A Hermeneutic Inquiry into Intragender Hypersexualization: A Study of Interpersonal Experiences and Perceptions
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55927/jsih.v5i1.5Keywords:
Hypersexualization, Same-sex Encounters, Peer Relationships, Gender and Sexuality, Qualitative InquiryAbstract
In a society where perceptions of sexuality often shape identity and relationships, hypersexualization within same-gender interactions reveal complex layers of meaning and experience. Understanding these encounters opens pathways for reflection, advocacy, and inclusive education that foster respect and emotional safety in all forms of social interaction. Through a reflective and interpretive approach, personal narratives were gathered from individuals who have experienced same-gender hypersexualization within a college community. The findings reveal that intragender hypersexualization occurs across daily interactions and is experienced through objectification, emotional discomfort, and repeated boundary violations that affect social behavior and well-being. Participants respond by becoming more cautious, normalizing, or downplaying experiences, and reinforcing personal boundaries and respect in relationships.
References
Acadia, L. (2021). Queer theory. In: Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Literature. https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780190201098.013.1003
Bales, R. (2017). Social interaction systems: Theory and measurement. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315129563
Boyer, K. (2022). Sexual harassment and the right to everyday life. Progress in Human Geography, 46(2), 398-415. https://doi.org/10.1177/03091325211024340
Calogero, R. M., Tylka, T. L., Siegel, J. A., Pina, A., & Roberts, T. A. (2021). Smile pretty and watch your back: Personal safety anxiety and vigilance in objectification theory. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 121(6), 1195-1222.
Civile, C., & Obhi, S. S. (2016). Power, objectification, and recognition of sexualized women and men. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 40(2), 199-212. https://doi.org/10.1177/0361684315604820
Davids, C. M., Watson, L. B., & Gere, M. P. (2019). Objectification, masculinity, and muscularity: A test of objectification theory with heterosexual men. Sex Roles, 80(7), 443-457. ttps://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-018-0940-6
Fasoli, F., Durante, F., Mari, S., Zogmaister, C., & Volpato, C. (2018). Shades of sexualization: When sexualization becomes sexual objectification. Sex Roles, 78(5), 338-351. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-017-0808-1
Ho, K. H., Chiang, V. C., & Leung, D. (2017). Hermeneutic phenomenological analysis: the ‘possibility’ beyond ‘actuality’ in thematic analysis. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 73(7), 1757-1766. https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.13255
Jiang, S., Cheung, R. Y., & Gao, J. (2025). How are Chinese women and men affected by sexual objectification? Self-objectification and enjoyment of sexualization across perpetrators. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships. https://doi.org/10.1177/02654075251406327
Johnson, K. K., & Yu, U. J. (2023). A narrative critical review of research on self-sexualization. Clothing and Textiles Research Journal, 41(2), 139-153. https://doi.org/10.1177/0887302X211004294
Karsay, K., Knoll, J., & Matthes, J. (2018). Sexualizing media use and self-objectification: A meta-analysis. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 42(1), 9-28. https://doi.org/10.1177/0361684317743019
Latham, K. (2022). Hypersexualization, Violence, and Desensitization. South Carolina Junior Academy of Science. 77. https://scholarexchange.furman.edu/scjas/2022/all/77
Makanadar, A. (2025). Sensual Urbanism: Hyper-Sexual City? or Inclusive Urban Design Approach. Sexuality & Culture, 29, 1-32. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12119-025-10333-4
McCole, A. R., & Anderson, J. R. (2025). “Not Queer Enough”: A Systematic Review of the Literature Exploring Experiences of Bi-Erasure. Journal of Bisexuality, 1-77. https://doi.org/10.1080/15299716.2025.2498333
Mulligan, C. A., Ayoub, J., & Liberti, S. (2024). Sexualized Behaviors and Social Media. In: R. W. Christner & R. B. Mennuti (Eds.) Cognitive-Behavioral Interventions in Educational Settings (pp. 436-456). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003392439
Navarrete, M. S., Adrian, C., & Bachelet, V. C. (2022). Respondent-driven sampling: advantages and disadvantages from a sampling method. Medwave, 21(01). https://doi.org/10.5867/medwave.2022.01.002528
Nigar, N. (2020). Hermeneutic phenomenological narrative enquiry: A qualitative study design. Theory and Practice in Language Studies, 10(1), 10-18. http://doi.org/10.17507/tpls.1001.02
Pecini, C., Guizzo, F., Bonache, H., Borges-Castells, N., Morera, M. D., & Vaes, J. (2023). Sexual objectification: Advancements and avenues for future research. Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences, 50, 101261. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cobeha.2023.101261
Republic Act No. 11313, Safe Spaces Act. https://lawphil.net/statutes/repacts/ra2019/ra_11313_2019.html
Roberts, T.-A., Calogero, R. M., & Gervais, S. J. (2018). Objectification theory: Continuing contributions to feminist psychology. In: C. B. Travis, J. W. White, A. Rutherford, W. S. Williams, S. L. Cook, & K. F. Wyche (Eds.), APA Handbook of the Psychology of Women: History, Theory, and Battlegrounds (pp. 249–271). American Psychological Association. https://doi.org/10.1037/0000059-013
Santoniccolo, F., Trombetta, T., Paradiso, M. N., & Rollè, L. (2023). Gender and media representations: A review of the literature on gender stereotypes, objectification and sexualization. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(10), 5770. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20105770
Stegeman, H. M., Velthuis, O., Jokubauskaitė, E., & Poell, T. (2025). Hypercategorization and hypersexualization: How webcam platforms organize performers and performances. Sexualities, 28(1-2), 118-136. https://doi.org/10.1177/13634607231170174
Ward, L. M. (2016). Media and sexualization: State of empirical research, 1995–2015. The Journal of Sex Research, 53(4-5), 560-577. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2016.1142496


























