TO little seem to be served the neo-feminism and the #Metoo to change the perspective on women’s body. There wasn’t no revolution, looking at the results of the survey conducted by Yoodata/Polytech Italia, a company specializing in data science and marketing research, women “They are still seen as sexual objects as much and more than in the 1950s» from well the 78 percent of the people interviewed.
The women’s body? Like in the 50s
In short, the idea has not changed and even if the 79% of the population considers women freer than once to show off even on social media, to promote themselves autonomously, for 78% of people, women increasingly represent themselves as a “sexual object”.
Criticisms or appreciations, we leave in the family
L’feminine appearance continues to be the center of attention and, according to the survey, the main place of inappropriate criticism or appreciation would appear to be the family for 43% of Italians. Then, however, there is the road for 35%, work and school/university for 16%, among friends for 16% and on social networks for 12%.
Other than Body positive, women’s bodies do not break stereotypes and must be perfect (Getty Images)
GenZ the most insecure
Insecurity explodes among the very young: Gen Z girls turn out to be the most fragile, so much so that around half of them, 48% of girls between 15 and 26, declare that “sometimes I’m so insecure about my appearance that I don’t want to leave the house”. And the very young are also the generation that clears cosmetic surgeryconsidering it a treatment on a par with a tattoo.
Boomer women inconsistent about cosmetic surgery
50% of 15-26 year olds think so, compared to 37% of Millennials, 27% of Gen X and 20% of baby boomers. For the majority of boys and girls body touch ups are a choice of freedom. The women of the boomer generationon the other hand, reveal a certain inconsistency: they are the most critical of those who decide, for example, to have their breasts replaced only to then declare that they feel free to modify their body as and as much as they want.
The idea of the perfect body is still too deeply rooted
«The situation relating to the representation of the female body in Italy does not change, this study tells us. On the contrary, it is getting worse and more and more confused – comments Maura Gancitano, philosopher and essayist. – If on the one hand we have more tools to understand how dangerous judgments on the female body are, also thanks to social networks, on the other we continue to receive messages that tell us that we must do everything to have a perfect body. This has a negative effect especially on the younger generations, who are subjected to an enormous amount of stimuli and models».
The study, however, adds Gancitano «also reveals that the main source of criticism on the body of girlscentimeter by centimeter, and the family and unfortunately very little is said about this. It is from the family that our body begins to be looked at and judgedsometimes also out of an instinct to protect against external criticism, but in any case with a negative effect on mental health».
As you get older you learn
«Women’s sensitivity to criticism and judgments from others decreases with age – underlines Alessandro Amadori, Yoodata partner and scientific director who oversaw the research – It is above all the boys and girls of Gen Z, i.e. the same protagonists of the new utilitarian relationship with the body and its exhibition, who believe that the women who exhibit your body on traditional media and social media are now at a high risk of being victims and sexual objects».
A missed opportunity
In short, the women’s body is still seen as an object, rather than being captured in its depth represented by the different passages it faces during an existence: from self-discovery to motherhood, from youth to old age. A body that continues to be emptied of any content and where the aesthetic aspect is considered a “social value” forcing adolescents right away to measure their self-esteem based on their physical appearance.
But the body of women is multiple and while trying to escape what traps himthe representations codified in a secular culture of shame, oppression, taboos and clichés that society produces about it, it is still very difficult to free oneself from that critical gaze that everyone, including women, point at him without any mercy.
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