Has the Male Gaze developed over the years?
The male gaze is often interpreted in relation to how women are portrayed in media as an object to be looked at and belong to men.
Petterson M and Elliot R argue that “lifestyle magazine advertising has caused men to gaze upon images of their own bodies”
This has become more common through magazines and then social media for both men and women, however most media is still through the male gaze.
Male Gaze in Adverts
Van Heusen released an ad with a woman serving a man breakfast, with the caption “show her it’s a man’s world” This advert, has many clear messages of the male gaze, such as the woman serving him and the caption. The woman is also below him, reflecting his importance in the world.
The Giorgio Armani perfume cologne advert shows a man on the beach without a shirt, this reflects Petterson M and Elliot R’s theory that men now “gaze upon their own bodies.” This differs from older cologne ads, which previously had men with a woman as an accessory in the advert, often with her head resting on his stomach.
Female Gaze in adverts
The Rosie the Riveter advert could be considered one of the first female gaze adverts, with the intention being to promote to women to take over for men during the war. In this advertisement she is flexing her right arm, reflecting women’s strength.
Female gaze adverts often portray either a more realistic depiction of women for them to relate to, or an aspirational depiction, for example, women being able to achieve what they set their mind to or “We Can Do It!” this is evident in the This Girl can campaign, showcasing women being able to do a wide variety of sports, including football, cycling, diving, running, with the tagline “This Girl Can”.
Overalll, we need to challenge the normalisation of the male gaze in media. The more we accept and allow this to be the only perspective we grow up seeing, the more it will happen as it remains the ‘norm’ and seeing media through a female gaze remainsunusual.
Most films are centred around a male lead, which causes women to watch and relate to those films, however the same can’t be said for female leads. Meaning most mainstream films seen by both genders is told from a man’s perspective.
We are creatures of habit, so changing the way our media is presented to us is a big challenge, however its crucial for men and women to be equal. Not only is it important for women to be able to see themselves in media, but it is also important for men to consume female gaze media in order to feel empathy and gain an understanding of the different experience’s women face.
References:
Patterson, M., & Elliott, R. (2002). Negotiating Masculinities: Advertising and the Inversion of the Male Gaze. Consumption Markets & Culture, 5(3), 231–249. https://doi.org/10.1080/10253860290031631
