Laura Mulvey Essay Template

How does Laura Mulvey's theory apply to "Dirty" and "Do it like a dude"

In Christina Aguilera's video of "Dirrty" the use of the camera invites sexual gaze by having angles of the camera e.g. close ups on parts of her body. She is shown as being locked in a cage and dancing in front of men with a few other girls behind her looking similarly dressed to Christina Aguilera but the camera is mainly being shown at her and are just for background. The video attempts to show masculinity to the women in the music video by fighting, but they are dressed in very revealing clothes, shortly after they have women and Christina Aguilera in the shower.

Music videos like "Dirrty" can usually have a target audience of mainly men because it is appealing and can be known for being "Eye Candy"e.g. dancing half naked in front of men. The women in "Dirrty" interact with the men in a sexual movement especially when Christina has two men on both sides right next to her grinding and looking like an animal being locked in a cage and having to fight in front of men with very revealing clothes e.g. bikinis, Leather chaps, short skirts, bras and ripped tights.

In Jessie J's "Do it like a Dude" music video, she attempts to change views on how people see girls in music videos and challenges the stereotype. She does have close ups on the face like in "Dirrty" but she makes it different having dark and spiky lips which is not shown as an object of desire to people. The music video shows the men and women as being equal and not having any difference to opposite sex. The movement of the women are not appealing but aggressive to the camera e.g. aggresively grabbing and shaking the camera. Jessie J in the video is more appropriate because her clothes are less revealing and not being anywhere close to any other actor in the music video unlike Christina Aguilera in "Dirrty". some of the audience  still view the video in a voyeuristic way because Jessie J is still doing what an average music girl would do such as wearing partly revealing clothes, sexual dances and kissing scenes but does still make the video unique. The music video show to have been made for audiences like both male and females. This shows examples and links to the song of Katy Perry "Part Of Me" where both videos show that women are equal both women music artist representing themselves as violent, strong and independant.

In conclusion, Laura Mulvey's theory was correct in how women are presented in music videos as being objects of desire but there are people who are challenging the stereotype e.g. Jessie J "Do it like a dude" but music videos like Christina Aguilera "Dirrty" are making it worse for how people are going to see music videos but they can change but music video girls being shown as objects of desire are getting to ridiculous levels.