The Male Gaze

Many have heard the term “male gaze,” which is a conscious and subconscious process by which women are viewed by an assumed male audience. This results in the sexualization and objectification of women and the curtailment of female agency. Al­though the male gaze cannot be tangibly felt, touched, or even easily defined, its practice is increas­ingly detrimental to women. Many readers may dismiss the male gaze as no longer rele­vant to the 21st century, but it is responsible for many women’s preoc­cupations with appear­ance and often spurs eating disorders, diet­ing, and plastic surgery, which have become prevalent in our society today. Even the most successful women fall prey to the standards of the male gaze. Criti­cal attention must be called to the male gaze because it is the root of many unhealthy, self-objectifying body image views that affect women today.

It is easier, now more than ever for women to receive and internalize the ideals of the male gaze be­cause of the pervasive ways in which the popular me­dia of both today and the past reinforce the male gaze. For instance, many magazine ads and music videos depict women in a way that assumes a male spectator and appeals to male sexuality. The female sexuality included in these videos often is an expression of the fulfillment of male sexual desires. The media and art (music videos, advertisements, paintings, television) have the power to mold our subconscious modes of thinking. The world is narrated by the male gaze, and women can internalize this detrimental, objectifying male gaze.

The male gaze also wields the power to dis­able female autonomy. As John Berger, an English art critic, states, “Men look at women. Women watch themselves being looked at.” John Berger’s analysis of European nude paintings encapsulates the concept of the male gaze. Many women are depicted viewing their reflections in a mirror, “responding with calcu­lated charm,” or simply assuming positions of dis­play while regarding themselves as a sight to be viewed. These paintings assume that the target audience is male, further reinforc­ing male gaze. This practice goes on in our daily lives: most of us dedicate many, often unnecessary, hours of our week primp­ing and perfecting our appearances in the mirror. Sometimes we forget that what we have to offer tran­scends our outward appearances.

Unlike other forms of control, the male gaze operates within the subconscious of both men and women who internalize these ex­pectations. And while we may be aware of the concept of the male gaze, it is very important to remind ourselves how our practices reinforce it.

This is not a plea for the boycotting of mir­rors, make-up, dieting or even plastic surgery; rather it is a gentle reminder to not let these things serve as validations. It’s important to examine and critique the motivations behind why we do the things we do be­cause if self-satisfaction is based on fulfilling the male gaze ideal, a true sense of self-satisfaction is difficult to achieve. So, continue putting on make-up, look­ing in the mirror, and admiring yourself. The point to remember is that, when it comes to body image, only one person’s opinion matters- and that is yours.