Medika Edwards
  The Male Gaze and Understanding Patriarchy
     
     John Berger defines the Male Gaze as the way in which men sees women. Berger argues that the European art form from the Renaissance period to now continues to see women as objects or possessions. He uses examples of the way women is viewed as spectacles,  Berger make reference to the secret painting commissioned by Charles the Second of Lely one of his mistresses, Charles did not only gaze at the painting but showed his friends, this showing demonstrate to his friends his power over her and show the degree of submission he was able to attain, this action causes his friends to be envious.(Berger 52) In modern times it still ring true that women are seen and used as objects for men. Examples of this is the way they are photograph in the fashion industries and the way women carry themselves on outings with men. 

     In the video the women were prep to look and behave a certain way, they were not their normal selves, but acting according to script. Women are on constant display not for themselves but for others to see mainly males. I have notice over the years how women behave when they happen to pass a group of men. They walk by with such air and turn to look to see if they have been watched, after reading John Berger and watching the video I realized that women has been conditioned to put themselves on display. I am not blaming women I am only stating that society has conditioned women to think and act this way. I will explore this concept when I discuss Patriarchy by Bell Hook.     

     Berger also states that in a male gaze there is a difference between nakedness and nudity, nakedness is simply without cloth but nudity is a form of art which relates to sexuality and dominance.(b. 53) When a nude art form is viewed the onlooker sees a sexual provocation. Berger states that when a man looks at a woman he enjoys looking at her however when the woman looks at herself she is considered vain. However the use of the mirror was not for vanity according to Berger but was used to treat herself as a sight.(b.51) On the other hand women are expected to appear perfect in the sight of men and so it is expected of them to visit the mirror to keep their appearance perfect. 


                                     The Male Gaze by Laura Mulvey draws attention to the fact that females
                                      are used to satisfy the fantasy of the male by the way the female bodies are
                                      to projected and styled in a sexual manner giving the male sexual pleasure in                                         looking at the somewhat passive females.    

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http://image.slidesharecdn.com/themalegazeprez-131008155311-phpapp01/95/the-male-gaze-theory-1-638.jpg?cb=1381247904

 Having Meagan Trainer under the hood of the car emphasizes Berger's view on the Male Gaze. In this photo she is seen as a sex symbol, a subject and not as a major factor in the story line of the Transformer.  
                https://clarissappronto.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/megan-fox-transformers.jpg

  Bell Hook describes Patriarchy  as a political and social system that suggest that males are inherently superior to everyone and everything. (Bell Hook 18) Boys are taught at home that they are superior and they are head of the house. Boys are given special choirs and allowed to play special games while the girls are told that cooking and cleaning are women's jobs. The girls are taught that they should always make the male in their lives happy, because it is their duty. At church they are taught that men represent God so they should have dominion over every one and every thing. As I read Bell Hook story about her loving to play marbles I can relate.(Bell Hook 21) I grew up in the rural parts of the Island of Jamaica, our only entertainment is what we could come up with. My bigger brother loved to play marbles and those marbles were beautiful and I fell in love with the game and the marbles. To get to the point I was discourage from playing the game because I am a girl. However when my brother was alone at home he would engaged me in playing marbles. Now looking back I can see that I was only useful because he did not have a playing partner and as a dominant male he chooses when it was convenient for him to use me.


     Patriarchy is structural and political and to make change the mind set of the males have to be changed. These changes will not come about if the mothers and sisters continues to teach their sons and brothers that they are the head and that they should be served by women. Mothers are the greatest source for change, because they are the ones who educate and care for these boys until they become men. In this modern era we should be able to eradicate patriarchy through the influences of mothers and sisters. I can definitely see how the arts and media have used patriarchy to dictates how women are seen in society. Just looking on the race for the White House one can see how women are demeaned by some of the candidates and the way the women candidate dress become a talking point. Will we see the end of patriarchy, maybe not in my life time but I hope that as the women in arts are been brought to light, and as the glass ceiling is gradually coming down patriarchy will one day become a thing of the past.

 

Reference:

Berger. John, The Male Gaze
Hook. Bell, Understanding Patriarchy