The concept of the male gaze has been a central topic in feminist film theory and media studies for decades. The term was coined by film theorist Laura Mulvey, who argued that traditional cinematic representation is based on the premise of the viewer being male and the characters on screen being female. This means that the female characters are objectified and sexualized in order to satisfy the male viewer's gaze. Mulvey's theory of the male gaze has been influential in exposing and critiquing the ways in which traditional cinematic representation reinforces gender inequality and objectifies women.
The male gaze in feminist theory after Mulvey
Other scholars, such as bell hooks, Gaylyn Studlar, and Jackie Stacey, have also written extensively about the male gaze and its effects on media representation.
bell hooks, a feminist writer and theorist, has written about the ways in which the male gaze objectifies and sexualizes women in media and how this reinforces traditional gender roles. She has also argued that the male gaze serves to uphold the patriarchy and maintain male dominance.
Gaylyn Studlar, a film scholar, has written about the male gaze in relation to early Hollywood cinema and how it shapes the way that women are represented on screen. She has also examined the ways in which the male gaze intersects with other forms of power and privilege, such as race and class.
Jackie Stacey, a feminist film theorist, has written about the male gaze in relation to the representation of women in popular culture, including film, television, and advertising. She has also explored the ways in which the male gaze is challenged and resisted by feminists and other marginalized groups.