Sexism in Pop Videos

Laura Mulvey's Gaze Theory

Laura Mulvey's theory of the male gaze is shown to rid women of their human identity and instead the theory expresses how women are thought of even less than human but more like an object for men to peer on.

In addition Laura Mulvey's theory has been said to show how women are forced to watch within a male perspective. Enabling them only to view in a secondary perspective and not their own.

This may also explain why only 16% of media creators are female.

According to Laura Mulvey and her theory, it is thought to be essential that a presence of a woman should be on mainstream film text. For example in some Avenger Films we see how Black Widow influences Hawkeye to be strong because they have a very strong friendship and her being in the same place as him influences him to act more valiantly.

However apart from that, the female has no real importance and actually she only exist in relation with the male int the film. This may suggest why Black Widow is usually in the sidelines. As a result hegemonic ideologies are formed within our society because of the male gaze. Affecting people's idea's of women in reality.

Since woman are forced to view media through a secondary perspective, Laura Mulvey believes that women will adapt to get used to ideas about how women are viewed within media. She also believes as a result of her theory that this is the reason as to why most women look at each other and judge each other the same way a man would if they were looking at a women. 

Laura Mulvey also states that the role of a female character has only two functions, the first is to appear as an erotic object for the characters within the narrative to view. In a very similar way their second function is to once again appear as an erotic object but this time for the spectators within the cinema to view. 

In addition to this, Laura Mulvey believes active roles are considered as people who look at others. In this case males achieve this role, on the other hand women who are seen usually to be looked at are passive because they exist only for visual pleasure and this suggest they are controlled by the male gaze.

In most films Laura also thinks that they are a way in which the men are encouraged to act, a way for the narrative to slow down and display the male characters development due to the women's presence. As a result the men are seen as the active role because they are shown to push the narrative forward and make things happen. For example in the TV series "Doctor Who" where the doctor is always the one to make things happen and the women is their to inspire and develop him. 

Furthermore, Laura Mulvey Discusses Socophilia meaning the love of watching. This is the idea that people practice sitting in a darkened movie theater watching the people onscreen who are unaware that they are actually being watched.

In terms of losing humanity, Laura Mulvey believes that women in films are objectified because of the male gaze. Leading them to be looked at as an object who's sole value is to be enjoyed or possessed by a person who finds pleasure in watching others.

According to Laura Mulvey we also live in a patriarchal society whereby the majority of the rules and ideologies are controlled by the men constructing roles of male dominance over women. She fears that this will result in actual reality applying these ideas.

In conclusion sexism is portrayed in many different areas of media. In fact pop music videos nowadays show clear signs of this, whereby women are objectified and the male gaze is the only sight to be seen. The music industry is influenced a lot by men and so it wouldn't be crazy to think that Laura Mulvey is right and that the society we live in is becoming or already is patriarchal.

Here are some example's of music videos who have very clear representations of Laura Mulvey's theory expressing the male gazes dominance and showing how women can be considered devalued in most of these music videos.

Wrecking ball - Miley Cyrus

Hard Out There - Lily Allen