Gender Representation in Music Videos

Gender Representation in music videos can be in reference to both men and women however women are usually the main subject to gaining the attention of the majority of their audience especially their males viewers. Representation however can also span over to the portrayal of certain ethnic groups and cultures that might be shown in music videos. There are plenty of music videos that show the different ways in which women are used varying from sexualization to empowerment. Katy Perry, Taylor Swift and Doja Cat are artists who make their music videos using those methods.

The music video I will be using as an example is Industry Baby by Lil Nas X:

In this music video it opens with Nas being sentenced and going to prison. This is not done in a way to stereotype black people or put them in a bad light. In this clip he is shirtless for the entirety which would potentially attract female audiences but could also attract certain male audience members as Nas is gay so it is sexualization to attract both female and male audiences. He also has tattoos on his upper body which are usually associated with 'thug' behaviour.

It is shown that the prison uniforms are pink for the male prisoners, pink typically being associated as a girls colour. in this clip there is also another man on top of Nas in a suggestive fashion which is akin to how women would typically be used to dance around and touch the male music artists in other music videos particularly rap music videos. 

In this scene it again shows Nas to be shirtless leading to there being voyeurism which is more commonly seen in music videos featuring female artists. In place of women being around Nas there are two gay black men which you will not see typically in a rap music video with a male lead artist. Still Nas is shown to be the one in power throughout all the scenes in the music video.

This scene with Jack Harlow shows now the more typical side of rap and the male gaze in music videos as the woman in this clip is hanging onto and clinging to Jack in a sexual way which will appeal to a larger male audience.