The formation of gender identity and consequent gender differences is instilled in the
social fabric, reinforced in daily life and is practiced and perpetuated through the
process of socialization. This leads to asymmetry and consequent inequality which in a
way sanctions male hegemony over gender hierarchy and allows for a male gaze
through which women are viewed as an object of gratification; a vulnerable group; a
voice less gender; and traditional care-givers. This narrow gaze vis a vis women
consequently put the lives of women in jeopardy and expose them to various sexual
violence and discrimination in private and public domain.
However, enforcement of law has not sufficiently reduced the crisis of sexual violence.
The reason behind this being legal consciousness having a narrow value laden gaze in
which sexual violence is defined through the same larger framework of patriarchal
discourse which considers it to as crime only. This escapes the root cause of sexual
violence and intensifies the problem of gender inequality and gender violence in society.
This paper therefore, attempts to analyze the ways through which women are viewed
through a social gaze which objectify them as modest, tender, and weak and thus
justifies their vulnerability in public spaces. It also analyses how the legal
consciousness has been influenced by the patriarchal gender discourse and reinforces
this social gaze.
Therefore, this paper seeks to investigate into new ways which helps in reversing this
social gaze by triggering a change in the social mindset at larger level so as to delimit
the scope of this social gaze on women. This, the paper holds that the solution lies in
reversing and widening the social gaze with respect to gendered space, gender role performance, and conceptual domain of sexual violence so that a woman could receive
her freedom, liberty and rights not being a woman only but as an equal gender.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Gendering Sexual Identity
- Conceptualizing ‘Social Gaze', Gender Identity and Male Hegemony
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This paper examines the impact of the "social gaze" on women's experiences of sexual violence and how this gaze is perpetuated by patriarchal structures within society. The author argues that the social gaze, which objectifies women and reinforces their vulnerability, is deeply intertwined with legal consciousness and contributes to the ongoing problem of gender inequality and violence.
- The influence of the "social gaze" on women's experiences of sexual violence
- The role of patriarchal structures in shaping the "social gaze"
- The intersection of legal consciousness and the "social gaze"
- The need to reverse and widen the "social gaze" to achieve gender equality
- The importance of recognizing women as equal members of society
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
The paper begins by exploring the concept of gender as a socially constructed identity. It discusses how gender stereotypes are created and reinforced through socialization, leading to a hierarchical relationship between men and women. The author draws on theories of power, Orientalism, and feminist scholarship to demonstrate how gender inequality is perpetuated and how women are positioned as subordinate to men.
The paper then introduces the concept of the "social gaze," which refers to the way in which society views women. The author argues that the "social gaze" often objectifies women and reinforces their vulnerability to sexual violence. The author explores how the "social gaze" is reflected in film and other cultural representations, and how it is maintained through a process of dialogism.
Finally, the paper calls for a reversal of the "social gaze" in order to promote gender equality. The author suggests that this reversal requires a change in social mindset and a broader understanding of gender roles and responsibilities.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
This paper examines the intersection of law, gender, and society, focusing on the themes of sexual violence, the "social gaze," and gender inequality. It utilizes concepts from feminist theory, psychoanalysis, and social psychology to analyze how patriarchal structures, legal frameworks, and cultural norms perpetuate the objectification of women and their vulnerability to violence.
- Citation du texte
- Manasi Sinha (Auteur), 2013, Re-versing the Social Gaze: Sexual Violence, Law and Gender, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/265537
