Response To Leonard's Essay 'What Is The Male Gaze?'

In her essay "What is the Male Gaze?", Leonard argues that there is a clear bias towards men in media, where women are often depicted as passive objects to be looked at by men. She notes that this bias extends beyond just visual media like film and television but also influences other forms of media such as literature and advertising. Leonard's argument highlights how pervasive this issue is across various forms of media.

On the other hand, Kelly Oliver's essay "The male gaze is more relevant and more dangerous than ever" offers a more nuanced critique of the concept. She argues that while there is undoubtedly an issue with how women are portrayed in media, focusing solely on the male gaze can limit our understanding of gender dynamics in society.

She notes that this bias extends beyond just visual media like film and television but also influences other forms of media such as literature and advertising. Leonard's argument highlights how pervasive this issue is across various forms of media.

On the other hand, Kelly Oliver's essay "The male gaze is more relevant and more dangerous than ever" offers a more nuanced critique of the concept. She argues that while there is undoubtedly an issue with how women are portrayed in media, focusing solely on the male gaze can limit our understanding of gender dynamics in society. Oliver suggests we broaden our analysis to consider how power operates more broadly across social structures.

Overall, these two essays offer important insights into an ongoing debate within feminist theory about representations of gender in popular culture. By examining both authors' perspectives on bias towards men in media and feminist critique of the male gaze, we can better understand this complex

Women are often presented as one-dimensional characters whose sole purpose is to fulfill male fantasies. They are usually young, thin, conventionally attractive, and submissive to men's desires. This not only reinforces gender stereotypes but also perpetuates harmful ideas about femininity and beauty standards. Moreover, these representations have real-world consequences for how women are treated. The objectification of women leads to a culture where they are treated as inferior beings who exist solely for men's pleasure or entertainment. This can manifest in various forms, such as sexual harassment, assault, or violence against women.

The male gaze is more relevant today because of the proliferation of social media and digital technologies. With the rise of platforms like Instagram and TikTok, individuals have greater access to images that perpetuate unrealistic beauty standards for women. These images often reinforce traditional gender roles where women are expected to be sexually attractive to men at all times. Moreover, media algorithms prioritize content that aligns with these norms, making it difficult for alternative perspectives to gain