Desiree Coombs

September 28, 2017

Male Gaze & Patriarchy

From the beginning of time it has been taught that Man and Woman were created in the image of God and that Adam and Eve lived in the garden of Eden completely unaware of their nakedness until the woman ate of the forbidden tree and fed it to the Man and their eyes were opened and aware that they were without clothing so they sewed fig leaves to cover themselves. Berger reflects and uses this example to describe the male gaze in his book. Beger “states that nakedness was created in the mind of the beholder” (Berger pg 48). As time continued to pass the nude and nakedness began to be viewed differently Berger also stated “She is not naked as she is. She is naked as the spectator sees her.” (Berger pg  50). Over time the depiction of the nude and women’s art has been view from a males perception that women are to be observed and objectified from the males gaze.  There are subtle sequences in paintings of women holding a mirror to form the view that while the man views her she in turns is viewing her own self. Women have been portrayed for centuries as objects and possessions of these men. This is what I feel to be one of the direct links to the Patriarchy school of thought and instincts we as a collective still practice to some degree today.

Patriarchy has been around since the beginning of time. It is a systemtemic view  that tells society how Men and Women, boys and girls are to act. Not only in the home but in school, religious activities, socially etc…  It is a set of systemic rules that have been conditioned in the human mind that set gender roles. Bell hooks best describes this in her book through her own life experiences being raised in a patriarchal household. “One evening my brother was given permission by Dad to bring out the tin of marbles. I announced my desire to play and was told by my brother that marbles were a boy’s game.”  “ I insisted on my right to play by picking up the marbles and shooting them. Dad intervened to tell me to stop. I did not listen. Dad’s voice grew louder and louder. He snatched me up and began to beat me with it telling me you are just a little girl when I tell you to do something. I mean for you to do it.” (Hooks pg 20)  “My mother came to me trying to soothe me by telling me she had tried to warn me. That I was just a little girl and girls can’t do what boys do.” (Hooks pg 21).

From my own experiences growing up I can remember a lot of the patriarchy views or values that were taught to me such as:  girls did the dishes and boys take out the garbage. The man is supposed to provide for and protect his family. Boys do not wear certain colors such as pink and yellow. Girls cooked for the family. These are views and values I have caught myself passing on to my children to some degree without even thinking twice about it. I am glad that we live in a time where patriarchy stll exist but it is not as rampent as it was just twenty years ago.