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| Vanity C. 1445: Hans Memling |
All throughout history women are faced with the harsh social norms placed upon them by men. The “male gaze” suggests a sexualised way of male eyes scanning and objectifying women, while simultaneously empowering men. According to this old fashioned mentality in history, women were not known to even have desires of their own. Throughout the male gaze, women are portrayed as the “object” of male desire. A woman's feelings, thoughts and even her own sexual desires are considered less important than the standards constructed by the “male desire”. In The Ways of Seeing, John Berger writes, “women are depicted differently from men not because of feminine is different from masculine, but because the ideal spectator is assumed to be male and the image of the woman is designed to flatter him” (Berger 64). Due to the standards that have been expected by men, women all throughout history have been and are still constantly struggling and critiquing their image. According to Berger, the “male gaze” was concept in order to feed the appeal of male sexual desire (Berger 55). He abstractly portrayed this ideology in his Western nude female paintings of what was perceived as, the“perfect” nude women. In his art women existed to be seen by the eyes of men, modeling in such ways displaying their bodies to the eye of male spectators, only to be consumed. The hypocrisy in this lies within Berger writing stating, “You painted a naked woman because you enjoyed looking at her, Put a mirror in her hand and you called the painting ‘Vanity,’ thus morally condemning the woman whose nakedness you had depicted for you own pleasure (Berger 51).” Control through male dominance is where the "male gaze" is deeply rooted in our society.
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Battle for Dominance and Submission: Chie Davis |
Modern day women of the 21st century even face the struggle to appeal to the immense amount of beauty norms and standards, placed upon them by the exceptions of men. With the rise of social media, women are constantly taking photos, trying to get over 100 likes for the justification of being deemed as “beautiful”. But what now is even considered beautiful? Women are now expected to look like Victoria Secret or fitness models, with extremely unrealistic body types. Plastic surgery has even been a “trend” lately, specifically with women getting their chest and bums done. Lip injections have also created a mass wave of “hype” within women who believe their lips are too thin, lacking fullness. Since when is being plastic beautiful? This is where the problem of the male gaze has come into play; men continue to raise unrealistic standards to what deems women as beautiful. Berger encouraged his readers to question the images which have been the root of the harsh standards of male patriarchy; not everything is what it may seem.
“Male patriarchy” revolves around the view and perception of men dominating social norms and society through the use of power and aggression. This brings us to the ideology of a more modern artist, Bell Hooks. In her writing Understanding Patriarchy Hook's way of defining patriarchy is, “a political-social system that insists that males are inherently dominating, superior to everything and everyone deemed weak, especially females, and endowed with the right to dominate and rule over the weak and to maintain that dominance through various forms of psychological terrorism and violence” (Hooks 18). Luckily, I did not have to endure male patriarchy in my household. If anything, my mother was the one who didn't want me going or doing certain things because I was a woman. My mother, being a foreign immigrant had different norms and traditions of course from Americans. Therefore, I always understood where her overprotectiveness and traditional ways rooted from. That did not stop me from trying to explain to her that she in not in Egypt anymore, everything is different here in America. I believe she was taught this through male patriarchy in her household growing up. Especially in a country like Egypt where women had very little rights and men were seen to be as the superiors. She wanted to protect and keep me safe from the world, and now being grown up I don’t blame her.
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| Quote by: Letty Cottin Pogrebin |
Just as Bell Hooks, I constantly rebelled against this patriarchal views that shaped my mother's mentality. Bell writes, I was always more interested in challenging patriarchy than my brother was because it was the system that was always leaving me out of things that I wanted to be part of” (Hooks 20). For example, I always wanted to play football and more aggressive sports with my brother and his friends. My mother was not approving of this, due to the injuries I may have acquired. As I grew older I would start coming home later, which my mother also disapproved. She believed it was “unlady-like”. Why would a well raised girl be out so late, what would people possibly think of me? Luckily, my mother eventually began to come to terms and approve of the way I was living my life. My father ironically was the one taught her to give me more freedom and allow me to do as I please, while having faith in fact that they did raise me well. He was always the sweetest man, always helping my mother out around the house with what is seen as a "woman's chores". My dad is always there to talk to me about personal things, giving me the wisest advice about all aspects in my life. Opposite to what many father figures are traditionally portrayed, he is not "feared" in our household. If anything he is the kindest, most understanding man. Hooks discusses how men are also guilty of being victims to male patriarchy. Throughout history men are expected to be strong, dominant and aggressive; men being the complete opposite of this are seen as weak or less powerful. This ideology of male patriarchy can negatively affect men’s mental health due to the fact that they are constantly expected not to show any emotion. Hooks writes, “Patriarchy promotes insanity. It is at the root of the psychological ills troubling men in our nation. Nevertheless there is no mass concern for the plight of men” (Hooks 30). Not being considered a “man” is a greatly offensive insult to men and their egos, which is why a majority of men hold back with their emotions. Therefore, some men rather enforce male patriarchy in order to avoid criticism themselves. Patriarchy taints the minds of both men and women, classifying and dividing them for the worst. That division between male and females is what weakens our society, but it also triggers room for the demand to change.
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| Lack of Touch is Destroying Men: Mark Greene |
Sources:
John Berger, “Ways of Seeing”; a Book Made by John Berger, 1972
Bell Hooks, “Understanding Patriarchy”; The Will to Change: Men, Masculinity, and Love, 2005
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