By Prior Beharry
SEXUAL objectification of young girls and women can contribute to mental health issues, rape culture and violence against women.
This is according to Dr Gabrielle Hosein, a Senior Lecturer at the Institute of Gender and Development Studies at The University of the West Indies.
She was speaking at the annual “An Afternoon Tea” of the InterClub of Trinidad and Tobago at the Hyatt Regency in Port of Spain on Sunday.
She said, “The sexual objectification of young girls and women not only contributes to mental health issues but also towards rape culture and violence against women. This is important for us in a society where one in five women have experienced non-partner sexual violence.”
Dr Hosein said high school girls and college women exhibit more self-objectification and negativity towards their own physical appearances when they view images of sexualised athletes than when they view images of performance athletes.
She said women and girls were also affected in Trinidad and Tobago.
Dr Hosein said, “In T&T, women and girls in sports face the harmful effects of sexualization, often reflected in explicit, objectifying music at events.
“This alienates families, reinforces unhealthy body image stereotypes, and discourages girls from staying in sports, especially after puberty. Such music undermines respect among athletes, regardless of gender.”
She said as a mother she take her 14-year-old daughter, a triathlete, to races and is bombarded with demeaning music.
Dr Hosein said, “I’ve gone up to men DJs playing music in triathlon and track, and asked them to please play something else.
“Typically, it’s not something they have thought about. Many are dads. They usually get it once we start talking, and fully agree.”
She added, “In sports, where there are children, we must be more mindful as adults of showing them, and especially girls, that we respect them enough as athletes to think through our playlist.”
Dr Hosein said, “I’m hoping these words resonate. I’m not asking for a big change. I am asking for songs telling girls to twist themselves into what appears sexy not to be played where there are young athletes.
“Parents teach by repeating things to our children. Loud music on repeat everywhere socialises them in the same way. Our developing sports heroes and heroines deserve better. It matters what DJs play.”
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