Emma Nakaoka / Opinion / 22 August 2022
The term "male gaze" was coined in 1975 to refer to misogynistic views. Now, with the increasing accessibility of technology, sexism is infiltrating more and more screens.
The media plays an instrumental role in the lives of many across the globe. It has a major influence on the beliefs of its consumers, and reinforces gender discrimination through a concept called the male gaze.
Coined by filmmaker Laura Mulvey in 1975, the male gaze refers to a perspective in which a woman's sole purpose is to serve a man. The male gaze is often employed by depicting women in stereotypical subordinate roles or as sex objects. This concept is central to many sexist biases and results in many instances of gender discrimination, whether they are called out as such or pass unnoticed. The male gaze is so ingrained in United States culture that it can be seen in several instances in the media.
The male gaze is frequently employed in movies which results in lasting effects on the perception of women.
Women are often portrayed as a man’s love interest, assistant or simply a background character in many films. Disproportionate representation is present in a variety of movies where women are omitted from main character roles. Female characters are also often hypersexualized, only contributing to biases relegating women to objects for male pleasure. Enforcing stereotypes such as the “dumb blonde,” “cat fights” and depicting women with “ideal” bodies not only enforces sexism, but also has consequences for women who feel the need to fit into a certain role or have a specific body type.
Even female Disney characters are known to be sexualized, implying major consequences for young audiences who may grow up with bias. And recurring themes of older movies where (shockingly young!) Disney princesses are saved by Disney princes could give children the notion that a woman needs a man to live “happily ever after.”
The Bechdel test accurately examines the presence of the male gaze in the media. It is a 1985 assessment of a movie to test the level of female representation. For the movie to pass the test, it must feature at least 2 named women who talk to each other about something other than a man. According to the official website, only 56.7% of movies in the Bechdel test database pass. Bustle notes that movies such as A Star is Born (2018), La La Land (2016) and The Avengers (2012) all fail. Though movies have made progress in female representation, this clearly demonstrates that the movie industry still has a long way to go before women are depicted as more than a tool for men.
With the widespread popularity of movie culture, misogynistic beliefs are cemented into society as men are consistently put before women in film after film.
Those in the public eye are often scrutinized and face magnified consequences of the male gaze. Several female celebrities and political leaders have often been hypersexualized on platforms such as magazines, social media, movies and television. Marilyn Monroe was established as a Hollywood icon during the 1950s, but her widespread popularity as a sex symbol caused many to overlook her talents as an actress. She was not taken seriously and instead reduced to body parts for the pleasure of men internationally. Former Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin was also sexualized by the media when she ran for Vice President in 2008. Images were taken of her legs, dolls of her in revealing clothing were sold and she was labeled a “MILF.” Both Palin and Monroe have been objectified as a consequence of the male gaze.
For example, it seems to be acceptable for celebrity men to be fully clothed in a magazine or on stage, while more often than not, female celebrities opt for more revealing outfits. This can be seen as an effect of the male gaze in which women are pressured to appear desirable and emulate the “perfect” body type.
So when Billie Eilish rose to fame as a female singer wearing baggy clothes, the contrast was obvious. And when an unsolicited photo of her in a tank top went viral, the criticism, insults and slut-shaming she received were tremendous. In fact, according to a 2020 Dazed interview of Billie Eilish, the singer only started wearing baggy clothes because she “hated [her] body”.
Sexualization of young female actors is also prominent. Countdowns until minor actors are 18, having girls wear revealing clothing on set or forcing them to act in sexually suggestive roles/scenarios are all sickening examples of the male gaze. Girls are victims of the male gaze not only as media consumers, but also as direct targets themselves.
Due to biases brought on by the media, the male gaze limits opportunities for women in everyday life. Depicting a lack of gender equality and misrepresentation on online platforms provides preconceived notions that real life is the same. This can lead to self objectification, pressure on women to feel as if they need to cater to the needs of men and to feel as if subordination is normal.
Consequences of the male gaze also include pressure for women to have a certain body type. The male gaze favors “ideal” bodies, which can have detrimental effects to the mental and physical health of women and girls. A study found that 46.7% of girls in first grade wished to be thinner (Dohnt and Tiggemann, 2006), and Rasnuke et al. discovered that 57% of girls compared to 32.7% of boys wished to be thinner in 2005. In extreme cases, the pressure for thinness may lead to disorders such as anorexia nervosa — which has the highest mortality rate of all mental diseases (StriegelMoore & Bulik, 2007).
With so many people now having access to online platforms, ideals perpetuated by the media can have significant effects over the mindsets of people worldwide. We cannot raise the next generation of children without bias if they continue to be exposed to discriminatory social media, television and movies. We need to recognize these covert examples of sexism that are featured in the media in order to eradicate them.
"Misogyny is not only present in radical outbursts but is rooted much more deeply in the subconscious biases, words and actions of all."
The male gaze is generally not a well known term, yet it is prevalent in our everyday lives. Fighting solely against overt sexism but ignoring instances of latent prejudices is only acknowledging the tip of the iceberg. Misogyny is not only present in radical outbursts but is rooted much more deeply in the subconscious biases, words and actions of all. Ignoring the established gender discrimination in many areas of the world will continue to hold women back, and overt sexism will follow. In other words, one cannot simply snip off the stem of a weed and expect it not to grow back.
If we hold the media accountable, we may start to see differences. Technology is a powerful tool that can be used to transform people’s perceptions. Yet only when everyone is able to address the full scope of the male gaze can fundamental change begin.
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