Mona Lisa and the Male Gaze: A Case Study in Objectification  

Objectification and commodification of women has been a trend throughout human history. For centuries, society has treated women like limited-edition collectibles—prized for their beauty, their caregiving skills, and their ability to keep the family tree growing. But let’s be real: women are not antique vases to be displayed, traded, or appraised based on their “market value.” And yet, history is filled with examples of women being treated as just that – commodities in an ever-churning social, economic, and cultural marketplace.

At the root of this issue is patriarchy, the age-old system that handed out social roles like a very biased referee. Women were often considered the property of their fathers, husbands, or male relatives—valued for their ability to bear children, keep households running, and, let’s not forget, cater to the whims of men. Legal autonomy? Nope. Political power? Not a chance. Economic independence? Only if she could sneak past the barriers society had set up like a particularly frustrating obstacle course.

Read More: Are we still fighting the Patriarchy?

Marriage, one of humanity’s longest-running institutions, offers a classic example of this commodification. Once upon a time (and, let’s be honest, still today in some ways), getting hitched was more of a business merger than a romantic affair. Women were “exchanged” to strengthen political alliances, secure financial benefits, or – wait for it – because their families could afford a hefty dowry. Yes, in many cultures, marriage was basically a high-stakes trade deal, with women as the primary bargaining chip. Even now, echoes of these transactional roots can be seen in the way society pressures women to “marry well” or how traditional gender roles in families still persist.

Read More: Paving the Way for Gender-Neutral Parenting and Acceptance in Society

Of course, the world has changed (thankfully), and many outdated customs have been scrapped or challenged. But the commodification of women hasn’t vanished—it’s just put on a new outfit. Whether it’s the beauty industry selling impossible standards, workplaces undervaluing women’s labor, or media portraying women as prizes to be won, the message is often the same: a woman’s worth is tied to what she can offer others, rather than who she truly is.

Women are not products, and their value can’t be measured in economic, physical, or transactional terms. The more we recognize and challenge the ways in which society still tries to put a price tag on womanhood, the closer we get to a world where women are seen for their full, undeniable humanity—quirks, strengths, and all.

Case of Mona Lisa

A large reason for this lies in the Indian culture itself. Unlike western countries, boys and girls are made to sit separately in the classrooms ever since they are toddlers. Talking is discouraged between the two groups and in some cases, it is even punished by physical punishment. When we discourage any kind of interaction between the genders, a natural curiosity is bound to grow. The unfortunate thing is that curiosity is heavily influenced by the stuff a child observes around itself.

Women are often portrayed as ‘objects of pleasure’ across movies, tv shows and other media. This has only made the situation worse as observational learning is very impactful especially on younger minds (as told by Albert Bandura). As the child moves through the society, he/she sees the very apparent difference in the way we treat women and men. Men are seen as the hard workers of the society whereas the women are treated as the ones who are supposed to provide support and pleasure to these men. It doesn’t matter how hard they try, they are never perceived as the breadwinners but only a supporting agent for the husband.

Read More: Bandura’s BOBO DOLL Experiment: Unveiling Child Aggression

Monalisa’s case is no different. Instead of focusing on the fact that she is here to sell beads and ornaments, people were way too focused on her outward appearance. Social media was filled to the brim with her images and people were crowding her stall just to have a glance at her. Her beauty became the only thing of concern to the Indian population. It justifies the fact that this country doesn’t view women as holistic human beings but rather something to be commodified for the pleasure of men. 

With great popularity comes great…chaos? That seems to be the case for this woman, whose captivating eyes drew not just admiration but also unwanted attention. In one shocking incident, a group of men reportedly stormed into her tent, and when her brother stepped in to defend her, they turned violent. The terrifying encounter left the family shaken, forcing Mona Lisa and her loved ones to pack up and leave the mela, choosing safety over the spotlight.

A few days later, social media users shared a video purportedly filmed at a salon that showed her getting a makeover. The garland vendor was seen getting a gorgeous beauty makeover in the video, which was posted by her official account. In a brief amount of time, the film received over a million views after going viral. Although many people expressed admiration for her makeover, there were conflicting responses. Others questioned the reason for her sudden renown, claiming it was only based on her appearance, while others marvelled at her beauty. 

Conclusion

This case is a classic example of how the Indian society has a long way to go when it comes treating women in a respectable manner. Before even treating them respectfully, it would be better for the society to just see them as ‘humans’ in the first place because even though it might sound shocking, most of the men don’t see them as such. 

A country can never progress if the women over there are not given the same opportunities as the men. Both the genders need to be empowered and educated in order to make any kind of growth possible whether it is in the economic domain or even the social structure of a society.