Collaborative

What is the first word you think of when you hear the phrase “male gaze”?

Do they know what the ‘male-gaze’ is	Response	Age group
yes	Margaret atwood	student
yes	Ashamed	student
yes	Objectification	student
yes	Bloody awful	student
yes	Boobs	student
yes	The virgin suicides	student
yes	Misogyny	student
yes	Hookup culture	student
No	Judgment	mid-aged
no	Sexual invitation	mid-aged
no	creepy	mid-aged
yes	Upsetting	student
yes	Stereotypes	mid-aged
yes	Uncomfortable	mid-aged
yes	Crossword puzzle	Old woman
no	Objectification	Old woman
Yes	A dope	Old woman
No	Sexual object	Old woman
Yes	Flattering	Old woman
Yes	Creepy	Mid age
Yes	Awkward	Mid age
Yes	Femininity	Teen
Yes	Uncomfortable	student
Yes	Not sure	Student
Yes	Sexism	student
Yes	Looking down	student
Yes	Low-cut tank top	Student
Yes	Problematic	Student
Yes	Not sure	Student
No	Objectification	Teen
Yes	Dumb	Student
Yes	Sexist	Student
Yes	Toxic	Student
No	Problematic	Student
No	Not sure	Student

For my collaborative project, I asked thirty-six female students and local women to share the first word that came to mind when I said the phrase “male gaze.” I tried to get a range of age groups so I could gauge how age affects the perception of the term. I initially started asking people straight out what they thought of the male gaze, but to my surprise it turns out that many people, mostly locals, had never heard the phrase before. So I re-worked my experiment by first asking if they were familiar with the phrase. If they did not know what it was, I read the wikipedia definition to them, which explains that “In feminist theory, the male gaze is the act of depicting women and the world in the visual arts and in literature from a masculine, heterosexual perspective that presents and represents women as sexual objects for the pleasure of the heterosexual male viewer.” 

Sometimes the interviewee would still be confused so I would have to explain the term further, whereas some would nod their heads because they recognized it. Most women responded with similar words, like “sexism,” “uncomfortable,” and “objectification.” Though some people referenced specific things relevant to their own life. One old woman said “crosswords” because she did a crossword with the word male gaze, and another student said “Margaret Atwood” because she was familiar with her scholarly work. Some people definitely looked uncomfortable and embarrassed when I asked, opting for a “I’m not sure.” I didn’t press further because I wanted to ensure that the conversation remained respectful and considerate of their feelings. One response that particularly surprised me was when an old woman and a middle aged woman both agreed that the term was “flattering” because they said that they had not been noticed by men for a long time. But then the middle aged woman told me that if she was my age she would not have found it so. 

These observations led me to reflect on how cultural and generational shifts impact perceptions of concepts like the male gaze. The range of reactions, from confusion and discomfort to acknowledgment and even nostalgia, underscored the multifaceted nature of interpreting feminist theory in everyday contexts. It was evident that personal experiences, age, and exposure to feminist discourse played significant roles in how individuals understood and reacted to the term. This variety of perspectives enriched my project, offering a deeper insight into the complex relationship between society’s visual culture and gender dynamics.

If I could extend my study further in the future, I would aim to include a broader demographic, encompassing more diverse backgrounds, ethnicities, and gender identities to gain a more comprehensive understanding of how different groups perceive the concept of the male gaze. Additionally, I would incorporate a comparative element, examining how perceptions change across different cultures or regions. This could involve cross-cultural studies or international surveys. I would also explore the impact of media and education on people’s understanding of feminist concepts. This could include assessing how different types of media (films, advertisements, literature) influence perceptions and whether educational interventions can shift understanding and attitudes toward gender representation.

This study shed light on prevailing societal attitudes towards gender representation and objectification. It helps to highlight the ongoing relevance of feminist theory in everyday life that Laura Mulvey first articulated in her seminal work on the male gaze. By examining how different individuals perceive this concept today, the study underscores the continued impact of visual culture on our understanding of gender dynamics and challenges us to reflect on and evolve these perceptions.