HOW STRONG ARE WOMEN?

       Fitness, a lifestyle that not only stimulates a persons physical shape, but improves their mentality causing an increase in the amount of tolerance their body can handle. While fitness is commonly prone to males, we now see an increase the amount of women joining the movement. Lets understand that fitness does not require a nice, cut up, toned body or strength. It can include those factors, but the primary goal is to stay in shape, get fit, benefiting oneself. The question is why is there such an increase amongst females? My answer? Battling the effects of the male gaze, an attempt to show the hidden strength women had for so long.
        Well what is the "male gaze" one may ask? Coined by feminist Laura Mulvey, she claims that women are objectified due to wants and views of the man. Mostly noticed in films and pictures, the mans point of view is the main attraction of the piece/work, intertwining, tweaking, forming the lady into a perfect sight seeing, item. This link will show you examples of the male gaze portrayed in the current media (skip to around 1:20 to actually see it in play). John Berger in Ways of Seeing claims that "Women are there to feed an appetite, not to have any of of their own," (55). They are there to stimulate mans feeling into satisfaction, particularly their hunger. No other role other than to look appealing to the human eye, well the mans eye. Let's look at some historical pieces that involve the male gaze:

Rembrandt van Rijn, Danaë, 1636

        Nudity, one of the most common ways that the male gaze is portrayed. The human body is art itself, but in the mans eyes, it's how he wants to see it. Rembrandt, being a male, depicted his form of the male gaze. While her face is not facing the audience, her body is most certainly is, therefore making that the focal point. Danaë is originally a mythological princess and this is his depiction of her.

Tintoretto, Susanna and the Elders, 1555

        Let's go back a little later, roughly around 16th century. We have here another depiction of the male gaze, literally, in Tintoretto's photo. There are two males gazing their attention onto the nude female who is bathing. This is a perfect example of the male gaze: Susanna is the object that the Elders desire. The way Tintoretto depicted her made it seem that their attraction of her was her fault, that it is only natural for men to want a naked, attractive female. 

Abbye Stockton, an old school professional body-
builder and strong-woman.

        Now that we have an understanding of what the male gaze is and examples of it through art history, back to the topic. Roughly around the late 20th century, female body building was on the rise. Females would train their bodies, just like males do in these events, to be judged in competition. While at one point it is for competitive purposes, others do it just for the feelings it provides. Tricia Snell in "The Art of Female Natural Bodybuilding" says that "perfection is a firm and well toned body complete with a thin waste, ample bust and legs that travel all the way to heaven. And, this is what the art of female bodybuilding delivers, a form of heaven," (1). It is a form of satisfaction to the soul, feeling accomplished for a task that was deemed just for the males in society. See, this form of fitness breaks the standard that men are stronger than women due to genetics, size, testosterone, etc. Jamilla Rosdahl in "The Myth of Femininity in the Sport of Bodysculpting" writes "a muscular female body challenges the assumption that all men are too big, strong and powerful and that all women are naturally smaller, weak, passive and dependent," (36).

Carlos Cales, Female Figure, 2015
(Photo that my cousin drew of a fit woman)

        So yes, we see an uprising against the male gaze. Since women are altering their physique to their wants and standards, men cannot do anything about it but sit from the sidelines. Or can they? Is it really attractive to see a female having the body that is equivalent to a man? Pertaining to the sport of female body building, rulings have been applied that cause the amount of masculinity a female can have to decrease. Now women are limited in their physical appearance, revealing that the male gaze is still happening. Therefore in order to increase "femininity," an increase of plastic surgery has been noticed, specifically in the breast area, adding cleavage when wearing a bikini. By doing so, it creates restrictions towards self satisfaction. Not only that, but it hints that females are still not in full power of their bodies. Despite this being a slight draw back, in the overall aspect of fitness, females are most certainly growing! The various physiques that are created by women, for women, only prove that they are fighting for their wants, how they want to be viewed in the lines of society. Keep battling those standards and staying fit ladies. It only permits growth and a better version of yourself! Want to know how much of an impact you fitness chicks are making? Check this out:
       In the New Museum located in New York, particularly its section known as the New Digital Archive Museum, is an entire exhibition devoted to women in fitness! New Museum claims "Both as a reality and image, the phenomenon of the muscular woman is a key to a new understanding of the relation between contemporary women and power." Here is the actual website for exhibition. This exhibition is quite promising for the changes that came towards fit women and shows the progress that has been awaited. The three photos below are pieces from the exhibition (year 2000).

Bibliography 

Rosdahl, Jamilla. "The Myth of Femininity in the Sport of Bodysculpting." Ebsco Host. Ebsco, 1 Apr. 2014. Web. 21 Apr. 2015.

[Website: http://tinyurl.com/ntaa54t]

"Female Bodybuilding." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Web. 21 Apr. 2015.

[Website: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Female_bodybuilding]

Looney, Megan. "The Rise of Bikini Competitors: Female Bodybuilders in San Diego Are Breaking the 'meathead' Stereotypes." JMS Reports. JMS Reports, 26 May 2014. Web. 21 Apr. 2015.

[Website: http://jmsreports.org/2014/05/26/san-diego-bodybuilding/]

"NewDigital ArchiveMuseum." New Museum. New Museum, 30 Mar. 2000. Web. 21 Apr. 2015.

[Website: http://archive.newmuseum.org/index.php/Detail/Occurrence/Show/occurrence_id/343]  

 Snell, Tricia. "The Art of Natural Female Body Building." In Shape News Flash. 12 Apr. 2012. Web. 21 Apr. 2015.

[Website: http://inshapenewsflash.com/2012/04/12/the-art-of-natural-female-body-building/]

Berger, John. Ways of Seeing. London: British Broadcasting :, 1973. Print.