Feminism in Media

Throughout history women have fought hard for the equality of men and the rights that they have. Through getting the vote down to the overall rights women possess such as education and batter wages, women have always had it tough. As women go the vote, they had more importance in society. The range of debates spread from sexuality, family and the work place. But today women are still seen as sexual objects in the media. A women called Laura Mulvey believes in 'The Male Gaze'. This is the explanation that men are still in the highlight to women, saying women are more of a passive role compared to the mans role in media. It also believes that women are there to be an object of desire sexually rather than a more serious role. She once said "Women, then stands in particular culture as a signifier for the male other, bound by a symbolic order in which man can live out his fantasies and obsessions through linguistic command, by imposing them them on the silent image of women still tied to her place as bearer of meaning, not maker of meaning" in simpler terms, this quote says we, as cinema goers, are almost voyeurs , watching the people on the screen.

In this picture you can see 'The Male Gaze' as Batman, obviously the man is standing right at the front of the picture showing his dominance and strength, with the woman (Catwoman) in the background as his "Backup". This helps prove the male gaze is right, as the women is playing in the passive role towards the man. I feel that with the woman having bright red lipstick on, the directer of this photoshoot is trying to make the woman more attractive and maybe more sexually presented, this is a prime example of 'The Male Gaze'.