10.2 The male gaze and female spectatorship

The male gaze, coined by Laura Mulvey in 1975, describes how media depicts the world from a masculine perspective, positioning women as objects of desire. This concept has shaped film techniques, narratives, and character development, reflecting and reinforcing patriarchal power structures in society.

Challenging the male gaze involves various strategies, from creating female-centered storylines to employing non-objectifying cinematography. Theories of female spectatorship, including resistant viewing and negotiated reading, offer alternative ways to interpret and engage with media representations of gender.

Understanding the Male Gaze

Concept of male gaze

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  Laura Mulvey - Wikimedia Commons View original

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• Laura Mulvey coined in 1975 essay "Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema"
• Describes how visual arts and media depict world from masculine perspective
• Positions women as objects of male pleasure and desire
• Reflects and reinforces patriarchal power structures in society
• Influences film techniques, narrative structures, and character development (camera angles, plot focus)

Theories of female spectatorship

• Resistant spectatorship (bell hooks) challenges dominant readings of films
• Negotiated reading (Stuart Hall) allows viewers to interpret media through personal lens
• Female gaze offers alternative focusing on women's experiences and perspectives
• Cross-gender identification explores women relating to male characters
• Queer theory examines non-binary viewing experiences and subverts heteronormativity

Male gaze vs female objectification

• Fragmentation of female bodies through close-ups and framing
• Voyeuristic camera angles emphasize physical attributes
• Limited agency and development for female characters
• Reinforces gender stereotypes and beauty standards
• Intersects with other forms of oppression (race, class)

Strategies for challenging male gaze

• Create female-centered storylines and ensemble casts
• Employ non-objectifying cinematography techniques
• Develop complex, multi-dimensional female characters
• Hire diverse directors and crew members
• Subvert traditional genre tropes and create new female-centric genres
• Encourage critical viewing and discussions on gender representation