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Pushing back against the male gaze with rappers DreamDoll, Doechii and Baby Tate : Code Switch The male gaze objectifies, consumes and shames people for not fitting into a mold. This week, we're looking at how that affects women in hip-hop. Our play cousins at Louder Than A Riot bring us the voices of artists who won't let the male gaze dominate their careers, stories and personal lives.

Code Switch

Women in hip-hop push back against the male gaze

Women in hip-hop push back against the male gaze

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Illustration of DreamDoll, Doechii and Baby Tate. Amanda Howell Whitehurst for NPR hide caption

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Amanda Howell Whitehurst for NPR

Illustration of DreamDoll, Doechii and Baby Tate.

Amanda Howell Whitehurst for NPR

The male gaze is the idea that everything women do is held up to the lens of what straight men want to see. And although the male gaze reigns in all forms of media, it couldn't be more present in rap, where women's bodies are the currency with the highest exchange rate. This week, we're handing the mic to our play cousins at Louder Than A Riot, with the stories of artists who are pushing back on the male gaze in their personal relationships, social interactions and even industry-wide.