The Male Gaze Theory: Theorists

The Male Gaze Theory is the idea or 'theory' behind how people are 'viewed' weather it being on television or in a photograph, poster etc. It can include how men view women, women loom at women or how women view themselves. Many theorists have their opinions on what they consider to count as part of The Male Gaze theory. I have looked at Mulvey, Ferguson and Millum, three theorists who's beliefs I have researched in detail.


Laura Mulvey (1975)
Laura Mulvey is a British feminist film theorist. She studied at Oxford before becoming a professor of film and media in London. Mulvey is best known for her essay, 'Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema' written in 1973 and published in 1975. Her outlook on the Male Gaze theory involved purely men looking at women for visual satisfaction. She believes that women are completely passive in this topic and are only seen as sexual images for men (the 'lookers'). 


Her opinions on the Male Gaze are very intense, meaning there is no room for any changes on her views. Not everybody agrees with Mulvey, understandably, infact she has had criticisms on her thoughts on the topic and the material she publishes. The main criticism she has received is unfairness. Her bold claim that men are the 'only spectators' when it comes to looking at women has been said to be unfair and 'sexist' because since the 80's there has been a large increase in the sexual display of the male body for women's pleasure. This still is present today - particularly in fragrance adverts.

Marjorie Ferguson (1980)

Marjorie Ferguson has Four main looks which include; the Chocolate Box, Invitational, Super Smiler and Romantic/Sexual, these looks are mainly associated with female models. 
Chocolate Box
This is a look where a female model shows a slight smile, showing as minimal amount of teeth as possible, the lips tend to be closed and the face isn’t shown full on face forward.
Invitational
This look which focuses mainly upon the eyes, and mouth which will be closed although the model will be smiling with her head to one side, as if to be looking down upon the invitee.
Super Smiler
When a model is showing this look she’ll show her full face with a full teeth smile with either her head tilted forwards or backwards.
Romantic or Sexual
This look includes both a female and a male in the picture, it will seem as if it is a dream and it should be very sexual


Trevor Millum
Five main looks which he calls, Seductive, Carefree, Practical, Comic and Catalogue.
Seductive
When a model is posing in the Seductive look they should have their eyes slightly closed, the expressions will be small, but will still show through, they will also aim to look confident.
Carefree
A Carefree look, can be linked to sports because it seems as if they are active and healthy.
Practical
A pratical will include a model who seems to be concentrating something, so thier eyes will be focussed and their mouth will be closed but not tightly.
Comic
This will be seem as if the actor/model is being studpid, comical, funny and it will normally be exagerated, to make the most as if to seem that what they are laughing at is very funny.
Catalogue
This will make the model have their eyes wide open, with a big smile as if they are not stupid but quite dumb.