Sexualization is the process by which things that are associated with human sexual activity become more important than they would be otherwise. Sexualization can involve anything from clothing to behaviors to body language to speech to the physical appearance of people themselves. There are many ways for something to become sexualized; it's not just limited to nudity or explicitness. It's also possible to imply sexual intent without saying so explicitly.
If someone touches your knee in a certain way while talking to you, they might mean it to be innocuous, but if you interpret that gesture as flirtatious or inviting, their behavior becomes sexualized.
When someone interprets another person's actions as sexual, they may impose ethical expectations based on those interpretations. In some cases, this could lead them to assume that the other person has done something wrong.
Someone who thinks that a man looks at her in a sexual way might feel disrespected. Or she might think that he has crossed an ethical line because she believes his gaze was invasive or inappropriate. This type of interpretation could make her distrustful of him, even when there was nothing wrong with what he did. On the other hand, someone who sees a woman wearing revealing clothing might assume she is promiscuous, leading him to judge her harshly. She may see no problem with how she dresses and consider herself liberated for expressing herself, but he may take her choices to indicate a lack of self-worth or respect for others.
Sexualization can affect both genders equally. A man could misinterpret a woman's eye contact as an invitation to hit on her, causing him to act in a way that makes her uncomfortable. Similarly, a woman could perceive a man's body language as threatening, especially if he is trying to assert dominance over her. These misconceptions about one another often arise from cultural norms about gender roles and expectations. Women are more likely than men to be blamed for being sexually provocative, while men are more likely to be accused of objectifying women. But people of all genders experience these issues differently depending on their own personal experiences.
Interpretation of behavior shapes our perceptions of each other. If we view certain behaviors as inherently sexual, we will see them as offensive or immoral. We also tend to assign moral responsibility based on those interpretations.
If we think that men should never look at us in a sexual way, then any man who does so must have made a bad choice.
This view ignores the many contexts and motivations that influence human behavior. It doesn't account for the fact that some men do not intend to make us feel uncomfortable when they glance at us. Nor does it acknowledge our part in creating the environment where people make such judgments without knowing what the other person means by their actions. In short, interpretation creates the ethical expectations we impose on one another, but there's no simple answer to whether or not those interpretations are accurate.
How do sexualized interpretations of behavior—whether accurate or imagined—reshape the ethical expectations individuals impose on one another?
Research shows that sexualized interpretations of behaviors can reshape ethical expectations individuals impose on each other by creating a false sense of entitlement and leading to unhealthy relationships where boundaries are not respected. When people have sexually charged interactions, they may feel like they are entitled to certain actions from their partner even if those actions go against what is morally acceptable in society. This can lead to manipulation, abuse, and coercion within relationships.