Feminism, Fetishes, and Objectification

Catalog description

There seems to be lots of “fetishes” in our society. There are “fetishes” for dating people of a certain race; there are “fetishes” one can acquire for certain cultural aesthetics. However, what makes something a morally objectionable fetish, rather than a morally innocuous preference? For example, how is having an Asian fetish fundamentally morally different from being heterosexual? Perhaps a plausible answer is that fetishes essentially involve objectifying a group of people, which is morally wrong. On the other hand, preferences do not involve such objectification. But what exactly is objectification? Why is it morally problematic? In this class, we will explore the concepts of fetish and objectification, and observe their roles in current issues regarding gender, racial, and other injustices. Potential topics will include the male gaze, cultural appropriation, and romanticisation of disability.