Tuesday, 20 September 2016

Sexualisation of Women

Voyeurism - Sigmund Freud
  • Erotic pleasure can be gained by looking at a sexual object (preferably when the object is unaware of being watched).  
The voyeurism in this music video is evident as the women are wearing basically nothing and the use of camera shots and angles emphasise the women's bodies.



Male Gaze - Laura Mulvey 1975
  • Proposed that because filmmakers are predominantly male the presence of women is often for the purposes of display (rather than narrative).  This is to facilitate a voyeuristic response in spectators, which presumes a male gaze (regardless of the gender of spectator) one that is or may feel like a powerful controlling gaze at the female on display who is effectively objectified and passive.  In male performance videos the voyeuristic treatment of the female body is often apparent, with the use of dancers as adornments to the male star ego.
This video shows Rianna in an erotic nature whilst partaking in S&M activities whilst wearing bondage and little clothing.



Raunch Culture - Andrea Levy
  • In her book Female Chauvinist Pigs: Women and the Rise of Raunch Culture, Levy attacks the increasingly sexualised culture that objectifies women.  She argues that women are encouraged to see themselves as objects and to see sex as their only source of power.
In this video, Beyonce is in her lingerie at the start, there is no reason for her to be therefore this suggests she feel;s the need to be in her underwear whilst singing about her future husband.  Also, there is a shot where her husband is in control by taking down her garter with his mouth, as Beyonce lets this happen this is seen as a source of power with sex.


Exhibitionism
  • Female performers being at once sexually proactive and apparently in control of inviting a sexualised gaze in what could be termed as the opposite of voyeurism.
An example of this is Fergie's single M.I.L.F. $.  Herself and her performers are in control of the 'milkman's' wandering eyes.  They have invited him in a sexualised gaze by bending over, wearing little clothing and making eye contact.

No comments:

Post a Comment