Sexualization & The Male Gaze in Media

During the editing process I chose still frames that I felt strongly reflect Mulvey’s argument in her essay; moments clearly made to cater to the male gaze and designed for their pleasure. That is why the first still frame I chose was the opening shot where McKinney’s cleavage is extremely exposed, as it immediately establishes her role in the commercial as a visual object rather than an active participant. I also decided to focus on the tomato and melon shots since these were strong examples of fetishistic scopophilia as they literally reduce her body to sexualized fragments that imitate her breasts and buttocks. By including these and the other still frames/captions, it gave viewers the opportunity to reflect more deeply on how the commercial’s imagery supports Mulvey’s arguments.

Furthermore, as a young woman myself, I felt it was important to highlight how dangerous it can be when femininity is framed through such a sexualized, male gaze lens, especially in media designed for mass audiences. While expressing femininity is extremely important, necessary, and empowering–whether it is through nudity, sensuality, and other forms of ‘bold’ self-presentation—I do not feel that this commercial portrays it in that way. Instead of showcasing McKinney’s agency or self-expression, it uses her body solely as a marketing tool to gauge male attention. Overall, the ad exemplifies the harmful patterns that Mulvey describes, reducing a woman to an object of visual pleasure rather than allowing her to exist as a full, autonomous subject. By emphasizing these shots, I hoped to make clear how the commercial reinforces the male gaze rather than celebrating genuine feminine expression.