Intersectional Feminism and the Woman Spectator: A Historical Perspective

To what extent does a woman relate to the female on screen when she sits in front of it? Who establishes her image in the public eye and what misogynistic roles suppress her individuality both on and off screen? Many feminist cinema theorists have written extensively about the evolution of the female spectator throughout the years, including Diana Anselmo, Laura Mulvey, and bell hooks. However, a recurring issue in this lengthy discussion is the junction of multiple identities. This investigation is made more complex by intersectional feminism, which acknowledges that racial, class, and gender intersections all influence how women watch. This study uses intersectionality theory to conduct a critical analysis of movies such as La Souriante Mme Beudet (1923), Stella Dallas (1937), Imitation of Life (1959), La Noire de... (1966), and Thelma and Louise (1991) through the lenses of psychoanalysis, feminist theory, post-colonialist theory, and critical race theory. This theoretical framework challenges and examines the ways in which films uphold or question societal injustices in addition to illuminating the ways in which women from diverse backgrounds interact with the medium.