Ugh, another Kylie headline?
You can probably name all of Kylie Jenner’s scandals as easily as you can name your family members. Between the now infamous “Eat-Me-Out” shirt and her rumored plastic surgery, the internet is freaking out that she’s “too young.” But what does too young actually mean? Kylie is just about to turn 18. The average American female has already had sex. Most of us had already gone through the awkward middle school of praying for our boobs to grow into our makeshift wonderbras. So, what’s the big deal if Kylie is just publically acting on her own sexualityl? Actually, it’s a HUGE deal.
But tons of celebrities do stuff like this…
You probably don’t make money off of your body. It’s a part of you (and an important one), but it’s not ALL of you. For Kylie, it’s how she creates her image. She probably wouldn’t have over 30 million Instagram followers and a deal with a breast and butt enhancing cream without it. When younger girls make their stories all about their bodies, they detract away from the other parts of themselves without truly understanding what that means. Instead of complete people, the world only sees an object.
Where else is this happening?
Take Dior’s newest head model, a 14-year-old girl whose rags to riches story is making global headlines. She absolutely should work to pursue modeling if that is her dream. However, she made her debut strutting down the runway in a bare-all see-through dress. At 14, you’re still exploring and developing your body and your sexuality. While sharing this battle can be empowering, at the end of the day, it’s your journey. By putting your full-frontal self out there at such a young age, a part of that journey is taken from you. It becomes something that can be bought and sold.
So, it is just a celebrity problem?
Self-objectification, or seeing your body as something for primarily for others, has dangerous consequences. Girls and women who self-objectify are more likely to suffer from eating disorders, anxiety, and depression. But that probably makes sense. Less obvious is that it can have consequences that are less personal for you, but VERY personal for others.
People of all genders and sexualities are taken advantage of because objectifying someone before they can consent has become the norm. When prominent figures self-objectify to make a profit, people become desensitized to it. It becomes so easy to treat people like objects without even realizing that you’re doing it. But for people more vulnerable than celebrities, such as those who are low-income and transgendered, objectification can have life-threatening consequences. These stories happen behind closed doors. Without social media followings or lucrative careers, few see their pain. Instead, they see Kylie’s mansion and think it’s okay. And so the vicious cycle continues.
It’s all Kylie’s fault, isn’t it?
So, are Kylie Jenner and a Dior model responsible for a world of objectification? No. But their experiences are contributing to a system that treats bodies as separate from the emotional, personal, human experience. We all should be able to embrace our sexuality openly and freely. If that means posting your free-the-nipple selfie because it makes you feel good regardless of others, then go for it. But it’s never okay to consume the bodies of others when the lines of consent are so blurry.