The “male gaze” and
“Oppositional gaze” theories portray the roles of women in media. The theories depict
a patriarchal structure that created a media culture that objectifies women in
cinema and photography.
Laura Mulvey’s reading “Visual
Pleasure and Narrative Cinema” talks about “male gaze.” Bell Hooks’
reading “In Black Looks: Race and Representation” focuses on the idea of
“oppositional gaze.” These two works deal with the physiological and
psychological capacity of elaborating the “gaze.” "Oppositional gaze"
is the rejection of the "male gaze" for the reason that they
contradict each other. Mulvey has a strong focus on the psychological charge of
the gaze. Mulvey's reading talks about the passive role of women in film
productions. Mulvey’s point argues that productions illustrate a sense of
"visual pleasure" through scopophilia. Scopophilia means "love
of looking."
Mulvey writes, "The determining male gaze projects its phantasy on to the female figure which is styled accordingly” (Mulvey 837). Mulvey’s idea forms a psychological “gaze” that strongly indicates an instinctive pleasure powerful males have in looking.
Mulvey writes, “In a world ordered by sexual imbalance,
pleasure in looking has been split between active/male and passive/female. ”
(Mulvey 837). In this quotation, it shows an idea that sexual imbalance can be
referred to as gender inequality. This quote backs up the idea of “male
gaze” with pervasive views in media and culture. Women were not able to get
their own voice heard, unless men created scenes or opportunities for women.
Being aware of male surveillance, women were able to discover their own
journey-- sexual freedom. In today’s world, women gained freedom when they discussed
about “sex.” For instance, some women appear nude in magazine spreads
because they believe that it gives them the sexual freedom.
Bell Hooks creates racial impact with the reminiscences of black women. Hooks' reading mainly focuses on the personal, social and political consequences in the contemporary representations of race and ethnicity within a white supremacist culture. Hooks' idea deals with conceptual difficulties from every aspect; no one is able to deny that racism exists, and black women living in this nation suffered. The patriarchal idea is "debatable" because the essence of voyeurism is the observing but may also involve the making of a secret photograph; voyeurism is always highly accepted by male. Women's body images are essential to the making of a secret photograph due to the fact women were the target for a wave of abuse. Creating a narrative is successfully objectifying and revealing the existence of black women in that dominant culture.
Bell Hooks creates racial impact with the reminiscences of black women. Hooks' reading mainly focuses on the personal, social and political consequences in the contemporary representations of race and ethnicity within a white supremacist culture. Hooks' idea deals with conceptual difficulties from every aspect; no one is able to deny that racism exists, and black women living in this nation suffered. The patriarchal idea is "debatable" because the essence of voyeurism is the observing but may also involve the making of a secret photograph; voyeurism is always highly accepted by male. Women's body images are essential to the making of a secret photograph due to the fact women were the target for a wave of abuse. Creating a narrative is successfully objectifying and revealing the existence of black women in that dominant culture.
The "oppositional gaze" creates a meaning that
presents sexism and racism in media and culture. The term “patriarchal rules”
was used so often in these readings that it reflected the main point of male
oppression of women, either domestic or public. It has also been racist towards
the minority women’s representation and audience. The oppositional gaze can be
defined as analytical and objective position. This reading wanted to get the
audience’s attention on a problem of sexism and racism as not to perpetuate
this problem further.
Hooks’s reading is a feminist analysis. The problem
was originated from African American women’s representation and spectatorship
in the context of the mainstream culture. African American women’s
spectatorship is rarely displayed in the media or magazines; this can be one
reason that suppresses reconnection of race. I think it silenced the discussion
of racial difference. She thinks women are able to construct an oppositional
gaze if politics of race and gender were not their main concern but their
method of getting black women’s voice heard in the “patriarchy” (123).
In John Berger's "Ways of Seeing," Berger writes, “She is not naked as she is. She is naked as the spectator sees her” (Berger 50). For example, if I draw a comparison between perception of men and women, it can show that in media and culture, the representations of both genders and sexes enticed different "gazes,"
In John Berger's "Ways of Seeing," Berger writes, “She is not naked as she is. She is naked as the spectator sees her” (Berger 50). For example, if I draw a comparison between perception of men and women, it can show that in media and culture, the representations of both genders and sexes enticed different "gazes,"
Images found on Google images.
Acknowledging the "male gaze" by addressing the camera and Television.
"Miss America 2014-How politics made a beauty pageant ugly"
"Miss America 2014-How politics made a beauty pageant ugly"
Works Cited
- Berger, John. Ways of Seeing. London: Penguin, 1972. Print.
- Hooks, Bell. “The Oppositional Gaze.” Black Looks: Race and Representation. Boston: South End Press, 1992: 115-31. Print.
- Mulvey, Laura. “Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema.” Film Theory and Criticism: Introductory Readings. Eds. Leo Braudy and Marshall Cohen. New York: Oxford UP, 1999: 833-44. Print.
