Beyond the Lens: How Cinema's Male Gaze Shapes Our Reality

In our second deep dive into Nina Menkes' groundbreaking documentary "Brainwashed: Sex-Camera-Power," we explored the profound and often disturbing connections between cinematic techniques and real-world consequences. The visual language of film doesn't just entertain us—it shapes how we see ourselves and others in ways that extend far beyond the theater.

When "Just Entertainment" Becomes Something More

"Perception is not whimsical, but fatal." This quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson, referenced by Menkes, captures the essence of our discussion. The way cinema portrays women isn't merely aesthetic—it's political, economic, and deeply personal.

The male gaze in film operates through specific technical elements:

• Subject-Object storytelling: Positioning cis white men as active subjects while women become passive objects to be viewed

• Fragmented framing: Displaying women through close-ups of isolated body parts

• Voyeuristic camera movement: Slow, lingering pans across women's bodies

• Differential lighting: Idealized, two-dimensional lighting for women versus textured, character-revealing lighting for men

  
  

  All of this contributes to a controlled Narrative Position: Dictating HOW audiences experience stories from a predominantly male perspective

When these patterns repeat thousands of times across decades of visual media, they become invisible to us—we accept them as "just the way things are."

The Split Self: Women as Both Subject and Object

One of the most insidious effects of the male gaze is what film theorists call "split subjectivity." Women viewers are trained to simultaneously identify with the male protagonist (the subject) while seeing themselves as the object being evaluated. We learn to view ourselves from the outside, constantly monitoring our appearance and behavior according to male standards.

This isn't abstract theory—research by Green and Brock on "transportation" demonstrates that narrative media bypasses our critical faculties. When we're absorbed in a film, our defenses lower, making us more susceptible to subtle attitude changes that operate below conscious awareness.

From Screen to Workplace: The Employment Connection

The statistics speak volumes. Despite gender parity in film schools, women directed only 12% of top films in 2023. This isn't a talent gap—it's systemic exclusion.

When women are consistently objectified on screen, it becomes easier to dismiss them as less qualified behind the camera. Even breakthrough successes often come at a price. Consider Kathryn Bigelow, the first woman to win the Best Director Oscar in 2008. Her film "The Hurt Locker" featured an all-male story with male-centered action, and every department head was male.

The industry often justifies this discrimination through claims of "merit," but this ignores how our very definitions of quality are shaped by existing power structures. When gatekeepers share similar backgrounds and experiences, "merit" becomes a circular argument that perpetuates exclusion.

This systemic discrimination is so pervasive that the ACLU and EEOC have investigated Hollywood studios for violations of Title VII employment laws.

The Most Disturbing Link: Sexual Harassment and Assault

Perhaps most troubling is the connection between the male gaze and sexual violence. With Hollywood producing 80% of media content distributed worldwide, the industry's power imbalances have global consequences.

The #MeToo movement revealed that a staggering 94% of women in Hollywood have experienced sexual harassment or assault. Research confirms that men who consume sexually objectifying media are more likely to engage in sexual harassment and assault. When women are consistently portrayed as passive objects of desire, it becomes easier to dismiss their autonomy and consent.

Many films normalize coercive sexuality under the guise of romance. Menkes highlights examples like Spike Lee's "Do the Right Thing," where the male lead persists despite clear rejection until the woman finally gives in. The message becomes: persistence breaks resistance, and women's initial rejections aren't to be taken seriously.

This pattern extends to production practices as well. Consider "Blue is the Warmest Color," where actress Léa Seydoux reported feeling "humiliated by excessive hours spent naked" while the director allegedly used alcohol and coercive methods to film explicit scenes. The objectification on screen manifests as exploitation behind the camera.

Breaking the Mold: Alternative Visual Languages

Despite this bleak picture, many filmmakers are actively challenging these norms and creating alternative visual languages that recognize the full humanity of all people:

• Ana Lily Amirpour's vampire in "A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night" is her own protector

• Sally Potter's "Orlando" plays with gender and the gaze

• Agnes Varda filmed male and female bodies equally instead of focusing solely on female bodies

• Gus Van Sant, influenced by Varda, brought this perspective to his work in "My Own Private Idaho"

• Cheryl Dunye's close-ups resist the traditional male gaze

• Celine Sciamma's "Portrait of a Lady on Fire" explicitly explores the dynamics of looking and being looked at

These filmmakers disrupt our comfortable position as invisible observers and remind us that the person on screen has subjectivity and agency.

Moving Forward: Awareness and Action

Awareness is just the beginning. Once we recognize these patterns, we can start to challenge them both as media consumers and creators.

As viewers, we can:

• Develop a critical eye for how visual language conveys power dynamics

• Support films that offer diverse perspectives

• Discuss these issues with friends and family to spread awareness

As Menkes puts it, "We are trapped in the collective consciousness of how we have been told to see ourselves, our desire, our desirability. If we are bold enough to QUESTION EVERYTHING, we may be able to break through that and begin to see ourselves in all ways from a different perspective."

What's Next: Revisiting Beloved Classics

In the next three episodes, I'll be putting this critical lens to work by examining three movies I loved from the 1980s, 90s, and 2000s—films that shaped my self and sexual identity during my formative years. I've specifically chosen movies I haven't revisited in my adult life but suspect employ these male gaze techniques to varying degrees.

First up: "Sixteen Candles" (1984), available to stream for free on Tubi. I know this might feel like treachery to those of us who grew up in the 80s, but we can still love these films AND be aware of their problematic aspects.

Join the Conversation

I want to hear from you! What films have you seen that successfully challenge the male gaze? How have these conversations changed how you watch and think about cinema? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Dr. Cayte is a psychotherapist and Clinical Sexologist exploring the intersection of visual media and social power structures. This blog post is part of an ongoing series analyzing the impact of cinematic representation on real-world inequality.