Post 1: The Male Gaze and Patriarchy 

According to John Berger the Male Gaze is how women are depicted by men in art and literature. In most cases women are demonstrated to the public in a sexual way in order to satisfy the audience. In many paintings from the middle ages women are naked and sexualized as if that is all they are good for. In chapter three of Ways of Seeing, John Berger says, "A man's presence is dependent upon the promise of power which he embodies. If the promise is large and credible his presence is striking. If it is small or incredible, he is found to have little presence." (Berger,45) Through this quote I realized that even in art men are demonstrated to the public as strong and powerful while women are belittled and are shown little respect. When you see a portrait of a man you will see him in a suit and tie dressed up to impress everyone around him. Their facial expressions demonstrate power to the audience. Women on the other hand are displayed with little clothing and with submissive facial expressions as if they enjoy being sexualized, which is not the case. The following painting made by Edouard Manet shows the audience how men decide to portray women in art. 

                                                                           Edouard Manet, Luncheon on the Grass, 1863, Musée d’Orsay

In this painting the men are demonstrated having a casual conversation in the woods and the woman is just in the woods with them, posing naked. Portraying a woman like this is degrading, they should show women more respect. Instead of painting a photo of three people having lunch together, the painter decided the painting had to be sexualized in order to stand out. 

Berger explained to his readers, "how a woman appears to a man can determine how she will be treated."(Berger, 46) While this may be true I believe that men choose to belittle women because they know they have the power to get away with it. The male gaze continues, and will continue to be pervasive in art and popular culture until society sees men and women as equals. It is rare to find painting of men naked because being portrayed in such away removes the power they believe they should have. 

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 try to maintain that dominance through various forms of psychological terrorism and violence." (Hooks, 18) According to Bell Hooks, "Patriarchy is the single most life-threatening social disease assaulting the male body and spirit in our nation." (Hooks, 17) Patriarchy is affecting us as a nation because men believe that they must always be the powerful sex. Men feel entitled to have ownership over women and feel as if they must always be in control. This kind of mentality affects everyone that has to experience patriarchy in their life. For example Bell Hooks explains to her audience that she was raised with parents that believed in patriarchy. When she explains her brother's story she says, " he was taught that a boy should not express feelings. I was taught that girls could and should express feelings, at least some of them." (Hooks, 19) Showing men that they should be strong, controlling and non emotional at such a young age ruins them in the long run. Boys usually do not know how to speak out their emotions due to these "societal rules." While some parents may believe this is a good thing, it is not. Men grow up damaged because all their life they are told they could not show emotion, but keeping all their feelings bottled up is unhealthy.This then leads to men having unhealthy relationships because all their life they were told to be the dominant partner. " To truly address male pain and male crisis we must as a nation be willing to expose the harsh reality that patriarchy has damaged men in the past and continues to damage them in the present." (Hooks, 31)In order for us to see change and dissolve the idea of patriarchy we must be able to discuss that patriarchy does exist, but unfortunately this is difficult for men to do. 

Photo by MIT Media Lab, CC2.0, cropped

Reading about both the male gaze and about patriarchy led me to find out about intersectional feminism which is the idea of feminism including women of all color, races, economic standings, religions, identities and orientations for their voices to be heard. (Taylor Hawk, 2016) Intersectional feminism in important at a time like this because we need all women to come together and change the idea that men will always be the stronger sex. 

Both patriarchal societies and the male gaze get away with belittling women because all their life men are told they are suppose to be in control. I have come to understand that both of these structures dehumanize woman and until men and women are seen as equal in society, change will not occur. 

Work cited : 
“Edouard Manet Luncheon on the Grass.” Musée D'Orsay, 25 Mar. 2009, https://www.musee-orsay.fr/en/collections/works-in-focus/search/commentaire/commentaire_id/luncheon-on-the-grass-7201.html.

“Chapter 3.” Ways of Seeing, by John Berger, British Broadcasting Corporation, 2008, pp. 45-64
“Chapter 2.” Understanding Patriarchy, by Bell Hooks, Louisville Anarchist Federation Federation, 2010, pp. 17–33.

Astrea. “Witches Versus The Patriarchy: Our Political Movement Has Arrived.” Starlight Witch, Patheos Explore the World's Faith through Different Perspectives on Religion and Spirituality! Patheos Has the Views of the Prevalent Religions and Spiritualities of the World., 3 Aug. 2019, https://www.patheos.com/blogs/starlight/2019/05/witches-versus-the-patriarchy-our-political-movement-has-arrived/.
Taylor Hawk. “What Is ‘Intersectional Feminism’?: Article.” Denison University, https://denison.edu/academics/womens-gender-studies/feature/67969.