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It seems kosher and OK to treat women as objects because the business of cinema is about images and when you have fragmented images of a woman's bosom and her swiveling hip and her twisting navel, it robs the woman of all autonomy and subjects her to the male gaze.
Shabana Azmi
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Interpretation

What this quote means

The quote criticizes the objectification of women in cinema, highlighting how fragmented images reduce their autonomy.

Shabana Azmi's quote sheds light on the pervasive issue of objectification in the film industry, where women are often reduced to mere visual fragments that cater to a male audience. This reduction strips women of their individuality and autonomy, presenting them instead as objects of desire rather than complex human beings, thereby perpetuating harmful stereotypes and limiting the portrayal of women's roles in society.

Themes

ObjectificationWomenCinemaMale GazeAutonomy

In practice

Example use cases

This quote can be used in discussions about gender representation in film classes or workshops.

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Women's health is not a niche issue - it impacts everyone in some way. That is why a collective effort to improve awareness and understanding of menstrual hygiene is key to closing the gender health gap.
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I grew up in a family that believed that art should be used as an instrument for social change.
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My being Muslim is only one part of my identity. But particularly in India and the world over, a concerted effort is being made to diminish all other aspects of identity and only take your religious identity as who you are.
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It is accepted the world over that women are an essential part of what makes a society successful, and only through supporting and empowering women can a country truly be strong.
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India is a country that lives in several centuries simultaneously, and her people at any given time and place encapsulate all the contradictions that come from being a multi-cultural, multi-religious and multi-lingual society.
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