“The presence of woman is an indispensable element of spectacle in normative narrative film, yet her visual presence tends to work against the development of a story line.” -Mulvey, 809

Laura Mulvey is a prominent feminist film theorist known for her groundbreaking essay “Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema,” published in 1975. In this essay, she introduced the concept of the “male gaze” and discussed its implications for feminism and the portrayal of women in cinema.

Mulvey argues that traditional Hollywood cinema is structured around the voyeuristic gaze of the heterosexual male viewer. She suggests that the camera in mainstream films often adopts the perspective of a male protagonist, objectifying female characters as passive objects of desire. Women are typically depicted as beautiful, passive, and lacking agency, existing primarily to be looked at and desired by male characters and viewers. The concept of the male gaze extends beyond cinema and applies to broader cultural representations of women, where women are often positioned as objects to be observed and desired by men. Mulvey contends that this objectification of women reinforces patriarchal power structures and perpetuates gender inequality.

Mulvey’s analysis of the male gaze has had a significant impact on feminist film theory and has inspired critical examinations of gender representation in various media forms. Her work encourages filmmakers and audiences to question the ways in which women are portrayed and to strive for more diverse and empowering representations of femininity. For example Cindy Sherman who challenges these ideas, and also Nancy Honey. In terms of what it means to be feminine, Mulvey’s work challenges traditional notions of femininity that are constructed and perpetuated by patriarchal society. She critiques the portrayal of women as passive, submissive, and defined solely by their relationships with men. Instead, Mulvey advocates for a more complex and multifaceted understanding of femininity that allows women to assert their agency, challenge gender norms, and define their identities on their own terms.

Overall, Laura Mulvey’s ideas around feminism and femininity have been instrumental in highlighting the ways in which gender is constructed and represented in popular culture. Her work continues to be influential in feminist discourse and serves as a reminder of the ongoing struggle for gender equality and representation.