'Male Gaze

The male gaze is a concept coined by feminist film critic Laura Mulvey. It refers to the way visual arts are structured around a masculine viewer. It describes the tendency in visual culture to depict the world and women from a masculine point of view and in terms of men's attitudes.

These are some of the main points:

1. The representation of women as a sexual fantasy and froma heterosexual male point of view
2. Scopophilia-the pleasure involved in looking at other people's bodies
3. objectification of female characters
4. patriarchal society
5. Active Male and passive female
6. men-controlling subjects
7. women as an image
8. men do the looking and women are there to be looked at
9. needs of the male ego

The male gaze theory can be found in most cinematic media and a good example is She Wolf by Shakira.

The music video displays Shakira dancing in a cage as a "She Wolf", it could be argued that this actually makes the woman appear powerful and aggressive. However, the cage detracts from her power and makes her seems submissive, a quality only appealing to heterosexual men.  Furthermore the wide shots show her in compromising positions, and performing acrobats more appropriate for a pole dancer than a wolf. Another devise used in adherence to Mulvey's theory is costume; Shakira wears a nude leotard, which frequently makes her appear naked. 

An obvious interpretation would be that it is being suggested that women are animals that need to be controlled and contained.

It is evident that the music video was made for a man's point of view within the first thirty seconds when she appears in a cut out body suit and begins to thrust her hips, holding her hand in front of them. This obvious imagery is designed to appeal to men and even make them dream to be with her, also conforming to the Star Theory.