I always get a bit worried when I hear about "objectifying" as a universal,
a priori evil. If I strap on sparkly chaps and body glitter and dance onstage to a crowd of howling women, I am, in fact,
hoping to be objectified in a very pleasant sort of way. I'm not abrogating my dignity as a human being, or defining myself strictly as an erotic cowboy dancer. I'm not making myself less of a human being. At that moment, in my chaps and body glitter, I am hoping to become an object of sexual desire for that crowd of women. But if we accept that all objectification is evil, then I'm somehow making myself sub-human. Which is bogus.
We all want to be desired at times; we all want to be objectified at times. What separates good from bad is
volition and
consent. And just because someone is dressed or is behaving in a way that excites a sexual response does
not mean anybody has the right to force themselves on them.
At least that's how I see it.