Laura Mulvey developed the male gaze theory, which argues that there are three ways the male gaze operates: how men look at women, how women look at themselves, and how women compare themselves. Within music videos, females are often altered to attract male attention, and most genres assume a heterosexual male audience. For example, in Iyaz's "Replay" video the scantily clad female indicates sexual references and attraction from a stereotypical male perspective. Mulvey also argues this can lower women's self-esteem as they compare themselves to unrealistic ideals. The Greek term "scopophilia" refers to the objectification of females in films, where they have little agency and are viewed as objects for

1. REPRESENTATION
Alice Heffer

2. THE MALE GAZE THEORY
 Laura Mulvey is a British Feminist who argues that there are 3 ways that the male gaze theory
works; 1. how men look at women 2. how women look at themselves 3. how women compare
themselves. Within music videos, this is clearly apparent that females are altered to attract the
attention of males. This is seen by Mulvey’s view as there is an assumption of heterosexual men
being the ‘default’ target audience for most film genres.
 In Iyaz’s Replay video, the female is dressed in little to no clothing, indicating the sexual
references to the female, and the attraction from stereotypically a male audience. Not only this,
but Mulvey argues from a feminist point of view that other female watchers will in fact compare
themselves to this look and feel as if this is what the ideal woman looks like and lose her self-
esteem.

3. SCOPOPHILLIA
 ‘The love of looking’ is the definition of the Greek word ‘Scopophillia’ highlighting the
objectification of females. Mulvey explains that females are seen to be a passive involvement
in any film whilst, males are an active role. This means that the females are left with very little
agency therefor, either identifying with the male as a subject or independently but as an
object.
 All of the bellow including the likes of Rihanna, Britney Spears etc, are all famous and well
represented female artists, however, they are all seen as objects towards the male eye by
being dressed in a sexual way. Although their fan base would be seen as a heavily female
populated it is clearly based towards males. Like Mulvey states, the majority of directors are
male, resulting in the up-rise of the attraction of the female performer.

4. OBJECTIFICATION
 Music videos such as Arctic Monkeys – Leave before the lights come on- shows the female
relying on the man when she is about to commit suicide. By this it expresses that the female is
inferior and dependent on males. Not only this, but it makes the female character feel as if she
is weak without a male support.

5. MISOGYNY
 In June 2015, an example of misogyny showed, that the popular NME
magazine only had images of 3 female artists in comparison to 13
images on male artists. By cancelling out any female superior, the
magazine clearly chose to highlight the male popularity making women
artists less accessable.