Sexism in pop videos

Laura Mulveys Male Gaze Theory

Laura Mulvey's male gaze theory suggests that the male gaze rejects women human identity, relegating them to the status of objects to be admired for physical appearance. The theory suggests women can more often that not only watch a film from a secondary perspective and only view themselves from a mans perspective. Statistics have shown that only 16% of media creators are female. 

However, the presence of a woman in mainstream film texts is something that is vital. Often a female character has no real importance herself. It is how she makes the male feel or act that is the importance. The female only exists in relation to the male. 

The male gaze leads to hegemonic ideologies within our society. Hegemonic = ruling or dominant in a political or social context. 

Mulvey argues, for women the result of media being presented from the perspective of men and though the male gaze, women find themselves, at times, taking of the male gaze. Women then gaze at other women in the same way as a man would, and thus end up objectifying other women. 

Mulvey also discussed the term Socophilia. This means 'Love of Watching'. Movie-making and movie-watching have long been analyse as socophillic practices, We sit in a darkened movie theatre and observe the activities of people on the screen who are unaware that they are being watched, 

Visual Pleasure

Mulvey states that the role of a female character in a narrative has two functions. 

1. As an erotic object for the characters within the narrative to view.

2. As an erotic object for the spectators within the cinema to view. 

Gender Roles in film

The characters that look at others are seen as the active role (male). The characters that are to be looked at are passive (female). They are under control of the male gaze and only exist for visual pleasure. Females often slow the narrative down, they act as inspiration for men to act. Males on the other hand, push the narrative forwards and make things happen and are seen as active, 

Female Objectification

Objectification is related to the gaze. The persons gazed at are objectified, treated as an object whose sole value to be enjoyed or possessed by the voyeur. Objectified characters are devalued and their humanity removed.

Patriarchal Society

Patriarchal Society means that the mean dictate the rules. Mulvey argues we live in a patriarchal society in which men set the majority of the rules and construct and represent the ideal visions, roles and male dominance over woman. The worry is a passive audience will be influenced by this representation of reality and copy it and it will actually become reality... if it hasn't already. 

Sexism in Pop Videos

Miley Cyrus- "Wrecking Ball"

Miley Cyrus, best known for her role as Hannah Montana, released a new song and video to go with it, This music video reached 38,000,000 views in just one day! There was such outrage of this song, due to the music video. I believe that the reason why many people were outraged by this was because of the contrast with the Hannah Montana image. Many children idolised Miley Cyrus for this popular Disney character and out of no where creates a very explicit music video. This music video consists of Miley sitting on a huge ball, naked in near enough every scene. The reason why Miley may have added this music video to this song, was to prove a point that she is not a little girl anymore like she was in Hannah Montana and that now she is a changed woman. This music video meets Laura Mulveys theory with the vision of watching the female body,

Robin Thicke- "Blurred Lines"

Robin Thicke's most recent song "Blurred Lines" has been banned in over 20 University Student Unions. The record was banned after listening to the controversial lyrics and very explicit music video. The song has been widely criticised for appearing to florify rape and vioent sex, with lyrics including "I know you want it", "Ill give you something big enough to tear your ass in two". The language within the lyrics and the images within the promotional video are utterly degrading to the female subject.The women in the original music video are seen to be wearing shorts and a crop top, however in the explicit music video the women are seen to be naked with only wearing shoes. This makes women look like sexual beings and gives women a bad name for themselves. In contrast to the men, they are all suited up, as to maybe look like a pimp? or to make them feel dominated from the women. Whilst the women are made to dance like they are enjoying themselves, the men are positioned to stand and watch them and look at them in a very sexual way.