The Male Gaze

The Male Gaze

The male gaze is the metaphorical tunnel through which women are viewed and portrayed in Western cinema culture and art. It can also be described as the lens through which western culture asserts control and dominance over women. Specifically the manifestation of heteronormativity in a patriarchal society that is responsible for overly sexualizing and objectifying women. Women are relegated to being that of objects and are stripped of agency; the male gaze has created a culture that is responsible for the social death of women. Socially they are dead for they are subjected to the control of a sovereign that determines even physical life or death. The male gaze has over – determined the image of the woman and already has predetermined notions of what makes the woman beautiful.

                                                                                                        Title: Fashion and the Male Gaze

According to Bell Hooks, “When most black people in the United States first had the opportunity to look at film and television, they did so fully aware that mass media was a system of knowledge and power reproducing and maintaining white supremacy” (Hooks 117) The social construct that is white supremacy controls heteronormativity and its mobilization in contemporary Western patriarchal discourse. The oppositional gaze is a beacon that creates “spaces of agency that exist for black people” (Hooks 116)  This gaze is a constant opposition to whiteness and its perception of the ideal image of the “blond blue-eyed woman.” An image surfacing from the roots of white supremacist ideology. In the “Oppositional  Gaze” Bell Hooks tells us that  ideal women represented in cinema culture  were white women  who had fit the ideal image. She tells us that black women even at that time could not look. The oppositional gaze is an eternal confrontation to the male gaze and its perversion in Western society.                           

The male gaze has set very strict gender roles that are predetermined to fit male and female stereotypes. Berger tells us in “Ways of Seeing” that “Men look at women; Women watch themselves being looked at” (Berger 47). This means they are ever so conscious of how they are perceived constantly.  Women are defined by the eternal male gaze it is the process by which they are assimilated into society. Males and maleness are worshipped and females exist primarily for the purpose of procreation and nurture. Patriarchy defines these roles and it confines the female object to this prison that is heteronormativity.  

Link: http://shoesense.blogspot.com/2006/04/fashion-and-male-gaze.html

Post 1-

     Male gaze is the focus of the female body through art and media in ways to attract predominately the male eye.  Male gaze is found everywhere in the media, and throughout history.  For example Marilyn Monroe being a sex symbol for her time period as well as Betty Boop the cartoon character.  Rap and Hip Hop music may resemble another type of male gaze especially for the out break of the Blaxploitation time period, where as women, especially black women were viewed as stereotypical.

     Male gaze is used in many art and pop cultures because it is what sells the most for example hip hop and rap cultures.  It's like a endless cycle. Production companies make good money because of the consumers.  The rappers and hip hop artists continue to make the music that is demanded by its audience.  It is mentioned in the video of Bell Hooks talking on cultural criticism (rap music), that those rappers know exactly what to express in their music videos and lyrics, in order to get the attention they want from their audience.  It is the overall image that an artist expresses that sells from the music to the music videos.

     The "Oppositional  Gaze", is based on those who chose not to follow the stereotypical women in media and art.  Bell Hook emphasizes women to critique the view of women in rap, hip hop videos, and media in general.  Hook quotes, "Emphatically stating that in all relations in power" there is necessary the possibility of resistance." (Hook, 116) In comparison to Rap/HipHop music women were viewed as sex symbols preferably black women through music videos and films.  For example, where as in the Blaxploitation period, black women were constantly viewed as either sluts, or whores through  these black films for black audience. What Bell Hook is referring to is women shouldn't stand for less, or fall for what the media has to offer.

     This topic on Male Gaze and Bell Hook's input of women didn't change my  perspective on media and art, but instead reflects on it. My experience through my high school years, is when I took notice on the effect of art and media which it had on teenagers. In every high school you'll most likely see what is called "clicks". In "clicks",people usually have a shared interest within each group.  Being that I went to two high schools in particularly different areas, one being the majority white race and the other well diverse. These "clicks"usually would have a certain way of dressing including a certain taste of music, moreover these groups can be viewed as a subculture.  Media and music especially have a great impact on society and how we may express ourselves. 

     In conclusion I agree with Bell Hooks, in which the influence ofmedia has on society. Not to be against rap or hip hop music, in which I ironically do enjoy, personally I believe it's up to the women to either follow these women in hip hop videos or media, or to simply go by there own standards.

Look the Other Day

           As I was growing up, my mother used to tell me to lower my gaze in front of the elders. When they speak, I was to be quiet and pay close attention to what they are saying. Looking back at them during an argument meant disrespect, and disrespecting an elder was highly frowned up. To this day, I have followed that rule wholeheartedly to the point where it became a strong habit. And human beings are bound to adapting. Similarly, the males in my culture were taught to keep their heads held high and always keep their gazes straight. But what happens when that gaze is geared towards a female who has been taught all her life to keep her eyes to the ground? Moreover, what if the gaze itself projects a sinister surrounding in which the woman is slowly being consumed?

            Women have always been the second choice, the second option for any situation. They are known for being the nurturer never the protector. Because to us, a protector means someone who possesses an immense amount of power which is why we accept the idea of there being a God or an external force who is responsible for creating us. And not surprisingly, we address that Supreme Being as ‘he’ majority of the time. Even as generic as writing an essay and addressing someone of who’s gender we are not sure of, we tend to assume that person to be a male. Why do we do it? We do so because women have been brought up thinking that they are born to be presented below men. They are born in a “confined space” and “into the keeping of men” because men are known for providing the sense of a protector (Berger, 46). But is it necessary for us to remain within that confined space? I presume so. Because we constantly seek approval from the men surrounding us because being appreciated by the ‘protector’ is what we strive for.

            But is it ideal? To strive for approval instead of appreciating who we are as an individual? Morally, the answer is no, we do not need to have constant appreciation. But socially, yes, we do need to be noticed and esteemed worthy because our values and morals have been corrupted by us. Even though we blame the society for constantly giving us a vision of what perfect should be, we forget the fact that we are part of the society. We built it, we lead it, and now we are being run by it. We enjoy being “looked at” and appreciate the gaze towards us (Berger, 47). In today’s media, the ways to please men are innumerable. From dressing and acting down to speaking and looking: everything is done so men’s eyes can be pleased. Society teaches us how to become independent and at the same time, pushes us to our limits and makes us be subordinate to men; the irony.

            A woman being subordinate to men is not a recent issue; it has been built up over centuries. From the beginning of time, women ‘naturally’ learned to stay at home and look after the families while the men went out to provide for the said family. But without any influence of an outside media, how did they know which role to assign each gender? It is a tough question to answer since we lack sufficient amount of evidence from those time periods. But moving onto the time periods of which we do have records of, we see the same, never-changing role played by women. Women are viewed as something to be appreciated but never be valued whereas, men are known for being authoritative and often the “ideal spectator” (Berger, 64).

            Now comes the point where women are so accustomed to the male stare that they attempt to manipulate it. By the means of fashion, style, make-up, and even down to how they hold themselves and walk down the street. We are aware of “critical gaze” and we do our best to avoid that “oppositional gaze” which is posed by the authoritarian (Hooks, 116). We change ourselves completely in the presence of a male that we will not be able to recognize ourselves if we were a mere spectator. We clothe ourselves in a manner of a seductress; we act as a sexual being. Why do we do that? No one says it better than Berger: “we are overwhelmed by the marvelous simplicity of the familiar sexual mechanism” (Berger, 59). And that overwhelmed feeling manipulates our own thought process and makes us appear different than our natural self. We become so numb to the stares that we, subconsciously, become the object men admire. But is that all for us? Is that the peak of our success? To be appreciated by men? If so, then we have not progressed one bit from where we started out. 


http://www.slrlounge.com/how-i-shot-it-a-deep-gaze-by-lauri-laukkanen

Post #1: Not For Your Entertainment

You can be walking down the street with the most baggiest of clothes but, as much as you try hiding yourself, someone always notices you: cat calls, hollers, and even gazes. Sometimes it's not about the style of clothes that get their attention on you. Other times it's about your gender and other moments it's your race that persists the attention of people you do not want to stare at you. Why is it that in modern day we always have this pace in walking when we subconsciously think about what people think? It's because of the idea of people staring or gazing and how it's affected previous generations of any culture to instill the idea that sometimes looking in any direction can be misinterpreted. But the misinterpretations have been sucked in like a sponge due to various factors. What are they?

To gaze at someone can get you in trouble. Regardless of your intents--good or bad--your gaze can get your own self in trouble. Bell Hooks experiences this and elaborates how "The "gaze" has always been political in [her] life" (Hooks 115). Gazes can vary in their purpose but what does it mean to gaze? Gaze, can be used as a verb or noun and has the following meanings:

Verb (used without object)
1. to look steadily and intently, as with great curiosity, interest, pleasure, or wonder.Noun2.  a steady or intent look.3. at gaze, Heraldry. (of a deer or deerlike animal) represented as seen from the side with the headlooking toward the spectator: a stag at gaze.

The meanings have been provided thanks to dictionary.com, an online dictionary site (note: clicking the link will lead you to the definition of 'gaze'). What is amazing is that there are labels for certain gazes that have existed over a period of time. One of them being labeled the male gaze. The male gaze is throughout history, the views--the very objectified views--of women. 

Post #1: The Significance of "Gaze"

     The success of Transformers and Ironman other such explosive summer blockbusters is indicative of the force that is the male gaze and the public's unwillingness to accept breasts, buttocks and blond bombshells as anything other than a harmless and inevitable aspect of modern-day film. But the role of women in mainstream cinema is far from harmless: the female protagonist, if she exists, is often reduced to a single trope -- recall the fan-favorite damsel in distress -- and/or an object of male desire. Whether she is a plot device or eye-candy, the woman's purpose in film -- and other forms of art -- is to pander to the male audience and ultimately satiate the male gaze, which can then only be tamed by the resistance of the oppositional gaze.

     This so-called male gaze has pervaded all areas of art throughout history, whether the art in question is centuries-old nudes or 'family-friendly' PG-13 action films. No matter the art medium, the result is the same: women are the objects of men -- white, straight, cisgendered men, specifically -- and will continue to be the objects of men as long as patriarchy remains in place. The exploitative camera angles, the slow panning from bottom to top and the deliberate focus on the woman's breasts and buttocks serve to acknowledge the male audience (the female audience, by contrast, goes ignored).  According to Berger's Ways of Seeing, some forms of nakedness -- both in film and traditional art -- "[are] a sign of her submission to the owner's feelings or demands," in this case the "feelings or demands" of the male audience (52). The "owner-spectator" in every body of art is male, even in film. The camera may be focused on her breasts, even if she is not naked, or she may break the fourth wall and stare seductively into the camera. Either way, the intent is to titillate the male audience. 

  Such is the male gaze:  the portrayal of women as sex toys and tools for (not of) power. The male gaze is men's perception and representation of women, the latter usually crafted to cater to other men. Berger clarifies: "Women are depicted in a quite different way from men -- not because the feminine is different from the masculine -- but because the 'ideal' spectator is always assumed to be male and the image of the woman is designed to flatter him" (64). To continue with the example of mainstream  cinema (and sometimes art house film), popular films are made by men for men, and their intent is to place men in a position of power and undermine women by either over-sexualizing them or utilizing the cliche of the damsel in distress. Furthermore, art in general seems to exist only to please men, to reflect very masculine perceptions of feminine beauty and to portray women as nothing more than a fleeting image.

  The oppositional gaze, by contrast, is an individual's contesting stare -- her determination to create a visual representation of those under the oppressive gaze of white men. It came about in response to the white male gaze -- the objectification of women to serve white male needs. Non-white women feel this gaze with ferocity, for not only are they being objectified, but their non-white needs -- that is, the need for identification with the work's central characters -- go completely ignored. When they are present in film or another body of art, their images are usually -- and wrongly -- distorted to either fit a stereotype and/or social convention. Bell Hooks laments this fact, stating that non-white women must learn to combat the racism and sexism in films by developing a critical eye, an oppositional gaze. But this is difficult when feminists neglect to mention the importance of racial differences and black filmmakers are too absorbed in "phallocentric politics of spectatorship" to properly depict black women (118, 123). This is no way to combat the forces of oppression. The true foe is neither man nor white; he is a combination of the two, the white man, and tackling race and gender separately is a fruitless endeavor. 

  Furthermore, the objectification of women--white and non-white alike--is the focus of the male gaze. It is only through the effort of the oppositional gaze that women can begin to tear the male gaze down. This, however, will require feminists to concede to a simple fact: there is no one woman. A woman's experiences will differ depending on race or ethnicity. As a white woman, I can relate to the struggles of these white female protagonists; as a Brazilian woman, I am angered when Latinas are depicted as uneducated, tacky or other such stereotypes. I am not hurt when Latinas are absent in art or film because I am also white, and white people -- at the very least white men -- are always present in art and film. I am, however, hurt by the absence of women, so I can't even begin to imagine the pain or disconnect a non-white woman must feel when surveying art history, or watching a film with only white main characters. 

Megan Fox as seen in Transformers (2007)

While I would hesitate to call Transformers "art", it is 

nevertheless film, and most certainly popular culture. 

Below is a link to another blog containing a comprehensive analysis of not only the male gaze, but the female gaze. Nothing in this work is cited or taken from the following blog:

http://realizziie.blogspot.com/2010/03/female-gaze-vs-male-gaze-has-there-been.html

The male gaze is pervasive in art and popular culture today due to the necessities of men to be the controlling power in society stemming from the beginning of time.  Men throughout every time period and social structure to date have put down women as being inferior. The main purpose given to women by men is to accompany them threw life and raise children. Women have always been limited by the male gaze and the scrutiny placed upon them by men.

This is also true when it comes to art. Women in art are only appreciated due to their appearance; unlike men in art which are celebrated for their achievements and adored for their importance in their society. Women subsequently fall into acceptance of what they are deemed important for. Berger simplifies this ideology when he says,  “men act and women appear. Men look at women. Women watch themselves being looked at. This determines not only most relations between men and women but also the relation of women to themselves" (47). Women in essence contribute to the spread of the ideology of the male gaze and put themselves at a social disadvantage.

The oppositional gaze therefore came about as a rebellion of the male gaze. Women during the Renissance began to strive for education and social status more than just beauty. During this period women became nuns and began to explore through books on medicine, science, and sacred music (Guerilla Girls, 22). As you may imagine men took notice and immediately began to deauthorize women access to these social expressions.

Society has always portrayed these essentials which are not easily forgotten. Many people are making really strong efforts to change these gender based views and make a more equal sense between men and women, but in actuality these aspirations are very far off in todays society. Little by little the male gaze may be undone and equality may be possible someday in the future of our society

http://www.wallsave.com/wallpapers/1600x1200/woman/354353/woman-women-fantasy-art-354353.jpg

The Male Gaze, Art and Society

   Throughout history, women have been the subject of art in various medias whether paintings, cinema, literature or poetry.  The manner in which women are portrayed and the purpose of this portrayal impacts societies perceptions of women, how women view themselves, and how others perceive women's attitudes toward themselves.

   There is an underlying power struggle that comes in to play with the way these women are portrayed.  In Berger's article he explains the difference between the presence of a man versus the presence of a woman.  A man's presence is dependent upon the promise of power which he embodies. The promised power may be moral, physical, temperamental, economic, social, sexual - but it's object is always exterior to the man (Berger, 45-46).  In contrast,  according to Berger a woman's presence expresses her own attitude towards herself  e.g. her gestures, voice, tone, opinions, the way she presents herself, is seen as a direct reflection of who she is, who she perceives herself to be, how she wants to be treated,  and the sense that her existence is for the purpose of being looked at and to appear for the male eye.

    We are bombarded with societal suggestions of perceived beauty through advertisement, media, magazine covers, the perceived beauty that celebrities are held upon, all in direct correlation to the standards which have been set up by white European men's standards from the past.

   History shows us that the male presence or gaze, is directly enforced through the manner in which women are portrayed as objects, something to be looked at.  This enables the male gaze to exert its power over the woman, and her objectification suppresses any power that she could have.  To place her as a naked figure with alluring eyes, and a seductive look, pertains to the direct purpose of exerting male dominance over the female psyche.

    Bell Hooks addresses the topic of Black Female Spectators in order to address the imbalance of black women's portrayal in cinema.  She points out the political underlying stereotypes of black women's representation in the media.   The difference between the spectator (the male) and the image which were women further puts a gap between the two sources of power- with men grasping a dominant stance on women's appearance in film.  Hooks further states that even white women themselves were not perceived to be "white" enough when referring to blonde "bombshells" that have been known in American culture such as Marilyn Monroe and Bridgette Bardot.  These women portrayed are not only white, but platinum blondes, considered to be "ultra feminine" and "ultra sexy."  (Hooks, 119)

  Hooks' article further presents the idea of questioning the images before us.   The gaze is not only representational of digging into social, political and racial issues but to raise the idea of questioning the scene/imagery/stereotypes that is placed before us.  Her point is to not only question whether the misrepresentation of Black women is deemed unfair and traumatic but to raise knowledge of the way we are groomed to view women as mere objects for the white male's ideologies of what women are supposed to be.  She hopes that in due time that we can think critically of the way females are subjectified and that Black female spectatorship can be used to know the present, understand the past, and possible invent a different future.

  The portrayal of women in art and cinema is something that I have been exploring through my art.  I  am sometimes unsure of the direction in which I plan to go with.  There are times that political aspects of sexuality and race are my main ideas, and sometimes I wish to promote female power and strength.  Our society has certainly changed in the past few decades and the new millennium has produced a different breed of women.  Not only are women CEO's of corporations, they are doing it all while still performing domesticated duties such as raising a family and obtaining degrees.  The power of persuasion through the use of cinema, art, literature has definitely encouraged me to pursue different goals and aspirations.  Hopefully one day, there will be a time when the "gaze" can be balanced and shifted into an even scale void of male dominance or coercion.

Marilyn Monroe & Bridget Bardott

The Gaze: Looking is not Always Free (Post 1)

Looking, staring, even gazing is a part of being human, a part of functioning as an individual. If one lacks the sense of sight, their other senses are intensified, but ultimately our visual capabilities allow each of us to gain and absorb so much of what is around us. However, many of the things that we see and observe are not our own. These images are created to shape our understanding and beliefs as spectators.  

The gaze is the way an individual views and understands visuals presented in culture and society. The male gaze is the objectification of women by men and how men view and portray women. A person does not need to be naked to be sexualized, to be subjected to the male gaze. The oppositional gaze or the black oppositional gaze reflects a history and culture of African American individual who have been denied their inherent right to look and who gone against oppressive forces to create a visual identity for themselves.

Bell Hooks addresses the challenges an institutionalized social construction can cause in chapter seven of her book, Black Looks: Race and Representation. She states that overcoming gender construction cannot be based on changing or challenging one individual’s belief, but it must be tackled in a way that reflects an overall transformation of hegemonic white male ideals. When a concept is institutionalized it becomes a relative reality of its own, developing into a framework that rest on how each respective cultural adopts it and how societies throughout time interpret it, especially through film and media.

The problem with forged realities is that they are not concrete or true representations of all individuals, and when one’s own reality is not reflective of the general model they are forced to compel or be ostracized for who they are or for who they may not be.  For black women it is not only a battle of the sexes, but also a battle of races.

Images hold great significance in our cultural identity and though the male gaze is oppressive in content, it is a true reflection of our identity as a society as a whole. It is only when men and women alike challenge these norms can a structural gaze breakdown. Before film was interrogated, black female spectators “choose not to identify with either the victim or the perpetrator, a clear example of the oppositional gaze.  

Although we may not want our identity to be defined by those who look at us, we are limited in our control, because we too define ourselves by what we see or by what we wish to see. 

Painting: 

http://lipmag.com/culture/reversing-the-male-gaze/

Photo (Advertisement):   

 

http://abagond.files.wordpress.com/2008/02/malegaze94.jpg

The gazes

From the moment of creation to the modern era, there has been the notion that women and men are different. Looking at this from an Art History perspective, it is noticeable that women and men have been been portrayed very differently. This can be seen from early history when the world was strangled by a Feudalistic structure, where women have been placed at the very bottom. Art expresses that, paintings have shown women in mostly nude. But art is not always about the subject, but can be categorized by the viewer. This is what we come to know as the male gaze.

The male gaze, as John Berger suggest is "a man's presence suggests what he is capable of doing to you or for you. His presence may be fabricated, in the sense that he pretends to be capable of what he is not. But the pretense is always towards a power which he exercises on others" (Berger 46). Berger argues that the male gaze is pervasive because it strips the control from the female population entirely because their presence is a reflection of what can the male do to you or for you. This is seen in the vast array of nudes that have been created throughout history. The very notion of nudes is for the enjoyment of males because the female form is pleasurable to the senses. The nudes are a pictorial representation of male power, and Berger continues to say "in contrast, a woman's presence expresses her own attitude to herself, and defines what can and cannot be done to her" (Berger 46). The male gaze is a perfect way to express the inequality in the world of Art which is a representation of the part, because it shows how women were mistaken for tools for male pleasure.

I different way, Bell Hooks talks about cinema and the art of photography. She argues that the Black community that was not directly in contact with the "white population" only experienced through images that either neglected or misrepresented the Black image. with that being the case, Bell Hooks argues that it has negatively shaped the perception of Blacks in general. "The oppositional gaze" notion talks about the manner that the viewers have responded to way whites were idealized and when cinema and photography was created about non-white, gender-less population, the community responded in a backlash. Hooks says, "Conventional representations of black women have done violence to the image. Responding to this assault, many black women spectators shut out the image, looked the other way, accorded cinema no importance in their lives"(Hooks 120). The fact that cinema was so gender-divided and color blind has had a humongous gap between Black and white spectators. Though Bell Hooks would say it has gotten better, the point that she tries to make is that it is not perfect yet and progress cannot come soon enough.

My experience with art and cinema has been changed quite recently. It was only about four years ago when i noticed the misrepresentation in cinema and the subjectivity of Art when it comes to gender. I would not consider myself the Art connoisseur by any means but when noticed, it is easy to spot how misleading Art and cinema is as a representation of Worldly people. Cinema was the main setting of change, it struck me when I realized that as white male spectator, it was hard to see a variation of races and both genders. After reinforcement from Bell Hooks and the works of  Berger, I have seen progress in the desire for complete and respectful (and truthful) representation in culture.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_at9dOElQk

The link is to a scene from the very popular Disney movie, Peter Pan. it may have seemed childish and innocent but there are many underlying stereotypes, race injustices, and gender inequalities in this piece of cinema.

The image has been taken from google. Giorgione's painting of the Sleeping Venus, shows how female form, sexuality and image was tied to the intentions of male desire.

The Male Gaze and Oppositional Gaze

The male gaze is is defined as a man’s impression of seeing a woman. Consequently, the word “survey” is used quite frequently in both articles, in my opinion, what men do is evaluate the women he looks at. The man will then decide his next course of action based on his evaluation. “One might simplify this by saying : men act and women appear. Men look at women. Women watch themselves being looked at. This determines not only most relations between men and women but also the relation of women to themselves.” (Berger, 47) 

The male gaze is pervasive in art because in history, it has showed that women were not valued in art as they should be. The naked body was seen and unappreciated. In history books, naked men are valued, their sculptures appreciated and memorable. Naked sculptures of women were seen as ordinary, with the subjects mostly unknown. "What is the sexual function of nakedness in reality? Clothes encumber contact and movement. But it would seem that nakedness has a positive visual value in its own right: we want to see the other naked: the other delivers to us the sight of themselves and we seize upon it - sometimes quite regardless of whether it is for the first time or the hundredth." (Berger, 58)

The male gaze is pervasive in popular culture because men have always been in a role of power, and allowed to be in situations where they have some form of control of the public, therefore, controlling media. The age in which we live in has developed a mentality that there is only women beautiful woman, and that anything less isn't undervalued or unappreciated; anything less is discarded and irrelevant. 

Images of Beauty Used Against Women Article

The oppositional gaze, as descried by bell hooks is, "hard intense looks." It is an not physical action, seen as "resistance." A non physical "political" statement. (Hooks, 115) Seemingly, the gaze has always been prevalent, but in slavery is where it began to be punished. African American slaves were beaten if not killed for looking at their owner directly in the eyes, it was seen as disrespectful.  This unfortunately developed into a mentality that parents began to use as slavery ended. The thought process is that, the parent as power (like a slave owner), and a child must be obedient (as a slave would) to their parents. Therefore, a child who gives a "hard intense look" to a parent, would be making a rebellious punishable statement. As bell hooks stated, she was torn because children when yelled at are told to look at their parents, not look down at the ground yet in everyday situations, looking is what might get them in trouble and it can be confusing. 

I like most men, am not ashamed to say that I look at women I do not know and evaluate or survey them in my head, it would seemingly be against human nature not to. Reading these articles has opened my eyes to a new outlook and new understanding towards just how deep my gaze can impact someone, not only negatively as well. I think that, as superficial as it might sound, for both men and women, if they feel as though they are having a bad day and a person of the opposite sex gives them the "gaze" it just might brighten their day. 

Post 1 Male Gaze and Oppositional Gaze

Feminism, sexism, and racism, are things that have existed for centuries. Sad to say it is something that is still very prevalent in today’s society. While we are all “equal” there are still people today that are ignorant and adhere to male patriarchy. It is something that seems to be embedded in the minds and hearts of some people today and it will probably still exist hundred years down the road. The male gaze as described by Bell Hooks is how men perceive women whether it be sexually or artistically, and how the  gaze seemed to support white supremacy in the book. Berger suggests in his story that the male gaze is powerful. This gaze is still used today but there are women who practice what Bell Hooks calls the oppositional gaze. These kind of women are bold and strong in the sense that they refuse to give in to white supremacy or male patriarchy and want to show what they as not only women but women of color could bring to the table.

Men’s being considered the dominant sex throughout the course of time plays a big part in how their gaze is pervasive in art and in popular culture. Berger described the man’s gaze as being powerful and that a man’s presence is dependent upon the promise of power which he embodies. He further adds that a man’s presence suggests what he is capable of doing for you and to you (Berger 45-46). This is probably the idea that many people have. This is even more true for a white man’s gaze because as brought out in chapter seven of Bell Hooks book. White supremacy and racism is mentioned in the chapter as well. Women in plays were white, and black female spectators had to perceive themselves as these beautiful white women because the idea was that white women are beautiful or that beauty is white. It is mentioned in the chapter, “with the exception of early race movies, black female spectators have had to develop looking relations within a cinematic context that constructs our presence as absence, that denies the “body” of the black female so as to perpetuate white supremacy and with it a phallocentric spectatorship where the woman to be looked at and desired is “white”(Hooks 118).These are all things that were approved by the male gaze but if a black woman was portrayed on screen it would be criticized because according to the male gaze white was desirable and black was not.

Since racism is involved in all of this, white men had the power they were dominant and their thoughts and input was respected. Berger believes that women and men have their own roles he describes the woman as being beautiful desirable and that they are there to serve men. Berger brings out in his story that “to be born a woman has been to be born, within an allotted and confined space, into the keeping of men” (Berger 46).  In Bell Hooks story through  male white supremacy black women are being molded into wanting to be white and being portrayed as beautiful and sexual because white is attractive and white is desirable, so the idea in both stories is actually very similar in how woman are viewed and how they should look for men.

The oppositional gaze came about because in the world there are strong minded people and very strong minded women, in this case that was even more so of the black female women. If there is one thing I know is that women do not like being told what to do, how to think, or how to act.  Women eventually become rebellious against this established concept so to speak. Bell hooks mentions in the reading “Those black women whose identities were constructed in resistance, by practices that oppose the dominant order, were most inclined to develop an oppositional gaze.”(127) The women obviously in this did not think that they should look white that they were beautiful being black and so they dared to go against the common male gaze and opposed it making the oppositional gaze. The oppositional gaze challenges the male gaze and white supremacy in how it is views women.

Women were trying to make a statement in Bell Hooks book that the male gaze is wrong and they were not going to support white supremacy and try to perceive themselves as white because white is desirable. They felt that they can do the jobs that men could do to, they felt that they can be spectators that they can critique and direct and so that is why the oppositional gaze happened because women were not going to put up with all that nonsense.

I believe that this story by Bell Hooks just reinforced my idea that women and men are equal in all sense and that race or sex has nothing to really do with anything. Before reading Bell I did not even know that this sort of thing even happened. I agree with Berger in what he said about a man’s presence is dependent upon the promise of power that he embodies (45) but, not so much about women being tools for men. There is a painting that he mentions a painting and how he looked at it and it reminded him he was a man implying that the painting was obviously drawn by a man. What I learned through the readings is that sex should not determine your capabilities of being a great artist, or spectator, or your ability to be in film. More importantly art does not have a sex behind it because a painting can be drawn by either sex. I feel that my role in all of this is to continue in how I feel about women and how they are equal to men and how they should be free to express themselves however they want and not how men want them to.

To conclude, women especially black women were correct in not submitting to the male patriarchy because they shouldn’t feel like they have to submit to the idea that white is right. Women, black women should be content with who they are and they should not submit to male supremacy. Women should be considered equal to men.

 

 

http://stopviolenceuw.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/feminism1.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

http://lh5.ggpht.com/-hLoPaekRy-w/UN2gRxJsjhI/AAAAAAAAHok/5YesNq5uHTc/feminism-feminism-32075708-960-640.jpg?imgmax=800

 

 

 

 

 

http://robertwiblin.files.wordpress.com/2010/02/obama-check-out-girl.jpg

 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/30/Young_woman_painting_and_drawing_in_Gambia.jpg

Post 1 The Male Gaze and The Oppositional Gaze

Feminism, sexism, and racism, are things that have existed for centuries. Sad to say it is something that is still very prevalent in today’s society. While we are all “equal” there are still people today that are ignorant and adhere to male patriarchy. It is something that seems to be embedded in the minds and hearts of some people today and it will probably still exist hundred years down the road. The male gaze as described by Bell Hooks is how men perceive women whether it be sexually or artistically, and how the  gaze seemed to support white supremacy in the book. Berger suggests in his story that the male gaze is powerful. This gaze is still used today but there are women who practice what Bell Hooks calls the oppositional gaze. These kind of women are bold and strong in the sense that they refuse to give in to white supremacy or male patriarchy and want to show what they as not only women but women of color could bring to the table.

Men’s being considered the dominant sex throughout the course of time plays a big part in how their gaze is pervasive in art and in popular culture. Berger described the man’s gaze as being powerful and that a man’s presence is dependent upon the promise of power which he embodies. He further adds that a man’s presence suggests what he is capable of doing for you and to you (Berger 45-46). This is probably the idea that many people have. This is even more true for a white man’s gaze because as brought out in chapter seven of Bell Hooks book. White supremacy and racism is mentioned in the chapter as well. Women in plays were white, and black female spectators had to perceive themselves as these beautiful white women because the idea was that white women are beautiful or that beauty is white. It is mentioned in the chapter, “with the exception of early race movies, black female spectators have had to develop looking relations within a cinematic context that constructs our presence as absence, that denies the “body” of the black female so as to perpetuate white supremacy and with it a phallocentric spectatorship where the woman to be looked at and desired is “white”(Hooks 118).These are all things that were approved by the male gaze but if a black woman was portrayed on screen it would be criticized because according to the male gaze white was desirable and black was not.

Since racism is involved in all of this, white men had the power they were dominant and their thoughts and input was respected. Berger believes that women and men have their own roles he describes the woman as being beautiful desirable and that they are there to serve men. Berger brings out in his story that “to be born a woman has been to be born, within an allotted and confined space, into the keeping of men” (Berger 46).  In Bell Hooks story through  male white supremacy black women are being molded into wanting to be white and being portrayed as beautiful and sexual because white is attractive and white is desirable, so the idea in both stories is actually very similar in how woman are viewed and how they should look for men.

The oppositional gaze came about because in the world there are strong minded people and very strong minded women, in this case that was even more so of the black female women. If there is one thing I know is that women do not like being told what to do, how to think, or how to act.  Women eventually become rebellious against this established concept so to speak. Bell hooks mentions in the reading “Those black women whose identities were constructed in resistance, by practices that oppose the dominant order, were most inclined to develop an oppositional gaze.”(127) The women obviously in this did not think that they should look white that they were beautiful being black and so they dared to go against the common male gaze and opposed it making the oppositional gaze. The oppositional gaze challenges the male gaze and white supremacy in how it is views women.

Women were trying to make a statement in Bell Hooks book that the male gaze is wrong and they were not going to support white supremacy and try to perceive themselves as white because white is desirable. They felt that they can do the jobs that men could do to, they felt that they can be spectators that they can critique and direct and so that is why the oppositional gaze happened because women were not going to put up with all that nonsense.

I believe that this story by Bell Hooks just reinforced my idea that women and men are equal in all sense and that race or sex has nothing to really do with anything. Before reading Bell I did not even know that this sort of thing even happened. I agree with Berger in what he said about a man’s presence is dependent upon the promise of power that he embodies (45) but, not so much about women being tools for men. There is a painting that he mentions a painting and how he looked at it and it reminded him he was a man implying that the painting was obviously drawn by a man. What I learned through the readings is that sex should not determine your capabilities of being a great artist, or spectator, or your ability to be in film. More importantly art does not have a sex behind it because a painting can be drawn by either sex. I feel that my role in all of this is to continue in how I feel about women and how they are equal to men and how they should be free to express themselves however they want and not how men want them to.

To conclude, women especially black women were correct in not submitting to the male patriarchy because they shouldn’t feel like they have to submit to the idea that white is right. Women, black women should be content with who they are and they should not submit to male supremacy. Women should be considered equal to men.

 

 

http://stopviolenceuw.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/feminism1.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

http://lh5.ggpht.com/-hLoPaekRy-w/UN2gRxJsjhI/AAAAAAAAHok/5YesNq5uHTc/feminism-feminism-32075708-960-640.jpg?imgmax=800

 

 

 

 

 

http://robertwiblin.files.wordpress.com/2010/02/obama-check-out-girl.jpg

 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/30/Young_woman_painting_and_drawing_in_Gambia.jpg

Tiffany Hale: Post 1

In a contemporary survey of art history course, many students feel a sense of superiority or liberation from the conventional restraints of antiquity. Art created in the Middle ages feels archaic not only because of the appearance of the subject, but also because students feel far from it. While it holds true that pervasive technology affords a macro-exposure to a myriad of opinions, the status quo has yet to be shattered. Art and art history is still very much created and observed under the assumption of a male gaze. In an excerpt of "Ways of Seeing" by John Berger paralleled with "The Oppositional Gaze" by bell hooks, both authors expose the full integration of the prevailing white male supremacy into works of art, and our ways of viewing said works. 

Post # 1.                           

                            The male gaze and the oppositional gaze 

            Since the beginning of our existence, gender and race, has predetermined our future and our roles in society. To this day, men and women has always been subjective to different type of standards where a man's look can determine the value of a woman and how she see herself upon others. This look is called the male gaze that pursues the most essential part of a women which is her nudity and how she is being objectify. 
             
            Consequently, women have fallen for "The Gaze" and became part of this game. They know they are being look. they are being observe. The Female population is not represented as a human being with dignity and respect instead women are being place as an object. An object that solely gives pleasure to man. Therefore, to a man that is in control and women who seeks man's attention. In popular western cultures, women's representation of beauty means glamorous model bodies. In art, music videos or in the first cover of a magazine all you see are the most beautiful faces and bodies with the only purpose of reaching the male gaze and the ambition of women who one day dream to be like that. We are scared of not being accepted; therefore, being judge.
           
            There is where John Berger in his book "Ways of Seeing" describes the sad reality of women in society and its subordination to men. As Berger stated " She has to survey everything she is and everything she does because how she appears to men, is of crucial importance for what is normally thought as the success of her life. Her own sense of being in herself is supplanted by a sense of being appreciated as herself  by another" (46). He clearly wants to let us know how men is categorize by his strength of power and superiority over women. 
            
             This magnificent writing made by Bell Hooks takes you to relate the gender with race in a way never seen before. Bell Hooks describes the indelible memories of her childhood when she was punish for staring at others. Bell Hooks stated " the gaze has always been political in my life. Imagine the terror felt by the child who has come to understand through repeated punishment that one's gaze can be dangerous" (115). The oppositional gaze was a way for black people to express their feeling of anger and indignity. 
             
             Once black people have the opportunity to become spectators and create their own cinema, they were able specially black female spectator to see the cruel reality and instead of enjoying the film, they identify themselves with stories of racism and how being black and women  would place them in the most lowest place in class and condition and always beneath of white people. Bell Hooks points out the ideal representation of beauty in films were always white women. However, throughout the years there has been some progress about the incorporation of black women and women in general in the different social aspects and also leadership. 

This link is about how one of  Victoria's Secret Models gave up her career because she felt like a sex worker.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2324616/Victorias-Secret-beauty-Kylie-Bisutti-gave-career-faith-modeling-feel-like-sex-worker.html

Post #1

The authors Bell Hooks and John Berger of the Male Gaze and the Oppositional Gaze take an interesting perspective on how women are viewed in art. Both talk about to different perspectives but both share a common theme which is the the way men view women. The authors believe that men view women as objects and objectify them. For centuries, women have been viewed by men and male artist as a piece of meat that are only meant to arouse and satisfy there needs. Many paintings at first did not try to objectify women but captured the beauty of them. In the recent year artist have made paints to satisfy their own pleasures and cause sexual arousal in these paintings. The "gazes" is just one of the numerous examples that proves how men view women as objects and not as equals.

 

Bell Hooks explains in Oppositional Gaze that since the time men were young boys they have been gazing and analysis women. This has influenced the mainstream media and caused to perceive women a certain way. The media makes women believe that they have to be the skinniest, the prettiest, and with the best features. The media fails to incorporate other type of women like African American women. Our media is only one sided and racist because male influences have the world believe that the perfect women has to be white. Bell Hooks explains that this view has been evident since the time of slavery. Our society taught us that looking at a black women was wrong and being a associated with them is not the correct path. On the other hand white women were viewed and promoted by the media as perfect. Even the laws in place at that time were primary promoting the white women. One of the laws stated that if a black male was caught gazing at a white women he would be punished. This only causes white women to seem like goddess. A Women in her twenties even stated that " ... We are afraid to talk about yourselves as spectators because we have been abused by "the gaze"(Hooks 125). Our society has turned white women in to objects of perfection and ostracized any women that does not look like a white women.

On other had, the Male gaze is it own issue and this refers to the way men view women. In the beginning women were viewed as an art of beauty and many painting reflected as so. But as time went on the "Male Gaze" turned into one of lust and desire. Men started to objectify women and started view them as a piece of meat and many painting reflected as so. Many artist started to paint paintings the cause sexual arousal and made women like sex dolls. Men view women not as equals but as weak and only for the pleasure of men. The author Berger even states " Presence of a women is so intrinsic to her person that men tend to think of it as an almost physical emanation, a kind of heat or smell or aura"(Berger 46). This just shows how men view women and objectify them.
   
Modern day America is a society run primary by men and women have very little influences besides looking pretty. Our society favors men and has taught us the men should be the one supporting the family. Men have an influence on everything in society including the media that perceive women in the most derogatory way in order to satisfy the male desire. Women are viewed as weak and there only  purpose is to take care of the family and keep their husband happy. This common belief is greatly affect due to the influence men have on everything in our society. Man are the one who are viewed as strong, intelligent and worthy. Men have taken control and this has been the mentality for centuries. As Berger writes, “…how a woman appears to a man can determine how she will be treated. To acquire some control over this process, women must contain and interiorize it. That part of a woman’s self which is the surveyor treats the part which is the surveyed so as to demonstrate to others how she would like to be treated” (46). But many women did not take control and dominate instead they appear to be helpless and weak.

        
          Our society is run by men and this is why women are viewed they way they are. This mentality has carried back for centuries and its unlikely for there to be change. In the eyes of men women are objects and not equals. Men objectify them like there pieces of meat when in reality they are not. Women should be viewed as beautiful and graceful and not be objectified.




http://www.buzzfeed.com/regajha/is-miss-america-too-dark-skinned-to-ever-be-crowned-miss-ind