The Male Gaze
(Oh Dear!)
Before we start, remember that I am writing from the perspective of a middle-aged, heterosexual male, and so that is doubtless reflected in my opinions (translation: don’t shoot the messenger!).For those not familiar with this phrase, that until relatively recently was largely confined to scholarly studies, it refers to the way in which men describe or portray women’s bodies, or represent their sexuality in art.
The easiest way to explain it is to start by using TV or movies as visual examples, before moving onto the written word (by the way, I love the Carry On films, so the image above is not a criticism of these wonderful examples of British humour).
Much of the film industry is still run by male directors and cinematographers and all too often, this is reflected in the choice of shots and camera angles in these scenes. How many times have you seen a naked couple lying in bed, the bedsheets artfully concealing their lower bodies, but the female actor is topless, whilst her male counterpart is largely covered?
What about during sex scenes? There are sweeping camera shots of the female actor’s sweaty body, leaving little to the imagination, whilst her male colleague is barely shown. How many times have you seen a female actor showering or bathing in intimate, lingering detail, whilst (Hugh Jackman aside) there is barely a bare male bottom in sight?
In crime dramas, female murder victims are often lying naked on a mortuary table in the background, whilst the detectives discuss the case with the pathologist. Not only is this often gratuitous, it’s also unrealistic. Those who work within morgues, treat their patients with dignity. The body will be covered to preserve their modesty until it is necessary to remove the sheet to perform the autopsy, then they will be covered again.
Comic books are infamous for the way in which male superheroes wear sensible, practical costumes, whilst their female counterparts wear tight, gravity-defying bodices with their cleavage spilling out, and tiny miniskirts. I laughed out loud when, in a recent season of Supergirl, she was given a new version of the iconic suit and was delighted when it had trousers (pants) rather than her traditional red miniskirt!
A number of high-profile actors have become so fed up with what often feels like an unnecessary sop to male fantasies, that they will no longer perform intimate scenes unless they are directed by a female.
In literature, there exists the same phenomenon, almost exclusively in books written by male authors. Female characters are described in forensic detail, whilst all we know about our male is protagonist is that he has brown hair and dark eyes.
Many of the most egregious examples are shared on social media, and held up for ridicule. So if you don’t want your literary masterpiece being discussed by the Twitterati for all the wrong reasons, let’s look at how to avoid falling into these old habits.
(Note: I am going to assume that you aren’t specifically writing erotica, in which case the rules are obviously different).
Points to consider.
Women don’t, as a rule, frequently spend lengthy periods of time in front of a mirror considering their naked body.
And if, for strong narrative reasons, such a scene is necessary, there’s rarely any need to relate their inner monologue in intimate detail, for several paragraphs!
Less Is More.
This is a rule that is applicable to all manner of description, but especially important here. Is it really necessary to describe your female character’s breasts in such intimate detail? Do you absolutely have to spend ages devising graphic metaphors so that the reader knows exactly what their nipples look like?
Let The Reader’s Imagination Fill In The Details.
For example:
It was clear to see how the young woman had captured his attention. Tall and slim, her short skirt revealed smooth, toned legs, her lightly-tanned thighs soft like pillows. Her breasts were large, but not too large, barely constrained by her vest top, the indentations of her nipples revealing that she had neglected to wear a bra … Etc etc etc.
How about instead:
It was clear to see how the young woman had captured his attention. Tall and slim, in a short skirt, and a revealing top that left little to the onlooker’s imagination, she wouldn’t have looked out of place on a catwalk.
I’m certainly not claiming any literary greatness for what I have just written, but rather than painting a picture in toe-curling, forensic detail, why not just give a few tantalising brushstrokes and let the reader do the work?
Are You Projecting Your Own Fantasies?
As writers, we often have a strong image in our mind’s eye of what our characters look like. But unless it’s directly relevant to the plot, be sparing with the detail. One of the reasons that books are so wonderfully immersive, is that whilst a great writer is able to conjure up a picture in their readers’ minds, the form that a character takes is ultimately determined by each individual reader. I have a clear image of what Harry Bosch looks like – and it isn’t anything like Titus Welliver who portrays him on screen. And it probably wouldn’t be recognisable to Michael Connelly or the millions of other readers of his books.
It’s also quite common for authors to have one of their characters representing their ideal woman (or man). It’s generally harmless and part of the fun of being a writer. But I’d urge you not to spend a disproportionate amount of time describing that person. Keep a bit back for yourself!
Do Men And Women Get Equal Billing?
Go through your character descriptions with a critical eye. How many lines do you spend describing a male character? How many do you use to portray an equally important female character? Is there a big disparity? What about language? Think about the types of descriptors you use – are they factual (hair colour, height etc) or objective (voluptuous, pretty etc) – there’s nothing wrong with either, but are your male characters described in the same way as your female characters?
Ask An Expert!
It’s a generalisation, but if you are a male writer and aren’t sure if your male gaze is asserting itself, why not ask a woman for her opinion on your rough draft?
What are your thoughts on the male gaze? What about the female gaze – it surely exists, but is it as prevalent, or as awkward?
Feel free to comment here, or on social media.
Best wishes,
Paul.
