The Male Gaze Theory

Male Gaze Theory - Laura Mulvey

Objectification is the process of being degraded (or degrading someone ) to such a point that the person is only seen as an object and not a human

Laura Mulvey is a British feminist film theorist, in her works 'Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema' which she wrote in 1975,  she theorised the 'male gaze theory' . It states that there is the way in which visual arts and literature depict the world and women from a masculine point of view, presenting women as objects of male pleasure. The theory also states that in film audiences have to view characters from the perspective of a male heterosexual.

Additionally, it shows the gaze of the male character within a film, TV show or music video. This shows that the male gaze is not just from the perspective of the consumer, but also the gaze of a male within the extract.

From a female's point of view there are 3 different ways that it can be presented:

• How men look at women
• How women look at themselves
• How women look at other women

A classic example of Laura Mulvey's theory in action is Robin Thicke's' Blurred Lines' music video. Women are clearly being objectified here and the viewer can see this throughout as the models featuring in the music videos can be seen to be prancing around the males.

The song was released in March of 2013 and highlights the fact that this theory is still in practice. If anything the Male Gaze Theory is in practice more now than ever.

Robin Thicke - Blurred Lines (Unrated Version) ft. T.I., Pharrell

Camera work plays a key aspect into the Male Gaze Theory, this is because it focuses on the different features of a woman. Different types of camera angles and shots highlight features - for example, an extreme close up would exaggerate a woman's lips. There are many issues that come as a result of this theory as it shows that audiences view females as individual parts and not a person resulting in objectification.

Nicki Minaj's 'Anaconda ' heavily objectifies women as they music video features women flaunting their features throughout. This objectifies the women in the video as they are doing so in order to appeal to heterosexual males. The music video received heavy criticism from the public as the song reached over 1.35 million dislikes on YouTube.  Towards the end of the music video, Drake can be seen getting a 'lap dance' from Nicki Minaj. This empowers the male as they are seen as dominant in the scene, Nicki Minaj is seen wearing very minimalist clothing which further objectifies her.

Nicki Minaj - Anaconda

Criticisms of the Male Gaze Theory:

Some women do not have a problem with the Male Gaze Theory as they enjoy being watched. This is a countertype throughout media as it creates a sense of dominance over men. This is a countertype as it opposes the idea that women are weak.

Social issues because of the Male Gaze Theory:

Women in modern society believe that they have to level with women that have been objectified. This creates issues in society as women aspire to be something that they are not.

The Female Gaze:

The Female Gaze Theory is a theoretical term that represents the gaze of a female viewer. It came as a response to Laura Mulvey's Male Gaze Theory

Just like the male gaze theory, there are 3 viewpoints that the female gaze looks at:

• The individual filming (the man being objectified
• The characters within the film (the women objectifying the man)
• The spectator (the consumer)

This theory backdates decades and can even be seen in works of art like 'Rebecca':

This objectifies men as it makes them look inferior in comparison to the woman and makes the man look like he is only there to be at the woman's call.

Magic Mike XXL - Official Teaser Trailer [HD]

'Magic Mike XXL'  is a perfect example of the Female Gaze Theory as it shows men to inferior to women, being only there for female pleasure and nothing else.