The Male gaze is the patriarchal perception that runs society, specifically media. It consists of a gender based hierarchy that caters to men (specifically heterosexual men), and establishes a commodity role for women as objects of sexual pleasure. Such ideology has been around for centuries, and has become a cornerstone of mankind's consciousness that is present in our day to day interactions, politics, academics, and specifically popular culture.
To first understand the question as to why the male gaze is so pervasive in popular culture, one must understand that the basis for culture and society is patriarchal. The root of this pervasiveness begins before culture is established or consumed- it begins with oneself. According to John Berger in Ways of Seeing, both men and women are assigned roles to perform within society. Berger states that “A man's presence is dependent upon the promise of power which he embodies, which is object always to man's exterior. As for women, their role is dependent upon a surveyor, which is man. A woman’s presence is allotted and confined into a space where she is always surveyed, and is forced to be mindful of the surveyor”(Berger 45). Such dynamic between man and woman, forces the woman to be aware of her image in order to be treated, as desired, by the surveyor. - which essentially always leave the power in the hands of the male - in simple terms from Berger “ Men act and Woman appear”
To answer the question, the male gaze is pervasive because of the sheer fact that a woman’s interaction in culture and society is confined to a space that is primarily male. Every image of representation that is female, has been curated through a male focal point, to cater to a male perspective (the male gaze), whether it be seen by male or female. Berger goes further to point out that the dynamic inserted into a woman is rooted deeply in her subconscious. Berger states “ The surveyor of woman in herself is male: The surveyed female. Thus she turns herself into an object - and most particularly and object of vision: a sight” (Berger 46). The key point here being that a woman is forced to become an object - specifically one a male can interact with.
This method is highly successful in popular culture. We see today how women are constantly surveyed through media. They learn that their exterior presence that makes them a sight is valued above all, and is what equates to their self-importance. Media has exacerbated this ideology by using the means of mass communication to deliver these ideas. Everywhere we are, even in our own homes, we are drowned in propaganda that reinforces patriarchal dynamics.
The images below are just few of the millions of images available that demonstrate the hyper-sexualization of women, and their dehumanization. All three ads rely on the female image to sell their products, all catering to a heterosexual viewer. The dehumanization of each woman in these ads portray the model as an object, therefore making it okay to look at these images without feeling any shame, using sex as its foundation. Each ad is inviting the viewer to indulge in the female body with no consequence, all it takes to reach this ecstasy is to buy their product. Laura Mulvey in Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema describes the psychoanalysis that exists in these sex driven narratives " In their traditional exhibitionist role women are simultaneously looked ar and displayed, with their appearance coded for strong visual and erotic impact so that they can be said to connote-to-be-looked-at-ness" (Mulvey 837).
 |
| Dolce & Gabbana 2007 Campaign |
 |
| Gucci 2004 Campaign |
 |
| Tom Ford 2006 Men's Cologne Campaign |
Bell Hooks introduced the concept of the oppositional gaze which is an acknowledgment and encouragement for black people’s right to gaze. This ideology is a politically rebellious reclaim of power for black people to not only gaze, but to exert influence upon their reality. Being based off the repression of slavery, and the lack of civil rights, this ideology acknowledges the black communities reclaim and creation for spaces to live and exists fully. Through the oppositional gaze, independent black cinema was born. As time progressed from the civil rights era, more and more images of black representation was emerging on forms of media like television and film. These early forms of representation was created through a white lens, meaning the people in power - who were white- were the ones who decided and created the black images in media. Even through this narrow perspective, the accessibility to tangible images allowed the black community to develop critical spectatorship, and take power back in their thinking.
Being exposed to these new forms of thought have truly changed the way I interact and create media. I have been aware of these concepts prior to learning these theories, but never truly understand their complexity nor their origins. By receiving this awareness, I now understand the biases that exist in the world of media, and what to look out for when interacting with it. I sort of feel a responsibility to work against the oppression that exists. Being a male myself, I can see how certain things are designed to work out in my favor, but not being heterosexual and being of color, I can also see how things are catered to heterosexual white men. As a media creator it has always been a passion of mine to break this mold and evolve the space that media is on.
No comments:
Post a Comment