Abstract

The research analyses in an exploratory way the work of image girls within discos, defined as sexually objectifying environments. In a first qualitative study, 15 interviews with image girls were conducted and show six main themes that highlight different aspects of sexual objectification and self-objectification characterizing their experience. A second quantitative study, aimed at capturing the people’s judgments about this work and its protagonists, shows that the image girls are not perceived negatively by the considered sample (N = 294), but higher levels of sexism are associated with more devaluing perceptions.