Objectification

The other day I was having a discussion with a group of friends and the phrase, "she is the object of my affection," came up. At first I did not think the phrase was anything out of the ordinary, because if is commonly used in reference to both males and females.  (Although mostly females I think.) The more my friends and I began to think about the phrase though the stranger it became. To think that we find it endearing when we are described as the object of someone's affection is somewhat absurd. Essentially this phrase serves to degrade as it lessens someone's status to that of an object; something that is so inhuman it is without feeling or emotion, simply existing for a specific purpose or use. When analyzed in the context of women I feel that this phrase becomes particularly offensive. It suggests that women are "objects," subject to men's needs and wants. Although this is a normal phrase in our culture, I had never realized what serious implications it ever had. I think it is very important to analyze the way that we speak and the words and phrases that we choose to use because they are often implying things we don't even mean.