The "male gaze" is a feminist theory describing how visual arts and literature depict the world and women from a masculine, heterosexual perspective, portraying women as sexual objects for the pleasure of the male viewer. British feminist film theorist Laura Mulvey coined the term in her 1975 essay, "Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema". Mulvey argued that mainstream film is designed primarily for male audiences and is organized through a patriarchal viewpoint.
In cinematic representations, the male gaze denies women human agency and identity, transforming them into objects valued for their beauty, physique, and sex appeal, as defined by male sexual fantasy. The camera often focuses on women's bodies, fragmenting them into sexualized components. The male gaze operates from three perspectives: that of the man behind the camera, the male characters within the film, and the spectator. Critics argue that the male gaze has a negative impact, conditioning women to conform to patriarchal standards of appearance and behavior, leading to self-objectification, body shame, and diminished self-esteem.
