By: Diana Prudius (She/Her)
October 30, 2020

“Objectifying is treating someone as an appearance instead of a person with thoughts and the capability to think for their own” -The Stanford Encyclopedia

Thinking of someone as an object rather than as a person seems like a very strange thing, but unfortunately, it’s all too common.

51.2% of students at Glasgow feel as though they are being judged by their appearance in a negative way. At our own school, more than half of the people feel uncomfortable and have had comments on their appearance (45.5%). One of your best friends might feel this way, and you wouldn’t even know.

Boys will be boys is the excuse people use when something inappropriate happens. 18.2% of students think this is acceptable. Is it though?

The definition of “boys will be boys,” according to Oxford Languages Dictionary is, “Used to express the view that mischievous or childish behavior is typical of boys or young men and should not cause surprise when it occurs.”

Isn’t it sad how phrases like this are considered normal?

16.5% of students don’t understand the phrase “boys will be boys.” Students deal with people making uncomfortable comments that are downright rude without any or much context or consent. The expression “boys will be boys” tells people that objectifying is okay, but it really isn’t.

A big part of our lives is appearances. Here is what the students and teachers of Glasgow think:

“People always say that looks don’t matter but, looks are the first thing you see in someone and it’s often the way people describe you. If you were to wear something dirty, people would think you are messy. If you were to wear a high-end brand, people would think you’re rich. They say it’s all about personality but the thing that drives them to you is appearance and then personality is what makes them stay.”

“This society has an image of a perfect body, a perfect face, a perfect everything. Most girls and guys might feel like there’s a standard they should meet to be worthy or accepted, but personally, I’ve found love with myself but I know what it’s like to struggle to find it.”

“I have a rather androgynous appearance, and I know that. I don’t think it’s okay for people to say “you look gay” or something along those lines, because it feeds into stereotypes and reinforces how people’s appearance is everything, when that’s simply not true.”

“I feel judged because I am very insecure about my body and my weight. People talking or saying things about anybody makes me feel negative about myself. They don’t even have to be talking about me for me to become insecure and negative.”

As one student said, “I am not an object, I have a brain and a heart.” Everybody is more than just the cover of a book. We are all the pages and the story inside. When you hear someone talk about “getting a girl” or “how to be a man”, remember, we are better than that. We are all people and we are all equal, no matter your gender or race. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise, don’t let them even think that. It is not okay to objectify people and this needs to stop, now.