problem of focusing on our appearance is in some ways worse than ever, now that we spend so much time on social media and are constantly comparing ourselves with others.

Not only is a lot of womens’ valuable time and energy spent trying to make our bodies look a certain way, it's hurting us psychologically AND physically. Think about the time you waste fretting about your appearance.

Think of how you could put that time to good use!

Listen to learn what self-objectification is, how it harms both the women who objectify themselves and the ones who see their self-objectifying photos, and what you can do to stop or reduce it.

To learn how to have a peaceful relationship with food and eating, check out the free resources on my website.