When studying music videos, particularly those produced in a male-dominated entertainment business, the concept of the *female gaze* becomes a question. Fifth Harmony’s Work from Home has been frequently used as an example of where notions of the female gaze intersect with patriarchal portrayals of women. The MV appears to reverse the script. The women are in charge of directing a building site as male workers work in the background. However, closer analysis shows complexities that call into question the reality of a TRUE feminine gaze.

In Work from Home, the group exudes confidence and autonomy. Their lyrics, choreography, and costumes seem to lean toward the autonomy and empowerment of females. Nonetheless, the visual presentation also heavily adheres to patriarchal conceptions of beauty, such as the female’s looks are shaped in hyper-feminine aesthetics with provocative dancing steps designed to appeal to largely the male audience. Even though they are shown in the video as labourers, the guys are not being objectified as the women are. This dynamic reflects the critique offered by Katarina Azpiri and Nicole Del Rio, who argue that the female gaze cannot exist in an industry still dominated by patriarchal norms. Instead, it is an illusion created within the male-defined and dominated system. 

The female gaze, as theorised, would ideally depict women as subjects of their own narrative rather than objects of desire. However, as Anita Ghoreshi points out, attempts to define or represent the female gaze often fail because they are inherently framed within the language and structures of the male gaze. The women in Work from Home seem to be in charge and demand attention when they want it. However, the video’s production and framing align with traditional marketing techniques designed for heterosexual male audiences. This duality makes the idea of a female gaze more difficult, especially in a patriarchal field that frequently advances male interests, even though women still make up a sizable portion of the audience. 

In conclusion, Work from Home illustrates how difficult it is to define the female gaze in pop culture. According to Supreet Dodani, the female gaze is still an incomplete and idealistic idea that cannot be achieved in a society that is structured by male authority rather than serving as a counterpoint to the male gaze. The true empowerment requires the modification of visual narratives to present women’s experiences as independent subjects rather than objects, but not just to reverse the power dynamics.

References:

Azpiri, K. and Del Rio, N. (2023) ‘The Female Gaze Doesn’t Exist’, The Reporter, 9 March. Available at: https://mdcthereporter.com/the-female-gaze-doesnt-exist/ 

Ghoreshi, A. (2023) ‘Does the Female Gaze Exist?’, TEDxVienna Magazine, 16 March. Available at: https://magazine.tedxvienna.at/2023/03/16/does-the-female-gaze-exist/ 

Dodani, S. (2023) ‘The Watcher in the Rye: Reflecting on the Male and Female Gaze’, Hindu College Gazette. Available at: https://www.hinducollegegazette.com/post/the-watcher-in-the-rye-reflecting-on-the-male-and-female-gaze

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