Is She Just an Object? Objectification and Commodification in the Brazilian University Context

Abstract

The Brazilian university context of parties and sport competitions, where alcoholic drinks are present, is an environment that contributes to the young women's being seen as objects. Starting out with the purpose of understand in what way violent situations against women in this context demonstrate the different facets of objectification and commodification, we undertook 20 in-depth interviews with Brazilian university students. The results emphasize the woman’s ample objectification and commodification in the university context and their negative consequences, such as self-objectification in its personal and professional aspects demonstrated by reports of uncertainty regarding their bodies, in exercising the activities of leadership and their choice of profession. Additionally, we identified four ways that women may be commodified in the university context, by: (i) commodification of the body; (ii) commodification of sexuality; (iii) commodification of morality; and finally (iv) commodification of feelings. We contribute theoretically to the understanding of the relation between objectification and commodification. In empirical and managerial terms, we present insights for teaching institutions and other organizations which combat discriminatory and encourage their reflection on the humanization of women, thus also contributing to women’s self-perception, and which should also be capable of perceiving abuses resulting from the objectification and commodification.