How Does Martha Nussbaum Contribute To Sexual Objectification

Sexual objectification, a concept deeply rooted in various ways in early culture, can become a serious problem when unregulated. In certain, specific situations, sexual objectification can be considered okay, but in other situations it can become a critical problem. Martha Nussbaum outlines seven ways in which people can be objectified. They are: instrumentality, denial of autonomy, inertness, fungibility, violability, ownership, and denial of subjectivity. Nussbaum highlights instrumentality, denial of autonomy, and denial of subjectivity as the three methods of objectification that most closely lead to sexual objectification. Instrumentality involves treating an individual as if they are a tool, or a simple means to an end. This can easily lead to the sexual objectification of a woman when men treat them as sexual objects …show more content…
Fish are not only surrounded by water, but also need water to survive. In the analogy, the fish represents women and the water represents sexual objectification. According to MacKinnon, women, who are surrounded by sexual objectification, need it in order to survive. This directly contradicts common sense; women should know that being treated like nothing more than an object is demeaning. However, when women are not sexually objectified, they feel inadequate. This is because, from an early age, it is instilled into women that their value is directly proportionate to their ability to please a man. MacKinnon shares Kant’s belief that all humans have moral value and should be respected, and opposes the sexual objectification that surrounds and suffocates women in our society. MacKinnon’s beliefs deviate from Kant’s because MacKinnon believes that sexual desire does not always lead to sexual objectification. However, in a society like ours that eroticizes the dominant-passive relationship between men and woman,