The Male Gaze and Patriarchy by Marlene Cazares

In ‘’ Ways of Seeing’’,  John Berger describes the male gaze as an act where men receive pleasure from visually sexualizing and objectifying women. Berger states, ‘’ men act and women appear. Men look at women. Women watch themselves being looked at.’’ (Berger 47). In other words, men are the viewer and women are the speculate thus turning women into a object of vision. The male gaze is an act done all over the world by men and is seen in magazines, social media, and even on the streets. It's an act men do and don't even realize. Berger also states ‘’ consequently how a woman appears to a man can determine how she will be treated’’ ( Berger 46). This simply states how an action a female does indicates how she will like to be treated. For example, if a women wears something revealing, she’s essentially asking to be gazed upon but in no means does that indicate her true intentions, men like to gaze to set this sort of dominance and superiority over women.

We are an image obsessed society , most pictures used in art and popular culture are of women or naked women. Male Gaze is pervasive in art and in popular culture because women are pleasing for men. Berger simply states ‘’you painted a naked woman because you enjoyed looking at her, you put a mirror in her hand and you called the painting vanity, thus morally condemning the woman whose nakedness you had depicted for your own pleasure’’(Berger 51). This Indicates how women are depicted in art, most artists paint women naked for their own pleasure but once they paint a mirror they call the woman vain and blame her . In reality in most paintings women are holding a mirror so men won't be called out for painting a naked women for their enjoyment. Berger states ‘’ this nakedness is not, however, an expression of her own feelings; it is a sign of her submission to the owner’s feelings or demands’’ ( Berger 52)  these women are painted for pleasure and shown off as prize possessions. They are painted to fulfill amen's desire and to appeal to views thus using male gaze.

Patriarchy and male gaze are both similar due to the fact both have a form of degrading women. Bell hooks defines patriarchy as ‘’ the single most life threatening social disease assaulting the male body and spirit in our nation’’ (Hooks 17). Patriarchy is a political social system where men are superior whether it's  in a household or job. Religion, and gender roles play a big part in patriarchy silencing women all over the world. It's a flawed system which we are born into ,  its successful through ‘’ forms of psychological terrorism and violence’’( Hooks 18) As we all know silence turns to violence and religion teaches patriarchy thus leading to complications. We are given gender roles since the moment we are born ‘’ patriarchal gender roles are assigned to us as children and we are given continual guidance about the ways we can best fulfill these roles’’ (Hooks 18). As females we are taught to not play with toy cars or watch power rangers and males are taught to show no emotion except for anger and to never wear pink. Women are taught to be weak and to serve and our purpose is to only care and nurture others while men are taught to be strong , be served and provide. We are taught to follow a predetermined gendered script. In today’s society women are always told they belong in the kitchen or if they accomplish a big task they somehow believe she had to sleep with someone. Bell Hooks also states ‘’ at church they had learned that god created man to rule the world and everything in it’’ (Hooks 18). These teachings have been reinforced in every institution whether it's at schools or churches. They are taught that women were made to help men perform tasks and to obey men.

Patriarchy also affects the emotional stabilization of men and it's an issue men have been trying to tackle alongside women. I now understand the structures we are facing today and how it comes mostly from patriarchy. Growing up and watching television i would always see commercials of women in their underwear trying to sell men's cologne or any other object, I never truly understood why they would use naked women until I learned about the male gaze.  We are given these images of women who are desired by men and envied by women. Male gaze has changed my view towards art and media, I was so oblivious about the topic. It all makes sense growing up as a female we are given specific rules about dressing for school and how we couldn't show our shoulders, etc. Patriarchy and male gaze plays a huge role in art and media but also into our daily lives.

http://www.dazeddigital.com/artsandculture/article/34166/1/why-we-still-need-ways-of-seeing-john-berger
https://theconversation.com/explainer-what-does-the-male-gaze-mean-and-what-about-a-female-gaze-52486