Male Gaze

A theorist called Laura Mulvey came up with the theory of the 'Male Gaze'. She argued that most media reflects the male gaze as the audience, or viewer, is put into the perspective of a heterosexual male for example, it may linger on a woman's curves. Woman also seem to be objectified. 

The Male Gaze typically focuses on:

-         Emphasising curves of the female body

-         Referring to women as objects rather than people

-         The display of women is how men think they should be perceived

This is also commonly seen in magazines as well as digital texts such as TV and film.

Both of the magazine covers are clear examples of the camera being used as a 'male eye'.

The front cover of 'Q' is a very common example of how magazines use the male gaze in the front cover. The camera and her pose together excentuate and make the eyes focus on her posterior and her legs. Her pose also links to the male gaze and audience as it is the type of pose which would appeal to men. Similar to this, Rolling Stones front cover of Miley Cyrus also using a peovocative pose and is seen topless much like Lily Allen in Q. Both front covers use the woman to help appeal to both men and woman. They do this as men are attracted to the women they are portraying and woman aspire to be/look like them.