1. What Is the Male Gaze?
The idea of the Male Gaze was introduced by Laura Mulvey in 1975. It explains how media often shows women from a heterosexual male point of view.
- Men are the viewers (active)
- Women are the objects being looked at (passive)
- Women are valued more for how they look than who they are
This idea first came from film studies, but it is still very important today.
2. The Male Gaze on Social Media
Today, the Male Gaze is very visible on platforms like instagram and TikTok
- Women often get more views when they look “beautiful” or “sexy”
- Slim bodies, young faces, and body-focused videos are promoted more by algorithms
- Dancing, tight clothing, and “pretty” images often get more likes
Even though many women choose to post this content, what becomes popular is still shaped by male beauty standards and platform algorithms.
3. The Male Gaze in News Media
The Male Gaze also appears in news and entertainment media.
- Female celebrities are judged by appearance and age
- Female athletes are described as “attractive” instead of “skilled”
- Male athletes are praised for strength and performance
This shows that women are still often treated as visual objects, not professionals.
4. “Choice” and the Male Gaze
Some people say: “Women choose to post sexy content, so it is not the Male Gaze anymore.”
But we should ask:
- Who controls the algorithm?
- What kind of bodies get rewarded?
- Which images are ignored?
Women’s choices are often shaped by limited visibility rules. So the Male Gaze still influences what is seen and valued.
5. Why the Male Gaze Matters
The Male Gaze can cause:
- Body anxiety
- Pressure to look perfect
- Self-objectification (judging yourself through others’ eyes)
It also narrows how society sees women.
The Male Gaze is not just about “looking”. It is about power and control.
Even in the digital age, it still shapes how women are seen and judged.
To truly challenge it, we must change not only images, but also the systems behind them.
References
Mulvey, L. (1975) Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema. Screen, 16(3), pp. 6–18.
Gill, R. (2007) Gender and the Media. Cambridge: Polity.
Dobson, A. S. (2015) Postfeminist Digital Cultures. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
You touched on some interesting topics that describe the male gaze, but it doesn’t really describe what it is about. So I would use it to expand and talk more about the male gaze on social media or in cinematography to express how it’s being produced and how it should change, rather than just touching on and describing the topics. I would expand more into the research.