Research: Mulvey’s Male Gaze

The 'Male Gaze' is the way in which females are portrayed within a music video to an audience. Females are portrayed as objectified due to the camera capturing their assets including their boobs and bums attracting and entertaining the heterosexual male audience. This is likely to make the female audience angry as they are likely to believe that this portrays all women in a bad light suggesting that all women are vulnerable and objectified in comparison to males who are instead perceived as having full control over females. However, some females may disagree as they believe that showing some aspects of the female body empower a female status as they feel comfortable to show off their body part. 

There are three ways in which feminists perceive this theory, they consider: 

1. How men look at women
2. How women look at themselves
3. How women look at other women

Mulvey's 'Male Gaze' (1975)

Laura Mulvey is a British film theorist who created a theory called the 'Male Gaze', which is involves her thinking around females in music videos being perceived from a heterosexual males perspective. This is portrayed through the camera being from a heterosexual males perspective, capturing females assets in a sexual manner which appeals to the heterosexual male audience who are likely to be entertained by the music video. The male gaze suggests that females are captured as looking sexually appealing and their sexual assets being on show, through the use of numerous close up's and mid shots, portraying them as objects and having no real identity. Therefore, females are are regarded as passive as they are vulnerable and dominated by the males within videos and the male audience who gain pleasure from watching them,  which suggests that males are perceived as active.

Examples of  'Male Gaze':

Enrique Iglesias ft. Usher & Lil Wayne - Dirty Dancer

In the 'Dirty Dancer' music video, the male gaze is evident as there are numerous close ups of various females personal assets while they are pole dancing in front of the artist. This is further reinforced as females are wearing raunchy bikinis and underwear objectifying them, and causing them to lose their independence and power, as they are simply being perceived as sex objects by the male artist and other males at the party who are watching them. This portrays the male artist as more superior and in control of the situation as he is smothered by the females who are trying to seek his attention. The females are objectified as the artist looks at the females in a sexual manner and the lyrics also support his actions as they relate to females stripping for the male artists benefit.

Robin Thicke- Blurred Lines 

The male gaze is evident in 'Blurred Lines' as there are girls starring in the video wearing minimal clothing, simply wearing underwear, and one female not wearing a bra, in comparison to the male artist who looks dominant as he fully dressed, looking smart as he is wearing a suit. The females are captured through mid shots and long shots allowing the audience to see their female assets clearly in comparison to the male artists who are portrayed as overpowering the enjoying the female attention. The male artists are also portrayed as looking at the females in a sexual manner, reinforcing their dominant nature, in comparison to the females who are portrayed as inferior as they dance around naked, trying to gain attention from the males. 

 

Sean Paul - She Doesn't Mind

Male gaze is evident in this following music video as there are numerous females, wearing revealing clothes. The females are perceived as acting sexual and are objectified as they twerk and dance on the male artist, who is portrayed as having ultimate control, as he is surrounded by the females who try to impress him and grab his attention. The artist is wearing black clothing and jewellery, promoting his significance and power in comparison to the females who's female assets are shown through the use of close up's and mid shots. although there are more females and only one male, he still maintains full control as they try to satisfy him kissing and touching him, evoking their dependence and lack of power which they crave to fulfil by competing to win over the male artist.  

Shakira ft Rihanna - Can't Remember to Forget You

Mulvey's Male gaze is evident in this music video, as the female artists in the music video are wearing revealing clothing and their body language and movements are sexual as they show off their personal assets by lying over a bed together and bending over walls. This is captured by the camera which emphasises the females sexualities, which express satisfaction from the male viewers as they see the females taking advantage of the situation they are in. Although the females are perceived as being in charge by serving the milkshake, with the males being the customers, the males still maintain the dominant role as the females are providing the males with what they want, allowing the males to benefit from this. Therefore, this music video maintains the male gaze and the gender roles, which include the male being powerful and dominating  the female, while the female is vulnerable and in the males hands. 

Criticism of Mulvey's Male Gaze

• Only see it from a male heterosexuals perspective- This suggests that the theory only applies to heterosexual males, not taking other audiences such as lesbian females, homosexual males etc into consideration. The theory assumes that only heterosexual males would be interested in the females sexual assets.

• Female opinion is ignored- Certain females see the male gaze as disrespecting their sexuality and ignoring their opinions, as it portrays females as objectified and in promiscuous manners. 

• Doesn't consider all women- All women differ from one another, however, the male gaze suggests that all women are the same, as they are all promiscuous and objectified in general, lacking respect for themselves. However, this is not the case in reality, as females starring within the videos are usually models and famous artists. 

• Men can also be gazed at- The male gaze only focuses on only females assets, and does not take into consideration males. However, males are also be gazed upon in music videos with their sexual assets displayed, although it is not identified.  

• Some people enjoy being looked at- The theory suggests that the male gaze is a problem in music videos, however, this is not always the case  as females starring in the video are likely to enjoy being looked at and therefore are star in the video. If they saw the male gaze as an issue and felt uncomfortable they would not be in the music video. Therefore the male gaze is not as much of an issue to the females in the videos as the theory makes out.

I believe Mulvey's male gaze theory is reliable as it draws upon realistic representations of females within music videos, as females are simply perceived as sexual objects rather than being perceived for who they truly are which is significant artists who have talent. I also agree that the use of cinematography impacts the way females are regarded, as the camera uses close up shots to capture the female artist/ characters body parts, including their lips, bum and boobs in order to draw the male audience in, grabbing their attention. I also agree that females are perceived as passive as their body is being flaunted unnecessarily through camera shots, portraying the females as objects in comparison to males who are the active party due to them gaining pleasure and satisfaction from what they see. Therefore, Mulvey's theory is valid and the 'male gaze' is evident in a majority of mainstream music videos. 

Conclusion:

Only certain music genres use this theory including the Hip hop, R&B, Dance, Rap, Pop, or Bashment genre, which are all targeted at younger target audiences, who are more likely to be males, and regard the 'Male Gaze', being an active audience. These popular genres are also more likely to promote social ideologies through their lyrics and narratives which highlight fun, young lifestyles which the younger target audience can relate to, therefore, believe that the 'Male Gaze' is appropriate to include in their videos. If my chosen genre is an alternative one that is unlikely to have the male gaze within existing music videos, I do not think I will include it. If I have females starring within my music video I will ensure the camera captures their personal assets in a way that satisfies that heterosexual male audience, but also ensure I do not focus on this aspect and lose focus as I must take my entire target audiences interests into consideration. therefore, I will portray my female as lacking full power, but it would be interesting to go against the male gaze and make my females superior and the males inferior, making the camera capture the males personal assets, satisfying the female audience. However, I have not made a definite decision due to not clarifying my genre as of yet.