Male Gaze & Patriarchy

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/12/03/great-renaissance-art-thrived-amid-filth.html

MALE GAZE & PATRIARCHY

There is a common theme that can be found between paintings from the Renaissance Era, and media from modern times. They are linked by a psychosocial phenomenon known as "the male gaze." The male gaze, as described by John Berger, is the objectification of women through art and media, for the pleasure of those looking at her, which in many cases will usually be men. Berger summarizes this concept in the following, "One might simplify this by saying: men act and women appear. Men look at women. Women watch themselves being looked at." (Berger 47) It demeans women to nothing more than physical beings, whom were formed to please the male counterpart. Yet, although the male gaze was created by men for men, men see no reprimand for their objectification of women. Berger explains that an artist can paint a woman without an article of clothing on her, but if he also creates a mirror in her hand, then there is no moral judgement on the man, but solely the woman. The male artist will be looked upon as a creative genius, while the frozen woman in his art will be condemned for her vanity forever. Renaissance art is a prime example of inequality amongst the genders and exemplifies the ideas of the male gaze. 

As sexist as it is, the male gaze has been, and continues to be, an influential force in art and media. During the renaissance, many paintings were given as obscene gifts, or commissioned by the wealthy to display their power to those who saw the painting. In other words; They were are made for men. A naked women with a seemingly submissive appearance, a common quality of renaissance artwork, allowed the males who owned such pieces to have a sense of gratification. He could imagine the model was naked for him, or she was displaying her body for him only. Their egos were fueled. Similarly, the same concept can be seen through today's media. It is actually an advertising method. But instead the term "male gaze" has been replaced for the more widely accepted "sex sells." Many advertisements, like the one shown below, are laced with perverse imagery that intentionally sends the audience sexual innuendos, while simultaneously having almost nothing to do with the product or service being sold. 

https://twitter.com/calvinklein/status/688396025204215808

Like the male gaze, patriarchy is a result of the dominant male psyche. The idea that men are the dominant ones in the social hierarchy, and hold authority over women and children fuel patriarchy. This belief is not unique to just men, but is engrained in women through the installation of gender roles often taught as children. bell hooks childhood experience demonstrates this concept, as she describes her father's reaction to her playing with marbles, and her mother's words after: "'You're just a little girl. When i tell you to do something, I mean for you to do it.' He beat me...Mama came into the bedroom...'You need to accept that you are just a little girl and girls can't do what boys do.'" (hooks 20-21) Gender roles are just that, girls can only do girl things while boys do boy things. The problem with that idea is, what defines girl things and what defines boy things. The answer to that question is simple, stereotypes. Gender roles are based off outdated primitive beliefs that hold no scientific evidence in their defense. Nothing in the female biology can justify the wage gap, stay at home moms, or wives submissions to their husbands. Yet, women, and men alike enforce gender roles, which ultimately support patriarchy. 

Previous to these readings, I was aware of the social inequality between the genders but I could not identify it. Now I have come to understand and define it as the acceptance of the male gaze and the enforcement of patriarchy, along with the implement of gender roles. I am also a victim of female objectification since I was a child. Like bell hooks, I remember women in my life telling me "girls don't do that" or "cover up, you don't want people looking at you right?" Not once was I told what girls can do, or hear my family talk negatively about the people that look at young girls pervertedly. Even to this day, I can not walk a full block without men beeping or calling me baby, in a flirtatious manner. I now look negatively upon the countless male artists who are known throughout history as being artist innovators when all they really did was benefit from female objectification. Renaissance art will never be looked at with the same eyes I once analyzed the paintings before. 

It is my strongest belief that women need to become educated on the ideas of the male gaze, patriarchy and gender roles, so they know the enemy they are fighting and can deem what women can do, how they are seen, and who can look at them, for themselves.