Meeting 'The Five Encounters': Does the Female Gaze exist

Tradwives idealise the image of the perfect housewife, while within the manosphere men claim their alleged dominance. Incels and TERFs, RadFem and Red Pill followers: the us-versus-them thinking is increasingly expressed through labels and abbreviations, fueled by sexist memes. At the same time, people across the entire gender spectrum stand up for equality, inclusion, and visibility. The question is whether we can collectively rewrite the patriarchal script and truly see each other as we are.

Does the (fe)male gaze exist? It is part of The Five Encounters, a series of multidisciplinary meetings around five urgent themes that both divide and unite our society. Each encounter approaches the theme from a different perspective, sometimes philosophical, sometimes activist, sometimes playful or vulnerable.

With contributions from Doortje Smithuisen, A.H.J. Dautzenberg, Frann Schollaert, Zwerm and Karen Willems, the film program of Pop Up Cinema and DansBrabant, and an installation by Atelier Fritz. The Five Encounters is a production of IoA, in co-production with DansBrabant and Pop Up Cinema.