The Male Gaze - What, Where, Why?

http://www.whatwherewhy.me/blog/2012/06/11/the-male-gaze/

by ghurlman • 14 years ago

5 3 14 years ago

JohannL2• 14 years ago

No discussion, at all? Bleh...!

Oh well, it's not like I have anything insightful to add myself right now, I'd just like to heartily agree with this:

"I’m sorry if this post has been a long and rambling read. It’s a topic that I feel strongly about. I believe in equality–regardless of sex, gender, sexual orientation, skin colour, etc. I want to live in a world where, as a white, heterosexual male, I have no special privileges. And, I’m happy to use whatever privileges I may have today to help achieve that goal."

jonahj• 14 years ago

It is curious where to draw the line between a faux pas, sexism, and misogyny.

Most men are not misogynists and don't purposely make sexist remarks. I agree with this:

"I don’t think that they intentionally set out to perpetuate the male gaze or to insult women or to discourage women from our industry. They just didn’t think about it."

Men sometimes forget what offends women: talking about blow jobs, appreciating a woman's curves in a tight white dress, passing along "brogrammer" memes (there was a post on HN how this excludes women and is therefore sexist), giving masculine names to coding projects like "Testosterone," hiring booth babes, etc.

Men need to remember the tech industry is not a "boy's club" (even if it feels like it with our nerf guns, foosball tables, and Beer Fridays) and change their thinking/behavior accordingly.

We don't need to go around educating everyone in feminist theory and second-wave feminism to fix this. Just say: Dude, that is probably offensive.

JohannL2• 14 years ago

"Just say: Dude, that is probably offensive."

Dude, that's kinda weak.

The Male Gaze - What, Where, Why?

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