The phenomenology of the normalization of the Word "Tobrut" as the sexual objectification of women on TikTok social
Keywords:
Tobrut, Sexual objectification, Phenomenology, Women, TikTokAbstract
The emergence of the term "tobrut" on TikTok marks a new phase in the normalization of sexual objectification mediated by social media. This study aims to understand the normalization of "tobrut" behind this trend, where the language of harassment is transformed into a digital identity acceptable to users. Using phenomenological methods, the study involved in-depth interviews with five female streamers and digital observation. The central paradox uncovered is how female streamers internalize the derogatory term as a form of "empowerment" and a means of self-image. The results show that this normalization does not occur passively, but rather through tactical agency in which women negotiate their bodies to meet the demands of the male gaze incentivized by the TikTok platform. This normalization of tobrut occurs through the experiences of female streamers who are part of TikTok's visual culture. The process of externalization and objectification of the term "tobrut" has reached a stage of internalization, causing individual moral sensitivity to be eroded by the need for digital visibility. This study concludes that under the control of TikTok's patriarchal algorithm, women's agency is used to reproduce their own subordination, creating long-term risks to the integrity of women's identities in the digital public space.
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