Empowerment or Objectification? The Complex Rise of Explicit Sexuality in Modern Media
Written by Lylah Korsu
Hair, Makeup and Styled by Dani Arranka
Photography by Matthew Lin
Model: Rachel Ray
The Rise of Explicit Sexuality: Empowerment or Self-Objectification?
In recent years, explicit sexuality has become ubiquitous across media platforms—from OnlyFans and camming services to mainstream music videos, advertising, and social media. This explosion of sexual content presents a complicated question: Is this surge in sexual expression empowering for women, or does it reinforce the age-old objectification that feminism has long sought to dismantle? As women increasingly monetize their bodies online and are portrayed as hypersexualized in pop culture, the lines between sexual liberation and self-objectification blur.
From the rise of digital sex work to the sexualized imagery in popular music and media, this conversation is more pressing than ever. As we examine how modern media depicts women’s sexuality, it becomes clear that the question of whether this shift is empowering or damaging requires a deeper, nuanced feminist critique. Is the growing prominence of explicit sexuality a form of liberation, or does it reduce women to sexual commodities, even when the agency appears to be theirs?
OnlyFans, Camming, and the Commodification of Sexuality
Platforms like OnlyFans, which allow women to create and sell explicit content directly to their audience, have revolutionized the landscape of sexual expression. For many, these platforms are seen as empowering—a way to take control of their sexual image and profit from it. In theory, women are no longer bound by the traditional adult entertainment industry, where they were often exploited by powerful men. They can create content on their own terms, interact with their audience, and earn money directly from their labor.
However, the idea of empowerment in this context is complicated. While some women embrace the financial independence and creative freedom offered by these platforms, others find themselves caught in a cycle of self-objectification. The need to constantly produce new content to maintain relevance—and to meet audience expectations of youth, beauty, and sexual availability—can be emotionally draining. The pressure to "perform" in increasingly explicit or exaggerated ways often feels like a response to societal demand rather than genuine sexual freedom.
The phenomenon of self-objectification on these platforms becomes especially evident when women, despite owning their content and image, feel they must conform to cultural ideals of sexual desirability. The cycle of validation that platforms like OnlyFans rely on demands that women continually present themselves as desirable and available to their audience—whether or not they feel authentically empowered by it. This dynamic mirrors broader societal pressures that reduce women’s value to their appearance and sexual appeal, even when the appearance of agency is present.
Music, Media, and the Commercialization of Female Sexuality
Beyond online platforms, the portrayal of women’s sexuality in popular culture, particularly in music, plays a significant role in shaping modern attitudes toward sex and gender. Over the last two decades, pop and hip-hop artists like Beyoncé, Cardi B, and Megan Thee Stallion have embraced overt sexual expression, with lyrics and visuals that celebrate women’s sexual agency. Songs like "WAP" (Cardi B ft. Megan Thee Stallion) have sparked significant debate, with critics questioning whether these artists are reclaiming their sexuality or perpetuating the objectification of women.
On one hand, these artists claim ownership over their bodies and their desires, offering a counter-narrative to the patriarchal sexual scripts that often dominate mainstream culture. By owning their sexual expression, these women push back against the long-held tradition of male-dominated narratives about female desire, offering their own perspectives as central to the conversation. For many listeners, this kind of sexual empowerment is liberating, signaling a shift toward the normalization of female pleasure, autonomy, and expression.
However, the celebration of sexual freedom in pop culture often exists alongside the commercialization of women’s bodies, creating a paradox. While artists like Beyoncé and Megan Thee Stallion may embody self-empowerment, their portrayal often still centers on their physical appearance, sexual desirability, and marketability. The spectacle of sexual autonomy is, in many ways, a product—designed to attract attention, sell albums, and boost brand partnerships. This commercial dimension complicates the narrative of empowerment, as it’s intertwined with a system that continues to exploit women's bodies for profit.
In pop culture, women’s sexuality is often presented as something to be consumed and marketed. The performance of empowerment becomes commodified, where sexual expression is celebrated as long as it fits a specific mold. This mold is typically shaped by the male gaze, which, despite the apparent autonomy of the artist, continues to frame the content in ways that maintain patriarchal structures. Even when women appear to "own" their sexuality, they may still be subject to the same dynamics of objectification.
The Influence of Pornography: Unrealistic Expectations and the Pressure to Perform
The rise of pornography, both mainstream and amateur, plays a significant role in shaping how both men and women view sexuality. Increasingly, women’s sexual identities are being constructed through the lens of pornography, which often portrays women in exaggerated, submissive, and objectified roles. While some argue that pornography can serve as a space for sexual exploration and liberation, it is often criticized for promoting unrealistic and dehumanizing portrayals of women.
Pornography addiction, particularly among men, is another critical issue. With easy access to an almost limitless array of explicit content, the consumption of pornography often distorts men’s expectations of women, sex, and intimacy. This results in unrealistic standards of beauty and behavior that many women feel pressured to embody in their personal lives and in public. Women are often expected to perform a version of sexuality that mirrors the artificial, hypersexualized portrayals they see in pornography, whether they’re engaging in digital sex work, appearing in music videos, or participating in mainstream media.
For women, this culture creates a paradox: to be desirable, they must mirror the sexualized images they see in music, pornography, and advertising. The growing prevalence of pornography addiction and the normalization of hypersexualized media portrayals have raised the bar for what it means to be sexually attractive. Women, both online and offline, feel pressured to perform sexuality that is often disconnected from their true desires, leading to a cycle of self-objectification. The focus on physical beauty, youthful appearance, and sexual availability further entrenches the commodification of women’s bodies, even in spaces where women supposedly control their own narrative.
The Psychological Toll: Empowerment or Damage?
The psychological impact of self-objectification is significant. For women participating in platforms like OnlyFans or camming, as well as those navigating the pressures of sexual performance in music, fashion, and mainstream media, the demands to constantly perform can take an emotional toll. The need to be "on"—to be sexy, youthful, and sexually available—often leads to anxiety, self-doubt, and burnout. Women are told that their value lies in their sexual appeal, which can create a disconnect between their authentic selves and the identities they project for public consumption.
This disconnection is heightened when sexuality is commodified for profit. Whether it’s through digital sex work or the sexualization of artists in music and media, the commercialization of female sexuality forces women to conform to external expectations of beauty and sexual behavior. In both cases, the autonomy these women feel in choosing to embrace their sexuality may not be fully their own but rather a response to cultural and economic pressures that continue to commodify their bodies.
Navigating the Paradox of Sexual Liberation
The increasing visibility of explicit sexuality across various media platforms presents a complex paradox. On one hand, it represents an opportunity for women to reclaim their sexual autonomy and redefine societal narratives around female desire. Artists, influencers, and digital creators alike have leveraged these spaces to challenge traditional norms and assert control over their sexual expression.
However, this newfound freedom often coexists with the very systems of objectification that feminism has fought to dismantle. Women may possess agency in choosing to engage with these platforms, yet they remain subject to the pressures of conforming to the idealized standards of beauty and sexual appeal. The commercialization of female sexuality—whether through the monetization of explicit content or the spectacle of sexual autonomy in pop culture—often reinforces the objectification it seeks to counter.
True empowerment arises not from the ability to perform or display sexuality, but from the ability to do so without being commodified or reduced to a mere image for consumption. Until women can express their desires freely, without the constant scrutiny of external expectations or the pressure to profit from their bodies, the line between liberation and exploitation will remain blurred.
As we move forward in an increasingly digitized and sexually charged cultural landscape, the challenge will be creating a world where women can express their sexuality authentically, without fear of being reduced to objects or tokens of sexual value. Only then can we begin to realize a more genuine and inclusive vision of sexual freedom—one that allows women to define their own narratives on their own terms.