Objectification is objectification, even in one’s 'imagination'
Every week, PhilSTAR L!fe explores issues and topics from the perspectives of different age groups, encouraging healthy but meaningful conversations on why they matter. This is Generations by our Gen Z columnist Angel Martinez.
We’re only a few days into Women’s Month, yet we’ve been presented with a glaring example of why we celebrate it in the first place.
In a March 3 House hearing, Quezon City 4th District Representative Bong Suntay came to Vice President Sara Duterte’s defense, saying that she could not be penalized based on her “unenforceable statements or mere thoughts.” Already a questionable hill to die on, if you ask me, but his chosen example happened to be his heated, unbridled desire for celebrity Anne Curtis.
“Nakita ko si Anne Curtis. Ang ganda-ganda pala niya. You know, may desire sa loob ko na nag-init talaga. Na-imagine ko na lang kung anong pwedeng mangyari, pero siyempre hanggang imagination lang 'yun. ‘Di naman siguro ako pwede kasuhan kung ano naimagine ko,” he asserts. Oh, to live in such ignorance, such stupidity, free from the debilitating repercussions of rape culture. I’m referring to a series of compounding actions that reduce women to body parts and physical appearance, rather than regard us as humans with agency, autonomy, and character.
For those unfamiliar with the idea: Let’s imagine the concept as a pyramid. At its very base, serving as its sturdy foundations, are revolting remarks like Suntay’s, among other seemingly "harmless" behaviors such as gender stereotyping, catcalling, and victim-blaming. Also responsible are those who watch these unfold and do nothing, whether out of social pressures or due to apathy.
All of these lay the groundwork for a culture where male violence is minimized and women’s experiences are distrusted. It’s why men are empowered to gaslight, harass, and exploit age gaps; why crimes such as rape, domestic violence, and sexual assault happen. It’s all connected, whether we want to acknowledge it or not.
These are so deeply embedded in everyday life that they go by largely unnoticed and encouraged, permeating societal structures like the political sphere. We’d expect our government officials—people we elect and pay—to conduct themselves in a dignified manner, to carry conversations in a civilized way. But if we recall, Suntay is not the first to make such lewd comments: from Sen. Robin Padilla’s machismo lines of questioning during Senate inquiries, to former president Rodrigo Duterte’s series of sexist tirades.
Sure, they make the headlines, earn the ire of international organizations and outlets. But in a society where men are conditioned to think they’re superior to their female counterparts on all fronts, they do not get punished. They never do.
Objectification is objectification, regardless of who was saying it and in what context; regardless of when it happened; and regardless of whether it was said, done, or merely imagined.
Women suffer the consequences of this neglect early on. From childhood, we are taught that our physical appearance is of paramount importance: a more reliable indicator of our worth, compared to anything else we can achieve. Lifelong sexualization leads to a collective “diminished view of [our] competence, morality, and humanity,” and is also proven to cause depression, anxiety, and eating disorders.
Meanwhile, most men fail to grasp the gravity of their actions, their response to allegations often reeks of callousness and entitlement. Speaking in an interview on One News’ Storycon, Suntay stood by what he said: “I don’t see anything immoral. I don’t see anything illegal in those statements. In fact, there was nothing even sexual dun sa statement na ‘yun.” When asked if he should apologize, he added: “I think [Anne Curtis] should take it as a compliment.”
I cannot fathom how this act of perversion might be conflated as appreciation. Most men should be thankful that they will never understand the distinct feeling of constantly being surveilled and evaluated as a woman, as if the only reason we can take up space is for decorative purposes. Almost nowhere feels safe for us anymore—not even a mall, where Curtis was probably just doing her job or running an errand.
As of now, Suntay has done nothing to course-correct, despite relentless (and well-deserved) public shaming. Misogynists are hard-headed that way: hard-wired to believe that their vulgar views are the default we must adjust to. When pressed for yet another statement on radio on March 4, all he offered was a half-hearted non-apology, and not even one to Curtis in particular: “Pasensya na sa mga na-offend.” All I hope for, at this point, is that if Curtis chooses to file a case, that Suntay be subject to the same punishment as anyone else who violates the Safe Spaces Act, also known as the Bawal Bastos Ordinance.
And it’s not because it’s Women’s Month, or because the aggrieved party is a public figure. Objectification is objectification, regardless of who was saying it and in what context; regardless of when it happened; and regardless of whether it was said, done, or merely imagined.
Generations by Angel Martinez appears weekly at PhilSTAR L!fe.
