OCR A2 Media Studies

1. Laura Mulvey –
Representation Theorist
By Heather Larkin

2. Introduction to ‘Male Gaze’
 The concept of the Male Gaze is a feature of inequality of power.
 Male gaze is when the audience of a media text are put into the perspective of a
heterosexual man. This is where a scene may focus on a woman’s body, facial
expression or body language that can be viewed as assertive.
 Feminists would argue that these images presented in context are views closest
relating to that of a male, hence its referral to being the Male Gaze.
 Mulvey suggests in her theory that male gaze denies women ‘human agency’ and
portrays them merely as objects.
 This means women in the audience have to experience the narrative of the text
from the perspective of a male.

3. Examples of Male Gaze in other media
 Mulvey argues that sexism exists not only in the content of a text, but may also
exist in how the text is presented.
 Theorists note the degree to which people ‘gaze’ at women in advertisements
"sexualizes" a woman's body even when the woman's body is unrelated to the
advertised product.
“To gaze implies more than to look at – it signifies a
psychological relationship of power, in which the gazer is
superior to the object of the gaze.” - Jonathon Schroeder

4. How is ‘Male Gaze’ shown in videos?
Through how men look at women.
Through how women look at themselves.
Through how women look at other women.

5. Criticisms of the ‘Male Gaze’ theory
 It can be argued that some women enjoy to attract the attention of men,
so it is not a bad thing. For example, in beauty pageants.
 The gaze can be directed at different genders, and members of the same
gender for other reasons, not necessarily in a sexualised context. As an
example, comparison of body image and clothing.