Abstract Book of the 4th World Conference on Gender Equality
Year: 2026
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The Sexualised Self: Discursive Power and Women’s Gender Performances in Malta
Beverley Abela Gatt
ABSTRACT:
Dominant cultural discourses of sexualisation and sexual objectification play a central role in shaping how women negotiate and perform gender. This paper examines the impact of these discourses on women’s everyday practices of doing gender in Malta, focusing on women aged between 20 and 40 years old, drawing on feminist theories and feminist post-structural discourse analysis. Using qualitative interviews, this study explores how sexualised norms both constrain and regulate femininity while simultaneously offering limited spaces for agency and resistance. Findings indicate that women are aware of the normalisation of female objectification, which leads to stranger harassment and a lack of sense of safety. As a result, participants practice self-surveillance, monitoring their clothing and actions so as not to send the “wrong” message. Nonetheless, they also develop strategies to challenge or subvert dominant discourses. By situating these dynamics within the broader debates on gender equality, the paper highlights how sexualisation continues to undermine progress toward equality, reinforcing structural inequalities under the guise of cultural acceptance.
Keywords: Gender Equality, Sexualisation, Sexual Objectification, Gender Performativity, Dominant Discourses, Power Relations