A2 Media Studies: Representation Theories Applied To Taylor Swift's Bad Blood Music Video

Analysis of still images from the Bad Blood music video

Does Taylor Swift's Bad Blood music video conform to Laura Mulvey's male gaze theory?

Through the analysis I have already made of various still images of this music video, I have come to the conclusion that Laura Mulvey's male gaze theory does and doesn't apply to Bad Blood. There are some aspects of the music video that does seem to conform to Mulvey's theory, such as the clothing the females are wearing-they are wearing tight clothing that show their bodies. Therefore, this could be to attract a male audience, which means the women may be viewed as sexual objects due to these clothing choices. Different camera movements are used, although I don't believe it is to objectify the women. For example, the fast tracking movement of Taylor Swift laying still wearing revealing clothing doesn't appear to be done in a sexual manner, although her clothes appear to suggest otherwise, however, it would be sexual if it was a deliberate slow track showing Taylor's body as it would be accentuating her physical appearance for the visual pleasure of the audience.

I believe this music video solely focuses on a fight between two women due to a betrayal, therefore throughout the video it shows the women as being powerful and dominant people and that they can fight their own battles, particularly due to the iconography of the guns and weapons used, as well as motorbikes, emphasising the fact they're going against female stereotypes.

I don't necessarily think this video conforms to Laura Mulvey's male gaze theory because it doesn't seem to be objectifying women or making them seem like insignificant characters simply there for the viewing pleasure of men; it is showing that they are strong and dominant people and are not 'objects.'

However, as Laura Mulvey's male gaze theory applies to women too, 'How women view themselves' and 'How women view other women', this music video could empower other women watching and influence them to take key elements of what they like from these women and try and construct this identity that they deem fit and desirable for society, therefore, in a way it does seem to conform to Laura Mulvey's theory.