Invisibility has become a hot topic in both popular culture and academic discourse. From The Invisible Man to Harry Potter's Cloak of Invisibility, the idea that someone can go unnoticed has captured the imagination of people all over the world.
There is more than one type of invisibility. There is also the kind of invisibility that occurs when you are constantly being watched but no one sees you. This kind of invisibility involves the loss of control over your own visibility and the commodification of your image.
I will argue that invisibility is not always about refusing to be seen but rather about refusing to be used for others' benefit. When someone uses your image without your consent, they are treating you like an object. You become something to be looked at, rather than a person to interact with. This is why it is important to distinguish between being invisible and being objectified. It is possible to be completely invisible while still being highly visible as an object.
Let us consider what it means to be seen or noticed. Being seen does not mean that you are visible; instead, it implies that you are available to be consumed by others. Your image becomes something that can be bought and sold. This is why celebrities often complain about their privacy being invaded - because they want to maintain some degree of autonomy over who gets to see them and how. But even ordinary people experience this kind of objectification when they are photographed without their consent or subjected to surveillance cameras in public spaces.
We need to understand what it means to refuse to be commodified. Refusal means saying 'no' to those who would use your image for their own gain. It means insisting on your right to decide when and where you show yourself and who has access to your body. In other words, refusal is about asserting agency over your own visibility. It is not about hiding yourself away from view; rather, it is about taking back control over the way you present yourself to the world.
Invisibility is a powerful tool for resisting commodification. By refusing to be objectified, we can reclaim our own images and assert ourselves as individuals rather than mere objects. We should think carefully about how we choose to be visible and who sees us. By doing so, we can protect our privacy, dignity, and autonomy.
Is invisibility a refusal to be commodified by visibility politics?
No, invisibility is not a refusal to be commodified by visibility politics. In fact, invisibility can be seen as an act of resistance against visibility politics that seeks to reduce individuals to their visible characteristics and traits. By choosing to remain invisible, one can challenge the dominant norms and expectations of what it means to be visible and how one should present themselves in society.