Post 2

 The male gaze is the idea that most depictions of women in media are structured to serve a (heterosexual) male viewer. It is so common in popular culture because of the patriarchal society we live in. Mulvey's piece on "Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema" expands on Berger's "Ways of Seeing" in that both stress the idea that "Men act and women appear. Men look at women." Women become "an object of vision: a sight" (Berger 47).  When it comes to advertising, this idea translates quite literally (see below). In film, TV, or music this means the women that appear are often one-note or exist solely as a sex object or to further the male protagonist's storyline (pretty much any female character in an action blockbuster).

Examples of the male gaze in action:

Advertising

Film

Music

In terms of the male gaze, growing up this idea clouded my vision greatly. I lived for many years not being able to put my finger on it, but feeling out of place when it came to looking for people like me (introverted, a little weird looking/acting) in the media I consumed. In most of the TV and movies that I watched, girls always looked like something I could never be. I remember after watching certain scenes in movies I would hope that maybe in some small way I could be like the characters I saw and being disheartened when it didn't work out. But reflecting on it now, I realize it is because no one can be that. No one wakes up looking like they've just stepped out of a magazine cover photoshoot while delivering the coolest lines. I stopped looking to the "ideal" and instead focused on reality.

It's a shame that so many movies focus on catering to the male gaze. Instead of women with depth and realistic hair days, we are shown the woman who never sweats while exercising, just needed a mini-makeover, or is only trying to find romance. Only until somewhat recently has there been a change in the tide. There is more room for women characters to carry their own stories, with less dependence on the male gaze.

As one can see, majority of the links/images I've provided show white women. As bell hooks writes, "to stare at the television, or mainstream movies, to engage in its images was to engage in its negation of black representation" (hooks 117). Unfortunately, mainstream mass media continues to under-represent people of color, which leads to the emergence of the oppositional gaze. The oppositional gaze is the concept that since people of color remain outsiders in most mainstream mass media, they remain critical to both sides. They see the male gaze at work (that Mulvey writes about), but at the same time are unable to connect with the female character(s) depicted. As a result they view most media with a "deconstructed" lense (hooks 123).

Since I am white, in my initial stages of learning about feminism I didn't take the time to consider my experiences don't necessarily resonate with everyone. As Michael Kimmel said in his video, "privilege is invisible to those who have it." As I continue to learn, it remains crucial for me to keep this in mind and learn from my mistakes. I needed to take note of the presence of an oppositional gaze and see how detrimental it is for society to continue to limit people of color's voices.

Works Cited: Berger "Ways of Seeing"; hooks "The Oppositional Gaze"; Mulvey "Visual Pleasure"; Kimmel video "On Gender"