Can Women Overcome The Male Gaze In A Patriarchal Society

The Male Gaze, in its complexity, describes the depiction of women from a heterosexual and male perspective. For centuries, men and society expected women to fulfill the role of being a  submissive servant to the man. According to John Berger, “From earliest childhood she is taught and persuaded to survey herself continually. She has to survey everything she is and everything she does, because how she appears to others – and particularly how she appears to men – is of crucial importance for what is normally thought of as the success of her life.” Berger’s quote helps the reader understand the role of women as seen by society and men. From birth, women are socialized. The process of socialization that happens in the lives of women forces them to learn how to behave in a way that is acceptable by society, in particular, by men. More specifically, their socialization causes their success and fulfillment of their purposes, to be left in the hands of men. Men have been given a faulty authority over the lives of women. The Male Gaze supports this idea by portraying women as sexual objects used for the pleasure of men.

'Opinion' Sky Russel-https://www.thecrimson.com/column/new-romantix/article/2017/2/17/qiu-the-gaze/

The Male Gaze has served as a shadow over women. Women have not been given the opportunity to shine through the Male Gaze. As a result, the gaze continues to have an effect on the way women are viewed in art and pop culture. The following illustration of the effect that the male gaze has on women today. In the illustration, the woman is seen looking in a mirror. As she looks in the mirror, her face is covered by a mask which she is holding on to her face. This demonstrates the idea that she is not given the opportunity to be herself. She must apply a mask to meet the standards of men. In addition, on her back, she has eyes. They are open and looking at everyone behind her. This explains, even when she would like to look at herself, she has to worry about the opinion of others; instead of her own. Ironically, the illustration is titled “Opinion” by Sky Russell. 

The current society we live in is known to revolve around patriarchy. The Male Gaze derives from such patriarchal mindsets and ideologies. Patriarchy, as defined by Bell Hooks, 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 to maintain that dominance through various forms of psychological terrorism and violence" (Hooks 18). Worldwide, men are portrayed as better equipped and more resourceful than women in many different ways. This idea is spread through different cultures and religions. Patriarchal ideals reinforce the male gaze, allowing women to be inferior to men continuing their socialization which happens at birth. 
Works Cited

Berger, John, and Michael Dibb. Ways of Seeing: Based on the BBC Television Series Directed by Michael Dibb. British Broadcasting Corporation, 2008.

Hooks, Bell. Understanding Patriarchy. Louisville Anarchist Federation Federation, 2010