This week’s reading was The Oppositional Gaze Black Female Spectators by bell hooks. This reading coincided with last week’s reading about scopophilia and the male gaze. The biggest takeaways from bell hooks’ writing, for me personally, was the domination strategies associated with the gaze, how black women viewed the male dominated Hollywood films, and how black women's self and art has been viewed over time.
When people view another person or an object they are using their personal gaze. Throughout history for blacks in the U.S, the gaze was a power struggle between two people. Enslaved black people were threatened to not look their owners in the eye. This refusal of gaze took away even more intrinsic rights as a human and dominated them even further. As time passed, hooks described how she was taught to always look others in the eyes and how to set their gaze driven boundaries. As a white person, I had never thought about this power struggle. Reading this paper has taught me how small actions that affect a person’s gaze can have a huge impact.
As bell hooks' writing continues, she described the way black women viewed the male dominated Hollywood films. These are films that are written and produced by white men. In last week's reading, we learned how white women were treated on screen. However, this week's writing delved into the differences in how black women perceived these films. As it is well known, representation of blacks in movies was pathetic and not present in traditional cinema. In the writing, hooks described instances where she interviewed black women and their experience with movies. Many black women described that when they watched a film they felt the need to leave their identities behind just to somewhat enjoy what they were watching. Black women were forced to pretend to be a white person just to feel connected to a film. However as time passed and black women were shown more prevalent in films, white males seemed to be unable to empathize or connect with black characters and felt disinterested. This to me showed how white centered U.S white people have been raised by Hollywood.
Lastly, bell hooks described the misrepresentation that black women had suffered through when they first started appearing on the big screen. Black were were shown as nagging, annoying, loud wives to husbands. Their blatant disrespect for black women was evident in Hollywood’s gross and fictional representation of them. Rightfully so, black women fought against these stereotypes.
 |
| When They See Us, Lavett Ballard, 2020 |
In the artwork, When They See Us by Lavett Ballard, the viewer experiences direct eye contact with the artwork’s subject, a black woman. Stereotypical and racist representation of black women lead to the development of the oppositional gaze. As bell hooks described it, “an overwhelming longing to look, a rebellious desire, an oppositional gaze. By courageously looking, we defiantly declared: ‘Not only will I stare. I want my look to change reality’."
This week's reading was a huge eye opener for me. In the future, I hope to see this country grow in representation.
Sources:
Bell Hooks, in Black Looks: Race and Representation <Boston: south End Press, 1992>, 115-3
"When They See Us by Lavett Ballard - Long-Sharp Gallery." Long. Accessed October 07, 2021. https://www.longsharpgallery.com/ballard-when-they-see-us-addl-info
Hello India
ReplyDeleteVery well said post I agree the experiences students shared with looking was very interesting. I didn’t share but I’ve had an experience that did stick with me. I’ve been told throughout my life I have very large intense eyes and I am someone who likes eye contact but never thought anything of it. But one time this older white man was telling a story to a group (id just met this guy) I was invested in his story and was leaning forward looking at him listening and in front of the whole group he stopped and loudly told me to stop staring at him in a rude tone and I was so embarrassed for a while I didn’t look at men for a while because it made them uncomfortable as he said and that I was challenging/threating him. How crazy I listen to that guy for so long that I in a sense submitted myself to that kind of treatment. But it does show how much power is in the gaze and reaffirms that. I am sure my experience would have been waay different if I was IBPOC but as a woman I still (sort of) shared that.
(That was a long story sorry. Anyway.)
For a question I am wondering what made you choose this art piece?
For a friendly improvement: I picked the same artist Lavett Ballard I think you should take the time and speak more about her work!
Veronica, I really enjoyed your story about how you made a man feel threatened just by looking at him when he told a story. The gaze really does hold a lot of power. I'm glad you've returned to using strong eye contact again, I'm sorry you felt like you needed to hold yourself back just to make a man comfortable. I chose this art piece because we had briefly discussed her art in class and I wanted to look more into it. I will definitely keep researching her and her art. Thank you!
DeleteHey, India! You did a really good job on your blog. I didn't see any problems, and as usual, you provided with a lot of information. I also enjoyed your point of view on this whole ordeal on gaze. I agree with what you said, and it made me glad I am not the only one. Good job!
ReplyDeleteGlori, thank you for your comment. I'm glad you liked reading my essay for this week. Learning about the oppositional gaze seemed more interesting to me compared to last week’s discussion of gaze. I think there is more to learn from the gaze as a whole. I feel like the male gaze is talked about more than the oppositional gaze so I’m glad we learned something new. Thank you!
Delete