*The Male Gaze

What do you understand about the MALE Gaze?

Why is it important to us as media students?

Analyse Miley Cyrus new music video, focusing on female representation. Does it subvert or confirm the male gaze in your opinion?

Choose two music videos that use the male gaze in interesting ways.

The male gaze and why it is important to us as media students

The idea of the male gaze shows how an audience views the people/item presented. There are many repetitive features that are used to portray females in this way. One being, the camera focuses on the female body rather her face. This tends to be from a males perspective whilst showing his reaction. This therefore objectifies the women. Laura Mulvey created the term ‘male gaze’ in 1975 from her article called ‘Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema’. She believes that in film, audiences have to ‘view’ characters from the perspective of a heterosexual male. In the advertising industry the female body is sexualised even when the female has nothing to do with the product being advertised. This is also apparent in music videos even when the lyrics have no relation to sexual situations.

Feminists view the gaze in three different ways:• How men look at women• How women look at themselves • How women look at other women

The male gaze is important to us as media students as it shows the representation of women in a variety of situations. Whilst analysing music videos we found that the gaze is mainly apparent in the RnB and Pop genre. As our song we have chosen is Pop song we will have to seriously consider whether the male gaze is something we would like to include.

Miley Cyrus Wrecking Ball Analysis

In Miley Cyrus’ new music video ‘Wrecking Ball’ she is portraying herself as a sexualised object. This is through wearing minimal clothing which later turns to nothing. The use of close up and mid shots allow the audience to focus on the artist. This allows the record label to promote her as she wants to be seen by the public. This confirms the male gaze theory in a number of ways. These include how the artist looks at herself, how men look at her and how she wants her audience to look at her. The male gaze is also seen in this video, as we know that not just her but her director also wanted to portray her like this. By having a male director it allows Miley’s image to be created how the stereotypical heterosexual male would want to see her. This promotes her as a sexual object, which appears to be her ideal image.

*How lyrics portray the male gaze

Despite music videos, many lyrics have ‘hidden meanings’ or very obvious meanings relating to the male gaze. If it is a female artist the lyrics normally portray how the artist would like to be seen- giving them their ‘ideal’ image. This relates to the feminist view of how women want to be seen by men, other women and themselves. This is then normally backed up by their music video perhaps by lack of clothing. In male artists lyrics it is normally said how they look at females in a sexual manner, with their music videos having them surrounded by females. The lyrics below are examples of this.

Nice legs, Daisy Dukes makes a man goThat's the way they all come through likeLow cut, see through shirts that make yaThat's the way she come through like 'Cause I just set them up, just set them upJust set them up to knock them down'Cause I just set them up, just set them upJust set them up to knock them down I think I should knowHow to make love to something innocentWithout leaving my fingerprints outNow, L O V E is just another wordI never learned to pronounce How do I say I'm sorry'Cause the word is just never gonna come outNow, L O V E is just another wordI never learned to pronounce Tight jeans, double D's makin' me goAll the people on the street knowIced out, lit up make the kids goAll the people on the street know Push it baby, push it baby, out of controlI got my gun cocked tight and I'm ready to blowPush it baby, push it baby, out of controlThis is the same old dance that you already know

Starstruck 3OH3

I love the way she fills her clothes.She looks just like them girls in vogue.I love the way she plays it cool.I think that she is beautiful.

She's Pretty, a fittyShe's got a boyfriend though and that's a pitty.She's flirty turned thirtyAin't that the age a girl gets really dirty. I love the way she bites her lipI love the way she shakes them hips.I love the way she makes me drool.I think that she is beautiful. A stunner, I want herWas she this fit when she was 10 years younger? Come see me discreatly.She says she's got a trick or two to teach me.

Scouting for Girls- She's so lovely