Magic Mike is not the Female Gaze

Do you know how many times I have talked about the Wolf of Wallstreet without actually ever having seen the movie? A lot. I feel as if every time I ask a finance bro what their favorite movie is that is their answer. (Sorry finance bros). Then I get asked if I've seen it and I say no because it's not really my type of movie and the little I have seen paints women in such a bad and overtly sexual light which I go on to explain a little bit of what the male gaze is. Then comes my favorite response. Which is usually along the lines of well Magic Mike does the same thing to men. 

Magic Mike is not the female gaze. In fact, it is still the male gaze but in this case, it puts the focus on men. The Male gaze affects not just women but men as well. It's not just in movies either it's in fashion magazines, fitness ads, and dare I say it... porn. Everything is made by men for men. The beauty and emotional standards that the media is placing on everyone are placed on us by Cis straight white men. Yes, that includes Magic Mike. I mean sure is it kinda nice to be able to sit in a theater and stare at changing Tatums 50-foot abs. yeah. But, that is the same thing men say about Margot Robbies beheaded body in pretty much any movie from her early career. But, I don't remember a whole lot from the movies that focus mainly on sexualizing people and I often don't rewatch them. But, you know what I am able to quote line by line because I watch them so often movies that are filmed using the female gaze. Like anything directed by Greta Gerwig. So please put down Magic Mike and Wolf of Wallstreet and go watch Little Women (2019), Pride and Prejudice (2005),  BookSmart, or Lady Bird, you'll figure out what I mean.