Pornification of Women in Media: Analysing Selected Instagram Videos of Sugar Beast
Loading...
Date
2025-04
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Theatre and Film Studies Department, Faculty of Humanities, Rivers State University, Nkpolu-Oroworokwu, Port Harcourt
Abstract
The pervasive visual culture of social media platforms, particularly Instagram, presents a significant yet underexplored landscape for the study of female representation. While previous scholarship has examined various aspects of online sexualisation and objectification, the specific mechanisms, and manifestations of pornification, which is, the increasing integration and normalisation of pornographic aesthetics and practices within mainstream culture, remain under-analysed, especially concerning individual influencer content. The study addresses this knowledge gap by examining the phenomenon of pornification as it manifests in selected Instagram videos posted by the online personality Sugar Beast. Drawing upon the theoretical framework of Pornification as conceptualised by Paasonen et al. (2007), which posits the blurring of boundaries between mainstream and pornographic representations, this research employs content analysis as its primary methodological approach. Selected Instagram videos featuring Sugar Beast are systematically analysed for visual cues, performative elements, and textual accompaniments that align with the characteristics of pornographic aesthetics, including hypersexualisation, emphasis on explicit or suggestive body display, performative sexual availability, and the potential for commodification of the self as sexualised content. Findings suggest the presence of discernible elements of pornification within the selected Instagram videos of Sugar Beast. The analysis reveals, female body objectification through scanty clothing, commodification of sexuality, and narratives positioning women as obstacles to male productivity, thereby contributing to the normalisation of pornification within the social media sphere. This study is a contribution to understanding the evolving landscape of online female representation and the insidious ways in which pornographic norms are increasingly integrated into digital content.
Description
Keywords
Citation
RSU JOURNAL OF THEATRE AND FILM STUDIES