Between Gazes

Camelia Elias

aims and focusaims and focus

look at:look at:how gender is a performative and how gender is a performative and

constitutive act within cultural constitutive act within cultural frameworksframeworks

issues of representation, visual pleasure, issues of representation, visual pleasure, spectatorship and subjectivityspectatorship and subjectivity

feminist, queers and ‘other’s own aims:feminist, queers and ‘other’s own aims:to end male, heterosexual, and white to end male, heterosexual, and white

male/female domination respectivelymale/female domination respectively

central theoretical questionscentral theoretical questions

what constitutes the category of what constitutes the category of woman?woman?

on what basis is it established that the on what basis is it established that the heterosexual world is more ‘natural’ heterosexual world is more ‘natural’ than the homosexual world?than the homosexual world?

what legitimizes the marginalization of what legitimizes the marginalization of transgender behavior?transgender behavior?

why does transgressing boundaries why does transgressing boundaries (both literally and figuratively) end in (both literally and figuratively) end in punishment?punishment?

central analytical questionscentral analytical questions

how are women, queer, and the how are women, queer, and the powerless rest represented and powerless rest represented and constructed in mainstream/art/cult constructed in mainstream/art/cult films?films?

what is the function and consequence what is the function and consequence of these representations in the social of these representations in the social and cultural context?and cultural context?

what kind of subject position does film what kind of subject position does film construe and represent for the viewer?construe and represent for the viewer?

gendersgenders

gender identity (after ’45)gender identity (after ’45) gender roles (60s)gender roles (60s) gender-gapgender-gap gender-biasedgender-biased gender-specificgender-specific gender-bender (80s)gender-bender (80s) gender-blendergender-blender gender studiesgender studies

gender differentiationsgender differentiations

malemale femalefemale ~~~~~~~~ between male and femalebetween male and female beyond male and femalebeyond male and female both male and femaleboth male and female neither male nor femaleneither male nor female

sex vs. gender discoursesex vs. gender discourse

sex is filtered through the culturally sex is filtered through the culturally dominant codes that regulate the behavior dominant codes that regulate the behavior acceptable in men and womenacceptable in men and women

these codes police the social relations of these codes police the social relations of sexualitysexuality

the codes determine the social division the codes determine the social division between sexesbetween sexes

men and women are placed in mutually men and women are placed in mutually exclusive categories (Gayle Rubin)exclusive categories (Gayle Rubin)

““sex is sex but what counts as sex is… sex is sex but what counts as sex is… culturally determined and obtained” culturally determined and obtained” (Rubin)(Rubin)

Judith ButlerJudith Butler

a man is not what one a man is not what one is but something one is but something one does, a condition one does, a condition one enactsenacts

your gender is created your gender is created by your actsby your acts

you become a man or you become a man or a woman by repeated a woman by repeated actsacts

repeated acts depend repeated acts depend on social conventionon social convention

Butler’s claimsButler’s claims

sexual identities are a function of sexual identities are a function of representationsrepresentations

representations preexist and define, representations preexist and define, as well as complicate and disrupt, as well as complicate and disrupt, sexual identitiessexual identities

gender is not a stable identity, but an gender is not a stable identity, but an identity constituted in time through identity constituted in time through stylized repetition of actsstylized repetition of acts

the body is a set of possibilitiesthe body is a set of possibilities

The gazeThe gaze

the gaze: the gaze: is a mode of viewing reflecting a gendered is a mode of viewing reflecting a gendered

code of desire code of desire the lookthe look: :

a perceptual mode open to alla perceptual mode open to all

““to gaze implies more than to look at - it to gaze implies more than to look at - it signifies a psychological relationship of signifies a psychological relationship of power, in which the gazer is superior to power, in which the gazer is superior to the object of the gaze”the object of the gaze”

(Jonathan Schroeder 1998, 208).(Jonathan Schroeder 1998, 208).

Gaze typologyGaze typology

thethe spectator’s gaze spectator’s gaze: the gaze of the viewer at an : the gaze of the viewer at an image of a person (or animal, or object) in the image of a person (or animal, or object) in the text; text;

thethe intra-diegetic gaze intra-diegetic gaze: a gaze of one depicted : a gaze of one depicted person at another within the world of the text person at another within the world of the text

thethe direct direct [or [or extra-diegeticextra-diegetic]] address address to the to the viewer: the gaze of a person (or quasi-human viewer: the gaze of a person (or quasi-human being) depicted in the text looking ‘out of the being) depicted in the text looking ‘out of the frame’ frame’

the the look of the cameralook of the camera - the way that the camera - the way that the camera itself appears to look at the people depicted; less itself appears to look at the people depicted; less metaphorically, the gaze of the film-maker or metaphorically, the gaze of the film-maker or photographerphotographer

gaze typology 2gaze typology 2

thethe gaze of a bystander gaze of a bystander - outside the world of the - outside the world of the text text the text may be erotic (Willemen 1992) the text may be erotic (Willemen 1992)

the the averted gazeaverted gaze - a depicted person’s noticeable - a depicted person’s noticeable avoidance of the gaze of another avoidance of the gaze of another this may this may involve looking up, looking down or looking away involve looking up, looking down or looking away (Dyer 1982) (Dyer 1982)

the the gaze of an audience within the textgaze of an audience within the text shots shots of an audience watching those performing in the of an audience watching those performing in the 'text within a text''text within a text'

the the editorial gazeeditorial gaze - 'the whole institutional - 'the whole institutional process by which some portion of the process by which some portion of the photographer's gaze is chosen for use and photographer's gaze is chosen for use and emphasis' (Lutz & Collins 1994, 368)emphasis' (Lutz & Collins 1994, 368)

Gaze typology in figurative Gaze typology in figurative paintingpainting

You, looking at the painting, You, looking at the painting, figures in the painting who look out at you, figures in the painting who look out at you, figures in the painting who look at one another, and figures in the painting who look at one another, and figures in the painting who look at objects or stare off into figures in the painting who look at objects or stare off into

space or have their eyes closed. In addition there is often space or have their eyes closed. In addition there is often the museum guard, who may be looking at the back of the museum guard, who may be looking at the back of

your head, and your head, and the other people in the gallery, who may be looking at the other people in the gallery, who may be looking at

you or at the painting. There are imaginary observers, you or at the painting. There are imaginary observers, too: too:

the artist, who was once looking at this painting, the artist, who was once looking at this painting, the models for the figures in the painting, who may once the models for the figures in the painting, who may once

have seen themselves there, and have seen themselves there, and all the other people who have seen the painting - the all the other people who have seen the painting - the

buyers, the museum officials, and so forth. And finally, buyers, the museum officials, and so forth. And finally, there are also there are also

people who have never seen the painting: they may know people who have never seen the painting: they may know it only from reproductions... or from descriptions. (J. Elkin, it only from reproductions... or from descriptions. (J. Elkin, 1996: 38-39)1996: 38-39)

Where the female model typically averts her eyes, Where the female model typically averts her eyes, expressing modesty, patience and a lack of interest in expressing modesty, patience and a lack of interest in anything else, the male model looks either off or up. In the anything else, the male model looks either off or up. In the case of the former, his look suggests an interest in case of the former, his look suggests an interest in something else that the viewer cannot see - it certainly something else that the viewer cannot see - it certainly doesn’t suggest any interest in the viewer. Indeed, it barely doesn’t suggest any interest in the viewer. Indeed, it barely acknowledges the viewer, whereas the woman’s averted acknowledges the viewer, whereas the woman’s averted eyes do just that - they are averted from the viewer. eyes do just that - they are averted from the viewer.

In the cases where the model is looking up, this always In the cases where the model is looking up, this always suggests a spirituality...: he might be there for his face and suggests a spirituality...: he might be there for his face and body to be gazed at, but his mind is on higher things, and it body to be gazed at, but his mind is on higher things, and it is this upward striving that is most supposed to please... It is this upward striving that is most supposed to please... It may be, as is often said, that male pin-ups more often than may be, as is often said, that male pin-ups more often than not do not look at the viewer, but it is by no means the case not do not look at the viewer, but it is by no means the case that they never do. When they do, what is crucial is the that they never do. When they do, what is crucial is the kind of look that it is, something very often determined by kind of look that it is, something very often determined by the set of the mouth that accompanies it. When the female the set of the mouth that accompanies it. When the female pin-up returns the viewer’s gaze, it is usually some kind of pin-up returns the viewer’s gaze, it is usually some kind of smile, inviting. The male pin-up, even at his most benign, smile, inviting. The male pin-up, even at his most benign, still stares at the viewer... Since Freud, it is common to still stares at the viewer... Since Freud, it is common to describe such a look as ‘castrating’ or ‘penetrating’... (Dyer describe such a look as ‘castrating’ or ‘penetrating’... (Dyer 1992a, 104-9)1992a, 104-9)

The 50s pin-upsThe 50s pin-ups

The gaze in filmThe gaze in film

men as subjects identifying with agents men as subjects identifying with agents who drive the film's narrative forwardwho drive the film's narrative forward

women as objects for masculine desire women as objects for masculine desire

and fetishistic gazing (Mulvey, 1975)and fetishistic gazing (Mulvey, 1975)

1. wave feminism1. wave feminism

V. Woolf: “A Room of One’s Own”V. Woolf: “A Room of One’s Own”socio-historical condition socio-historical condition

Simone de Beauvoir: Simone de Beauvoir: The Second SexThe Second Sexsex/gender distinctionsex/gender distinction

2.wave feminism2.wave feminism

French feminism vs. North American French feminism vs. North American liberal feminismliberal feminism

focus on sexual difference and focus on sexual difference and women’s experience:women’s experience:biologybiologyexperience, experience, discourse, discourse, the unconscious, the unconscious, social and economic conditionssocial and economic conditions

3. wave feminism3. wave feminism

pluralismpluralism questions the validity and relevance of questions the validity and relevance of

white middle class feminist discourse for white middle class feminist discourse for different ethnic and racial groupsdifferent ethnic and racial groups ““English feminist criticism, especially Marxist English feminist criticism, especially Marxist

stresses oppression; French feminist criticism, stresses oppression; French feminist criticism, essentially psychoanalytic, stresses repression; essentially psychoanalytic, stresses repression; American feminist criticism, essentially textual, American feminist criticism, essentially textual, stresses expression” (Showalter)stresses expression” (Showalter)

feminist film theoryfeminist film theory

GOALSGOALS: : to disempower film’s powerful to disempower film’s powerful

misfiguring of the female (Humm)misfiguring of the female (Humm) to appropriate the power of dominant to appropriate the power of dominant

imagesimages deconstruct the dichotomy:deconstruct the dichotomy:

man as subjects identifying with agentsman as subjects identifying with agentswomen as objects for masculine desirewomen as objects for masculine desire

concernsconcerns

the spectator/screen relationshipthe spectator/screen relationship processes of identification and processes of identification and

pleasure in filmpleasure in film the relationship between narrative the relationship between narrative

and desireand desire

gaze theorygaze theory

1.1. the camera, operated by men the camera, operated by men looking at women as objectslooking at women as objects

2.2. the look of male actors within the the look of male actors within the filmfilm

3.3. the gaze of the spectator (male)the gaze of the spectator (male)

Men act, and women appearMen act, and women appear

assumptionsassumptions

gender is a social construction that gender is a social construction that oppresses women more than menoppresses women more than men

patriarchy fashions these patriarchy fashions these constructionsconstructions

women’s experiential knowledge women’s experiential knowledge helps us to envision a non-sexist helps us to envision a non-sexist societysociety

new trendsnew trends

Annette Kuhn: ‘Women’s Genres’Annette Kuhn: ‘Women’s Genres’

considers context as well as textconsiders context as well as text considers the social audience as well considers the social audience as well

as the textual spectatoras the textual spectator moves the emphasis from the text to moves the emphasis from the text to

cultureculture emphasizes pluralistic approachesemphasizes pluralistic approaches

emotion and the artsemotion and the arts

traditional aesthetics: focus is on traditional aesthetics: focus is on disinterested pleasuredisinterested pleasure

psychoanalytic theories of emotion:psychoanalytic theories of emotion:emotion is a matter of the unconsciousemotion is a matter of the unconscious

feminist aesthetics: feminist aesthetics: perception and appreciation do not have perception and appreciation do not have

a single standpoint a single standpoint the viewer’s the viewer’s dynamicsdynamics

the dynamics of the viewerthe dynamics of the viewer

active, not just passiveactive, not just passive cognizing, not just reactingcognizing, not just reacting critical, not just absorbingcritical, not just absorbing

feminist influencesfeminist influences

liberal feminismliberal feminism socialist feminism / feminism in socialist feminism / feminism in

cultural studies cultural studies postmodern feminismpostmodern feminism postfeminismpostfeminism

Sunday in New YorkSunday in New York

representationsrepresentations

isolatedisolated glamorousglamorous on display on display sexualized sexualized

to-be-looked-at-nessto-be-looked-at-ness (Mulvey) (Mulvey)

close-upsclose-ups

destroy the illusion of depthdestroy the illusion of depth create flatnesscreate flatness create icons rather than create icons rather than

verisimilitudeverisimilitude

POINT: the body is a function of POINT: the body is a function of discoursediscourse

man-handledman-handled

lessons in moralitylessons in morality

““a man deserves the right to make a a man deserves the right to make a choice” choice”

““morality never changes”morality never changes” ““the pendulum always swings back” the pendulum always swings back”

identificationsidentifications

mirrorsmirrors ““As the narrative progresses she falls in love As the narrative progresses she falls in love

with the male protagonist and becomes his with the male protagonist and becomes his property, losing her outward glamorous property, losing her outward glamorous characteristics, her generalized sexuality, characteristics, her generalized sexuality, her show-girl connotations; her eroticism is her show-girl connotations; her eroticism is subjected to the male star alone. By means subjected to the male star alone. By means of identification with him, through of identification with him, through participation in his power, the spectator can participation in his power, the spectator can indirectly possess her to” (Mulvey)indirectly possess her to” (Mulvey)