An exploration as to whether 'Hard Out Here' by Lily Allen is demonstrative of 'The Male Gaze' theory.

1. LILY ALLEN'S 'HARD OUT
HERE' IN PERSPECTIVE
OF 'THE MALE GAZE'
(1975)

2. Is ‘Hard Out Here’ demonstrative of ‘The Male
Gaze’?
• Lily Allen's 'Hard Out Here' at face value seems to be a
satirical view of the patriarchal society and the objectification
of women in the music industry and in everyday life. However
many critiques have argued that her video is actually a
demonstration of 'The Male Gaze' and the idea that "women
are there to be looked at" and has widely been hailed as racist
due to the objectification of the all coloured dancers who are
scantily clad throughout. However Lily Allen has argued the
purpose of the video was to instil the idea of female
empowerment, cleverly discussing the objectification of
women, sexism in the media industry and the fallacy that that
no longer sexism exists. she introduces the concept of the
glass ceiling and her attempt to expose and break it. Allen's
new video sets out to be a feminist critique of the
entertainment industry.

3. The video begins with,
• The mise-en-scene suggesting the singer is in a
operating theatre seemingly undergoing liposuction
at her managers instruction. The idea here being
that females are shaped due to the way they are
expected to look and the pressures put on them by
our society eventually means they will society
eventually means they will conform to that. This
demonstrates the existence of the "patriarchal
society" and the idea that "men are controlling
subjects" which Mulvey's theory argues exist within
most texts. However the artist here is tying to mock
the existence of these things and demonstrate how
ridiculous it is that women’s opinions of themselves
can be shaped by industries, trying to defy the idea.
• She looks over to a TV screen and sees a typical
scene from popular music videos, typically in rap or
pop videos depending on the artist. This scene
could be seen as son popular as “women are there
to be looked at” and in may music videos women
seem to be objectified to sexual objects. This could
be seen as a critique of the ‘typical’ music video
however later Lily Allen then incorporates this
scene into her video, which she has commented is
to show women can be powerful and sexy without
the need to be looked at by men, however whilst
trying to critique the music industries
objectification of women she seems to incorporate
it.

4. However the video is demonstrative of ‘The Male Gaze’
• As within the video there are many
shots of half naked women
twerking and dancing provocatively,
which is a “representation of
women as a sexual fantasy and
from a heterosexual male point of
view” and agrees with the assertion
“women are there to be looked at”.

5. At first glance the video and lyrics seem crude and
degrading however,
• She is trying to empower the use of the word 'b*tch' in popular culture, with the
chorus stating the word over and over again referring to herself and other
females as something typically degrading but in a way that makes the word
seem almost flattering. This actually contrasts with the ideology that “males are
active and females are passive” within media texts. Allen’s video however, does
not adhere to the “needs of the male ego” as the only male in the video is the
‘manager’ who is old, the girls seem to mock him throughout the video
essentially degrading the men in the music industry not adhering to their egos.

6. • There is also an intertextual reference to Robin Thicke’s video ‘Blurred
Lines’ which would be widely recognised, she seems to try and ridicule a
shot in the video and how unnecessary it is whilst also commenting on the
“patriarchal society” that allows this. Robin’s Thicke’s intention is seemingly
to try and boast however Allen retorts with something that wouldn’t
typically be seen as a asset to show the stupidity of the statement within a
music video. Her intention is obviously to try and mock how dense it makes
Robin Thicke look. The statement he makes is ambiguous and could be
untrue, she replicates this to show how insignificant the assertion was to
the actual narrative of his song and make a point of how ridiculous the
content of pop videos have gotten.

7. • Lily Allen herself however is fully dressed
throughout the entire of the video.
Criticism of Allen's video followed almost
immediately after its release, with several
bloggers saying Hard Out Here's
demonstrated a "denigration of black
female bodies". While Allen's new video
sets out to be a feminist critique of the
entertainment industry, the principal action
involves Allen and a coterie of writhing
black dancers and slo-mo shots of
champagne being poured over the dancer's
bodies. Allen however responded "It is
meant to be a light-hearted satirical video
that deals with objectification of women
within modern pop culture … The message
is clear. // And if I was a little braver, I would
have been wearing a bikini too, but I do not
and I have chronic cellulite, which nobody
wants to see."

8. Sources used:
• http://www.newstatesman.com/culture/2013/11/lily-allens-hard-out-here-
mocks-every-stupid-sexist-pop-video-youve-seen-last-five-y
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0CazRHB0so
• http://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/may/29/adele-change-women-
music-business