2. Laura Mulvey’s Male Gaze Theory
• The theory suggests that the male
gaze denies women human
identity, relegating them to the
status of objects to be admired for
physical appearance. The theory
suggests woman can more often
than not only watch a film from a
secondary perspective and only
view themselves from a mans
perspective
• Only 16% of media creators are
female. Thus highlighting the
influence of male fantasised
videos.
3. Laura Mulvey’s Male Gaze Theory
However the presence of a
woman in mainstream film
texts is something that is vital.
Often a female character has
no real importance herself, it is
how she makes the male feel
or act that is the importance.
The female only exist in
relation to the male. For
example Rita in the TV Thriller
Drama Dexter as she is only
important as she is Dexter’s
girlfriend/wife.
4. The Male Gaze
Men are active and
women are passive.
Women are objects of
male erotic desire within
the media text and
audience.
Audience forced to
identify male gaze
Cinema reflects the
patriarchal society
Patriarchy and
phallocentrism
are linked as
phallus (penis) is a
symbol of power.
Women do not have
agency
5. Laura Mulvey’s Male Gaze Theory
The male gaze leads to Hegemonic ideologies within our society
Hegemonic = ruling or dominant in a political or social context
6.
7.
8. Gender roles in film
The characters that look at others are seen as the active role (male)
The characters that are to be looked at are passive (female) They are
under control of the males gaze and only exist for visual pleasure.
Females often slow the narrative down, they act as inspiration for
men to act.
Males on the other hand, push the narrative forwards and make
things happen and are seen as active
9. Female Objectification
Objectification is related to the gaze
The persons gazed at are objectified, treated as an object
whose sole value is to be enjoyed or possessed by the voyeur
Objectified characters are devalued and their humanity
removed.
10. The effects on society
• The trouble with the male gaze is that it leads to hegemonic ideologies within our society.
• Mulvey argued we live in a patriarchal society in which men set the majority of the rules and
construct and represent the ideal visions, roles and male dominance over woman.
• The worry is a passive audience will be influenced by this representation of reality and copy it and
it will actually become reality…if it hasn’t all ready.
Hegemonic - the ruling party's hegemonic control of all facets of society.
11. Miley Cyrus – Wrecking Ball
• When Miley Cyrus released Wrecking Ball in 2013 it caused outrage
and controversy mainly due to the change of image she had. Before
she was seen as an idol to many young teenage girls during her days
as ‘Hannah Montana’, appearing innocent, respectful and polite. This
created an older sister image to younger girls. However, as soon as
she left her acting career behind and broke into the music industry,
her whole image has changed, she has now become very sexual by
wearing little to no clothing and licking a hammer to portray a fetish
for danger and lust. She, just like Britney Spears, changed her persona
as she transitioned from adolescence to an adult.
12. Miley Cyrus – Wrecking Ball: From Hannah
Montana into Miley Cyrus
13. Miley Cyrus – Wrecking Ball – Is she exploiting or being
exploited?
• Here is an article from the guardian written by Barbara Ellen and Bertie Brandes on the 6th October 2013.
• http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/oct/06/miley-cyrus-exploited-empowered-debate
• ‘How depressing to see the older-younger female dynamic played out so viciously. Sinéad O'Connor may have overplayed
the tough-love card in her letter warning Miley Cyrus of overt sexuality ("prostitute"?). But, crucially, she meant well. Here
was an experienced older woman trying to reach out – to signal to Cyrus that someone had her back. Cyrus's ripostes
(mocking Sinéad's past mental health issues) were gauche and proof that she could do a lot worse than listen to O'Connor.
• In Miley's parlance, trash-talking Sinéad was "lame, maaan". Younger women in the music industry badly need older
female artists' support and warnings, never more so than now when, if you're not prepared to strip for "edgy" videos, you
can smooch goodbye to your contract. Did Cyrus see Britney commenting wistfully about how she wished her videos could
go back to being about great dancing and not just sex? Has it occurred to Cyrus that there are some traps you set yourself?
• In Sinéad, Miley had someone with creative skills to die for, who's been through the whole shebang, who never let herself
be bullied into playing the industry whore… and Cyrus's response is to jeer?
• Is this the state of intergenerational female relations these days – or is it just Miley misinterpreting an older woman's
concern as condescending? It isn't patronising to notice that, frequently, it's the ones who think they "know it all" who
turn out to be the most delusional.
• One hopes that this isn't going to be Cyrus's fate. So put that flapping tongue back in, Miley. Next time, perhaps, thank the
likes of Sinéad for their hard-won wisdom. It's called having the grace you're born with.’ – Barbara Ellen.
14. Miley Cyrus – Wrecking Ball – Is she exploiting
or being exploited?
Sledgehammer is sexualised by Miley as she is
presenting it as a phallus.
Miley wears barely any clothing
throughout the video and there are a few
pornographic scenes which highlight the
use of the male gaze.
15. Lily Allen – Hard Out Here
• The music video begins with Lily Allen on the surgical table going
under a liposuction surgery with males around the table talking about
her. She becomes more and more anxious as they continue to
converse. The manager then says ‘how could someone let
themselves get like this?’ referring to Lily Allen’s weight. This can be
interpreted as a misogynistic view due to the lack of empathy shown
for her. The lyrics that go ‘You’ll find me in the studio and not in the
kitchen’ indicate the feminism of the video and that she wants to
break away from the stereotype that women are inferior to men.
16. Lily Allen – Hard Out Here (Feminist Video)
• N.B. All the surgeons in the video are men which highlight how the
industry is dominated with men. This could indicate that women can’t
do complex procedures simply because of their sex and not ability.
17. Is this music video a parody or sexualising
women?
• In the video she refers to herself as ‘bitch’ which could suggest she is
pretending to be a male sarcastically or that she believes that this is
empowering. Nevertheless, the tone is critical in the video that is
supposed to promote feminism.
18. Parody or sexualising women?
The little clothing used by the females in
this video highlight the male gaze by
Laura Mulvey that women are seen as
sex objects. Also, this reinforces the
stereotype that black women have
thicker thighs and bums hence why
they’re used in videos to sell records.
This also has striking similarities to African-
American rap videos by using an expensive car to
show wealth and half-naked females dancing
around it to show that if you have wealth you can
buy a woman’s sexual pleasure.
19. Nicki Minaj Ft. 2 Chainz ‘Beez In The Trap’ –
Presentation of women in rap videos.
African American rapper thrusting his
pelvic region towards the females’ bum as
if he were having sexual intercourse. Also
the female just accepts it without denial
reinforcing their role as the inferior sex.
2 half naked women and 1 in very
tight clothing used to display their
erotic attraction to males and how
they are there to be looked at through
the camera,, this highlights the male
gaze.
Again, women in skin tight clothing
and bikinis to display their bodies as
erotically as possible highlighting the
importance of sexual women in rap
videos.
20. Jennifer Lopez ft. Iggy Azalea – ‘Booty’ – The
male gaze
• After Sinead O’Connor warned
Miley not to prostitute herself to
the music industry, many
females artists still do it in order
to gain the attention and sell
records. The male gaze attracts
many men to this video as they
see and are forced to focus on a
sexual part of the females body,
their bum. The female body has
been used as an the main
feature of music videos.
