Bridgerton, especially season 2, is a series that walks the thin line between sexualization and progressiveness. Here&#039;s how it stands out.

How the Profound Passion in Bridgerton Season 2 Intimacy Serves the Feminine Gaze

In the era of #MeToo and other feminist movements, there are few who do not know
what the terms male and female gaze are. We see both of them being on
television, for good and for bad. In an interview, actor Jonathan Bailey talks
about the female gaze in Bridgerton season 2. Does the series actually serve the
female gaze or is it just an over-hyped improvement over season 1 of the series?


WHAT EXACTLY ARE THE MALE AND FEMALE GAZE?

It was 1975 when Laura Mulvey
[https://www.filminquiry.com/film-theory-basics-laura-mulvey-male-gaze-theory/]
gave a name to Hollywood’s obsession with the female body. However, this
obsession dates way before Mulvey began calling the sexual objectification of
women in media the male gaze.

[data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==]https://netflixjunkie.com/netflix-news-how-the-profound-passion-in-bridgerton-season-2-intimacy-serves-the-feminine-gaze/laura-mulvey/

In 2017, women made up ~18%
[https://womenintvfilm.sdsu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/2017_Celluloid_Ceiling_Report.pdf]
of the directors, writers, producers, executive producers, editors, and
cinematographers in the top 250 domestic grossing films in the USA. And this
number hasn’t changed a lot since the 1990s, a fact that speaks volumes. This
statistic might vary slightly in different countries across the globe, but the
essence of it remains the same. The male population tends to control most of the
filmmaking industry. Hence, there is a tedious overrepresentation of men in all
forms of media. With a mostly male-dominated group of creators, they tend to
cater to the male population.


EXAMPLES OF THE MALE GAZE AND HOW THE FEMALE GAZE TOOK OVER

We have seen it in critically acclaimed classic films like Last Tango in Paris
to the modern favorites like The Avengers. Women were seen as mere sexual
objects in these films instead of intellectual beings. Their characters were
reduced to what people called “eye candy”.

[data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==]https://netflixjunkie.com/netflix-news-how-the-profound-passion-in-bridgerton-season-2-intimacy-serves-the-feminine-gaze/black-widow/

In the wake of feminism, we have seen this being turned into something positive.
And no, we do not mean women are now sexualizing men in turn. The female gaze is
about turning the narrative against the male gaze. It aims to show women as
emotional and intellectual beings who can make their own decisions without their
physical appearance changing their fate. The female gaze focuses on reiterating
the fact that a woman doesn’t need to be feminine or conventionally attractive
for her to be a likable character. Or, that femininity and being bold are two
traits that cannot coexist. In short, the female gaze breaks down stereotypes.
It cancels out the cliches we have seen for ages in cinema and shows us the real
image of women.

ALSO READ: Claudia Jessie Comments on a Popular Fan Theory About Her Character,
Eloise Bridgerton Being Queer
[https://netflixjunkie.com/claudia-jessie-comments-on-a-popular-fan-theory-about-her-character-eloise-bridgerton-being-queer/]


WHERE DOES BRIDGERTON SEASON 2 STAND IN TERMS OF THE FEMALE GAZE?

Anyone who has seen the Netflix [https://netflixjunkie.com/category/news/]
Original knows very well how Bridgerton walks the very thin line between sexual
liberation and sexualization. The show is extremely progressive in terms of
racism. In fact, it doesn’t perform badly in terms of sexism for a period drama.
While some fans argue that the show does have sexist undertones of a period
drama, despite Eloise raging against the machine and Daphne calling her brother
out. This theory comes from the fact that, despite their whims, it doesn’t lead
anywhere. Both Daphne and Eloise find that their opinions eventually were
inconsequential.

[data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==]https://netflixjunkie.com/the-famed-costumes-of-bridgerton-history-designer-most-iconic-looks-and-everything-else-you-need-to-know/bridgerton-eloise-growing-up-2/

As for sexualization, we see plenty of it in season 1 of the Netflix Original
[https://netflixjunkie.com/category/originals/]. As we mentioned earlier, it was
during this time that the series was walking the thin line between sexualization
and sexual liberation. We see Daphne learn how to pleasure herself. However,
this scene that could’ve been extremely progressive for a period drama ended up
being sexualizing. We have seen instances in shows like The Handmaid’s Tale and
Jessica Jones that these scenes do not necessarily have to be gratifying or
sexualized.


IS THERE SCOPE FOR MORE PROGRESS AFTER BRIDGERTON SEASON 2?

Jonathan Bailey recently mentioned in an interview
[https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/film-tv/a39598753/jonathan-bailey-bridgerton-season-2-interview-spoilers/#:~:text=There%E2%80%99s%20a%20moment,wait%20and%20see]
how Bridgerton [https://netflixjunkie.com/tag/bridgerton/]is “sex-positive”.
More so for females than males, especially in a period drama. In this specific
genre, we usually haven’t seen female characters even acknowledge their sexual
side, let alone explore it. Hence, watching Daphne, Kate or even the dressmaker
Madame Delacroix take control of their needs and stand firm on what they want
was extremely empowering.

While we know that the show still has miles to go, with fans expecting a lot
more from Eloise, one can safely say that Bridgerton is indeed progressive.

ALSO READ: Jonathan Bailey Hints at the Number of Kids Anthony and Kate Will
Have and the Seasons That Will Feature Them in “Bridgerton”
[https://netflixjunkie.com/netflix-news-jonathan-bailey-hints-at-the-number-of-kids-anthony-and-kate-will-have-and-the-seasons-that-will-feature-them-in-bridgerton/]

Don’t forget to stream [https://www.netflix.com/title/80232398] Bridgerton
season 2 on Netflix!

Safia Khanam

Comment

How the Profound Passion in Bridgerton Season 2 Intimacy Serves the Feminine Gaze - Netflix Junkie

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A writer at Netflix Junkie, Safia Khanam is a Business Administration student with a passion for writing. Having been an avid reader and cinephile all her life, she enjoys sharing analysis and insights. The Intern, Dead Poets Society, and Anne With An E are her top preferences. When she’s not watching or reading anything, she likes to traverse the fields of calligraphy and other liberal arts. With an appreciation for culture and linguistics, she wishes to travel extensively and experience art and architecture firsthand.

https://netflixjunkie.com/netflix-news-how-the-profound-passion-in-bridgerton-season-2-intimacy-serves-the-feminine-gaze

How the Profound Passion in Bridgerton Season 2 Intimacy Serves the Feminine Gaze - netflix-junkie

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In the era of #MeToo and other feminist movements, there are few who do not know what the terms male and female gaze are. We see both of them being on television, for good and for bad. In an interview, actor Jonathan Bailey talks about the female gaze in Bridgerton season 2. Does the series actually serve the female gaze or is it just an over-hyped improvement over season 1 of the series?
<h2>What exactly are the male and female gaze?</h2>
It was 1975 when <a href="https://www.filminquiry.com/film-theory-basics-laura-mulvey-male-gaze-theory/">Laura Mulvey</a> gave a name to Hollywood&#8217;s obsession with the female body. However, this obsession dates way before Mulvey began calling the sexual objectification of women in media the male gaze.
<a href="https://netflixjunkie.com/netflix-news-how-the-profound-passion-in-bridgerton-season-2-intimacy-serves-the-feminine-gaze/laura-mulvey/" rel="attachment wp-att-26286"><img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-26286 lazyload" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==" data-src="https://netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/laura-mulvey.jpg" alt="" width="655" height="524" data-sizes="auto" data-srcset="https://www.staging.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/laura-mulvey.jpg 655w, https://www.staging.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/laura-mulvey-300x240.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 655px) 100vw, 655px" /></a>
In 2017, women made up <a href="https://womenintvfilm.sdsu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/2017_Celluloid_Ceiling_Report.pdf">~18%</a> of the directors, writers, producers, executive producers, editors, and cinematographers in the top 250 domestic grossing films in the USA. And this number hasn&#8217;t changed a lot since the 1990s, a fact that speaks volumes. This statistic might vary slightly in different countries across the globe, but the essence of it remains the same. The male population tends to control most of the filmmaking industry. Hence, there is a tedious overrepresentation of men in all forms of media. With a mostly male-dominated group of creators, they tend to cater to the male population.
<h2>Examples of the male gaze and how the female gaze took over</h2>
We have seen it in critically acclaimed classic films like Last Tango in Paris to the modern favorites like The Avengers. Women were seen as mere sexual objects in these films instead of intellectual beings. Their characters were reduced to what people called &#8220;eye candy&#8221;.
<a href="https://netflixjunkie.com/netflix-news-how-the-profound-passion-in-bridgerton-season-2-intimacy-serves-the-feminine-gaze/black-widow/" rel="attachment wp-att-26287"><img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-26287 lazyload" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==" data-src="https://netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/black-widow.jpg" alt="" width="1200" height="900" data-sizes="auto" data-srcset="https://www.staging.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/black-widow.jpg 1200w, https://www.staging.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/black-widow-300x225.jpg 300w, https://www.staging.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/black-widow-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https://www.staging.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/black-widow-768x576.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /></a>
In the wake of feminism, we have seen this being turned into something positive. And no, we do not mean women are now sexualizing men in turn. The female gaze is about turning the narrative against the male gaze. It aims to show women as emotional and intellectual beings who can make their own decisions without their physical appearance changing their fate. The female gaze focuses on reiterating the fact that a woman doesn&#8217;t need to be feminine or conventionally attractive for her to be a likable character. Or, that femininity and being bold are two traits that cannot coexist. In short, the female gaze breaks down stereotypes. It cancels out the cliches we have seen for ages in cinema and shows us the real image of women.
ALSO READ: <a href="https://netflixjunkie.com/claudia-jessie-comments-on-a-popular-fan-theory-about-her-character-eloise-bridgerton-being-queer/">Claudia Jessie Comments on a Popular Fan Theory About Her Character, Eloise Bridgerton Being Queer</a>
<h2>Where does Bridgerton Season 2 stand in terms of the female gaze?</h2>
Anyone who has seen the <a href="https://netflixjunkie.com/category/news/">Netflix</a> Original knows very well how Bridgerton walks the very thin line between sexual liberation and sexualization. The show is extremely progressive in terms of racism. In fact, it doesn&#8217;t perform badly in terms of sexism for a period drama. While some fans argue that the show does have sexist undertones of a period drama, despite Eloise raging against the machine and Daphne calling her brother out. This theory comes from the fact that, despite their whims, it doesn&#8217;t lead anywhere. Both Daphne and Eloise find that their opinions eventually were inconsequential.
<a href="https://netflixjunkie.com/the-famed-costumes-of-bridgerton-history-designer-most-iconic-looks-and-everything-else-you-need-to-know/bridgerton-eloise-growing-up-2/" rel="attachment wp-att-23022"><img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-23022 lazyload" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==" data-src="https://netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/bridgerton-eloise-growing-up-1.jpg" alt="" width="1600" height="744" data-sizes="auto" data-srcset="https://www.staging.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/bridgerton-eloise-growing-up-1.jpg 1600w, https://www.staging.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/bridgerton-eloise-growing-up-1-300x140.jpg 300w, https://www.staging.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/bridgerton-eloise-growing-up-1-1024x476.jpg 1024w, https://www.staging.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/bridgerton-eloise-growing-up-1-768x357.jpg 768w, https://www.staging.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/bridgerton-eloise-growing-up-1-1536x714.jpg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px" /></a>
As for sexualization, we see plenty of it in season 1 of the <a href="https://netflixjunkie.com/category/originals/">Netflix Original</a>. As we mentioned earlier, it was during this time that the series was walking the thin line between sexualization and sexual liberation. We see Daphne learn how to pleasure herself. However, this scene that could&#8217;ve been extremely progressive for a period drama ended up being sexualizing. We have seen instances in shows like The Handmaid&#8217;s Tale and Jessica Jones that these scenes do not necessarily have to be gratifying or sexualized.
<h3>Is there scope for more progress after Bridgerton season 2?</h3>
Jonathan Bailey recently mentioned in an <a href="https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/film-tv/a39598753/jonathan-bailey-bridgerton-season-2-interview-spoilers/#:~:text=There%E2%80%99s%20a%20moment,wait%20and%20see">interview</a> how <a href="https://netflixjunkie.com/tag/bridgerton/">Bridgerton </a>is &#8220;sex-positive&#8221;. More so for females than males, especially in a period drama. In this specific genre, we usually haven&#8217;t seen female characters even acknowledge their sexual side, let alone explore it. Hence, watching Daphne, Kate or even the dressmaker Madame Delacroix take control of their needs and stand firm on what they want was extremely empowering.
While we know that the show still has miles to go, with fans expecting a lot more from Eloise, one can safely say that Bridgerton is indeed progressive.
ALSO READ: <a href="https://netflixjunkie.com/netflix-news-jonathan-bailey-hints-at-the-number-of-kids-anthony-and-kate-will-have-and-the-seasons-that-will-feature-them-in-bridgerton/">Jonathan Bailey Hints at the Number of Kids Anthony and Kate Will Have and the Seasons That Will Feature Them in &#8220;Bridgerton&#8221;</a>
Don’t forget to <a href="https://www.netflix.com/title/80232398">stream</a> Bridgerton season 2 on Netflix!

Claudia Jessie Comments on a Popular Fan Theory About Her Character, Eloise
Bridgerton Being Queer

Jonathan Bailey Hints at the Number of Kids Anthony and Kate Will Have and the
Seasons That Will Feature Them in ‘Bridgerton’

https://www.staging.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/netflixjunkie-logo-2.jpg

https://www.staging.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/BRIDGERTON_205_Unit_01978R-1024x684-1.jpg

Bridgerton, especially season 2, is a series that walks the thin line between sexualization and progressiveness. Here's how it stands out.

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https://www.netflixjunkie.com/netflix-news-how-the-profound-passion-in-bridgerton-season-2-intimacy-serves-the-feminine-gaze/

How the Profound Passion in Bridgerton Season 2 Intimacy Serves the Feminine Gaze

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