Syed Misbah ul Islam Andrabi

  The concept of the male gaze has been a prominent topic of discussion in feminist theory, media studies, and cultural studies for several decades. Coined by feminist film theorist Laura Mulvey in her influential 1975 essay "Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema," the male gaze refers to the way in which visual media perpetuates and reinforces a patriarchal perspective that objectifies and sexualizes women. I, the male gaze is often more complex and insidious than it may initially appear, as it can take on various forms and be disguised in a variety of ways.  Y   One particularly intriguing phenomenon related to the male gaze is the masquerade of the male gaze. This refers to instances in which the male gaze is obscured or hidden behind a facade, making it more difficult to detect and critique. For example, in media texts that appear to cater to a female audience, such as romantic comedies or reality television shows targeted at women, the male gaze may st...

  The Sacred Double Standard: When Modesty Becomes "Oppression" at the Intersection of Faith and Prejudice A Catholic nun walks down the street in a habit covering her hair, neck, and body. She’s hailed as pious, devoted, a beacon of spiritual conviction. A Muslim woman walks the same street in a hijab and modest attire. She’s labeled oppressed, brainwashed, or a threat to secular values. This glaring contradiction isn’t about modesty—it’s about whose modesty we deem "civilized." The dissonance reveals a deep-seated colonial hangover, racialized Islamophobia, and a failure to respect women’s agency when their choices defy Western expectations. The Anatomy of a Hypocrisy The Turtleneck Test : As Iranian-American activist Hoda Katebi notes, non-Muslim women in high-necklines and long skirts are called "elegant" or "professional." When Muslim women wear identical silhouettes—adding a headscarf—they’re interrogated about patriarchal cont...