Rethinking the objectification of women: the Spanish version of the Objectification and Enjoyment of Sexualization Scale (OESS)

The sexualization of culture has been associated with objectifying women’s bodies and enhancing their self-objectification, with negative consequences for their welfare. By contrast, it has also been argued that women can enjoy and be empowered by sexualization. As such, both the negative and positive “faces” of sexualization might constitute two sides of the same coin. This research aims to validate the Spanish version of the Objectification and Enjoyment of Sexualization Scale (OESS), which, for the first time, allows both variables to be measured together. We examined the reliability and validity of the OESS scores with a sample of women from Spain. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) (N1 = 1.050) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) (N2 = 1.050) identified two meaningful and internally consistent subscales: Enjoyment of Sexualization and Objectification. Correlations with related scales confirm convergent validity. The implications of studying the sexualization of culture in women are analyzed.