From the very start of young girls’ lives, we are taught to be the Snow Whites and Sleeping Beautys, waiting for a prince to think we are attractive enough to rescue. This problem only grows as you age, and the films you watch mature as a result. From Transformers to The Wolf of Wall Street, viewers are being made accustomed to the objectification and demoralization of women to nothing but a commodity for men.  

Many tactics are used by male directors to feed into the male gaze. Strategic, long shots ascend figures, giving the male audience time to appreciate the woman's physique. Directors use conveniently placed shots of features, front and back, not to add to plot or story but to appease the heterosexual, male fantasy. Directors selectively frame and portray female characters in dehumanizing ways. A woman in a dangerous, scary situation? Give her the classic “deer-in-the-headlights look” to show she’s just waiting for a big, strong man to save her (Anderson). Make her passive and pretty to keep the men interested. 

Not only is there sexualization being done behind the camera and by the audience, oftentimes male gaze is justified by characters on screen. When the male audience sees the male protagonists ogle at women only for their body, it will be seen as acceptable behavior. It also makes the female audience believe that men will want you only when you are physically attractive and submissive. It becomes even more disturbing when you remember the long history of sexual assault and harrassment in this industry. 

It is nearly impossible to discuss male gaze without mentioning Laura Mulvey. As a feminist film analysist, she created the modern definition of male gaze. She explains the male gaze as “constructed for the pleasure of the male viewer, which is deeply rooted in patriarchal ideologies and discourses'' (Sampson). She wrote an essay, Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema, further elaborating on male gaze and its effects in 1975. This issue has been prevalent for decades, yet it continues today. To fix this issue, we must work to bring change.

Through the decades, Hollywood has grown to be a more diverse place, yet of the top 100 highest grossing directors, only 1 is a woman, surrounded by 99 men. While this dramatic difference is terrible in itself, it has serious implications on the film industry. Without representation in positions like director, writer, and producer being filled by women, movies reflect the lack of female perspectives.   

When you do bring female directors into the mix, they are able to portray women in a more respectful way. For the production of Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey, Cathy Yan stepped in as director and provided her own portrayal of Harley Quinn and her team. One scene in particular includes an already degradingly sexual scene for its character. Through Yan’s directing, “[they made] sure [they] were protecting [their] female actors, even in a scene that was about humiliation” (Anderson). This shows that a talented director is able to direct controversial scenes while letting the scene itself speak for its significance. Yan doesn’t need to humiliate her actresses to have an effective moment. Along with other choices made by Yan throughout the film, she empowered Margot Robbie’s character instead of letting her be the piece of eye candy she was in the male-directed Suicide Squad.

Some people like to argue that objectification can be good, especially in a romantic relationship. Even when arguing for male gaze, they discredit their own argument by bringing up a study proving “men who frequently objectify their partner’s bodies by excessively focusing on their appearance are more likely to… [sexually coerce], both in general and through violence and manipulation” (Singal). There is an important difference between appreciating a partner in an intimate relationship and the continued objectification of women for just existing in a film.

Despite its deep roots in film history, it is still possible to limit the grip male gaze has on the majority of media. Like previously mentioned, the more non-male directors succeed in the film industry, the better said industry will become. Other female directors like Liz Garbus, Janicza Bravo, Eliza Hittman, and Kitty Green are gaining popularity and using their platform to lift women and contest the male gaze. Having a large, diverse cast of women is also a good way to narrate the female perspective. Passing Bechdel Test, a baseline for women’s screen time, can be a good start for a movie. While not every production that passes is progressive, and not everything that fails is sexist, it ensures female characters having the bare minimum of representation. 

Film is such a strong force, that throughout history, leaders have used it to indoctrinate their people and spread propaganda. While I am not arguing appealing to the male gaze is propaganda, I am acknowledging the indisputable influence it has on viewers. In less extreme examples, movies are often seen to set “fashion trends” and cause people to pick up “figures of speech” from popular movie lines (Morris). Hollywood always finds little (and sometimes much larger) ways to impact society, and this example is not any different. Constant exposure to female exploitation through the media, especially when it is viewed as perfectly acceptable, will only increase misogyny in the real world. Once you allow women to succeed in the film industry, they can help make steps to eliminate the presence of the male gaze on the big screen and in real life.

Sampson, Rachel. “Film Theory 101-Laura Mulvey: The Male Gaze Theory.” Film Inquiry, 27 October 2015.

Anderson, John. “‘Look Up Here!’: 5 Female Directors Reject the Male Gaze.” The New York Times, 6 March 2020.

Singal, Jesse. “Men Who Objectify Their Female Partners Are More Likely to Sexually Coerce Them.” The Cut, 22 August 2014.

Morris, Sarah. “How movies impact our societies.” MultiLingual, 9 April 2020.