The Male Gaze

             

                  

Empowered or objectified? Throughout Beyonce's music video "partition", there are several scenes that are associated with sex, intimacy and objectifies the female in accordance with normalised perceptions of gender and sexuality. Although, many may believe the video can be perceived as sexual empowerment rather than a form of sexual objectification. The sultry video (displaying or suggesting a strong sexual nature) presents Beyonce as a wealthy aristocrat who finds herself fantasising about having sex while having breakfast with her partner. Throughout the duration of the video Beyonce is wearing provocative clothing which some may view as unessasary due to her position in the music industry already. However, others may perceive the provactive items of clothing to be somewhat necessary or acceptable for either the attention of men or to feel empowered. Along side this, 'partition' in particular has created controversy as Beyonce is currently one of the most influential musicians in pop culture and has defined herself as a feminist, yet she uses tools that reinforce the idea that women need to be sexually submissive and objectified in order to prove their empowerment, which many underline to not be a feminist point of view. Later on throughout the video Beyonce begins to preform an erotic dance routine where she begins to face the camera, looking towards the lens at us the audience and essentials breaks the 'fourth wall' to show that is just a fantasy. Within the video there is a notation of power from both actors. Beyonce, represents the mind of the female and the her sexual empowerment, where as the male continually touches her allowing people to believe, especially men, that it is okay to see a women as a form of sexual objectification rather than a women.