Picture this scenario: you enter a social gathering, and you are all glammed up. A guy approaches you and tells you that “you look great.” It’s a nice thing to be told. However, later, a woman approaches you and says, “I love your eyeliner! It’s so sharp, it could stab someone.” You thank her, and it’s obvious that out of the two compliments, the second one will live in your mind rent-free for quite a while. This is because of the female gaze.
The term “female gaze” has popped up over social media quite a bit, but what does it really mean? The origin of this term was in response to Laura Mulvey’s 1975 essay on the “male gaze.” Mulvey, who is a film theorist, wrote “Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema” where she described how women’s portrayal in films is for the benefit of men. She argues that women in classic Hollywood films are not individuals with full agency but more so objects of visual pleasure. This is outlined through several layers of “gaze,” where the camera angle, audience’s perception, and characters’ perspectives all contribute to this dynamic. This essentially leads to the exploitation of women. The impact of this paper has led female filmmakers to reconsider the way they portray women and has led many women to seek better representation of themselves in the media. As part of the pop cultural shift, the term “female gaze” was coined.
The female gaze centers a movement where women have their own agency and subjectivity. Compared to the sexual nature of the male gaze, the female gaze emphasizes how a woman feels, thinks, and wishes to be seen. In media this manifests as displaying a woman’s inner worlds (her thoughts, her dreams, her complexities), prioritizing embodiment over objectification (showing a woman’s body as part of her lived experiences rather than a consumable good), and showcasing mutuality (where intimacy involves mutual desire and respect). With the rise of social media, many women have also taken to creating their own “gaze.” This is another great example of women taking autonomy in how they are seen. This isn’t just limited to the media; other examples of “female gaze” are reflected in women’s sense of style or even women’s profiles on dating apps. The female gaze is truly just about being yourself, fully and unapologetically.
Going back to the scenario from earlier, the female gaze in that situation was recognizing the effort of getting ready, especially when it comes to doing a sharp winged liner. Of course having someone tell you that you look good is a respectful compliment, but it is the female gaze that recognizes the smaller details of the bigger picture.
