The Gaze in “If I Were a Boy”
In “If I Were a Boy,” there is a very interesting twist involving gender roles and double standards. In the beginning, it appears that Beyonce is a cop with a male cop partner. Her boyfriend has an office job and is friendly with one girl. The camera’s gaze lingers on Beyonce’s body, especially when it captures her cop partner’s gaze on her as she handles bad guys and changes in the locker room. There are many instances of fragmentation when the camera focuses on her breasts and behind. It also focuses on her face and neck when she puts on earrings. Another observation is that her uniform was unbuttoned to show off her cleavage, which is unrealistic but would be desirable for men. Her legs are also sprawled out when she takes off her earrings.
There is a very strong attraction between Beyonce and her male cop partner as they go to the shooting range together and then again at the party where they are dancing together. The camera conveys this attraction through the male cop as he stares at her and her body when she talks to him or is working. Beyonce also shows her attraction when she smiles and thinks about their interactions. On the other hand, Beyonce’s boyfriend is focused on his work, even when the girl flirts with him and invites him out, wearing revealing clothing. The boyfriend looks at rings, which symbolize love and commitment. When he calls Beyonce and she does not pick up, it represents a lack of communication and connection. They are breaking apart. The targets at the shooting range may symbolize the pain Beyonce’s boyfriend feels as she shoots feeling nothing. The boyfriend looks fondly at Beyonce, while Beyonce rarely reflects any loving emotion unless she gets a gift. From the audience’s perspective, the white man still has power over women and black people. Beyonce is undeniably attracted to him, and the boyfriend is losing Beyonce to him.
In the reversed scenario, the boyfriend is actually a cop with a female partner. Beyonce feels like she is being “taken for granted.” As a man, she would have less worries because for once, she would have control over herself and others. She says that “if [she] were a boy,” she would “put [herself] first and make the rules up as [she] goes” because she would always have her boyfriend there, “waiting for [her] to get home.” In the end, she says, “Why are you so jealous? It’s not like I’m sleeping with the guy!” This catches her boyfriend off guard. Then the scene is reflected where her boyfriend says this statement about another girl, and we see a tear on Beyonce’s face. This is the reality of double standards. We see Beyonce as unfaithful and deceptive, but the boyfriend faces no repercussions and has a “jealous” girlfriend. I really liked how this video showed sides of the coin, if you will. We see how Beyonce’s role as a “man” hurt her relationship, and we sympathized with the boyfriend. Why don’t we as a society feel this way for the girlfriend when the man really does flirt with other women and is unfaithful? We need to learn from this video and apply it to real life.
Jolin Tsai’s video was different but also put women in power. She was the doctor tending to a pregnant man. The men also wore heels. Her video was more about gender expression and sexuality.