On September 30, Professor Elisa Puvia was invited as a guest lecturer to give a talk at the Rotary Club Carrara (MS) in Tuscany, entitled "L’Eterno Femminino: How Objectification Shapes Bodies, Minds, and Societies." The event was attended by professionals from the local community and offered an opportunity to discuss the pervasive phenomenon of female objectification in an accessible yet research-based format.
The talk explored how images, language, and messages surrounding us shape the way we look at — and judge — the female body. The objectification of women is a deeply ingrained and often normalized phenomenon that manifests itself in advertising, language, social and traditional media, and everyday interactions. Professor Puvia discussed how these cultural patterns influence not only how women are perceived but also how they perceive themselves, with significant consequences for health, cognitive performance, relationships, and social participation.
Professor Elisa Puvia
To illustrate the pervasiveness and subtlety of objectifying messages, she presented a series of visual examples drawn from diverse cultural sources, including advertisements, film scenes, social media posts, and news images. These examples helped to show how objectification operates across different contexts and how normalized these portrayals have become in our daily lives.
Professor Puvia, who teaches in the Department of Psychological and Social Sciences, also shared scientific evidence from empirical studies she has conducted over the years, highlighting key findings and their broader implications. These studies demonstrate how objectifying experiences can affect psychological well-being, cognitive functioning, and social engagement, and how societal change requires addressing these mechanisms at both the individual and cultural level.
Finally, the presentation concluded with interactive reflections designed to encourage active engagement with the topic. Professor Puvia invited participants to reflect on their own experiences and observations related to objectification and to share their thoughts on how societal attitudes might be challenged and transformed. This discussion provided valuable insights and underscored the importance of collective awareness in fostering a more equitable and conscious society.
