The media has an incredibly large audience and a strong ability to influence change in that audience. Yet society still seems trapped in the same stereotypical ideas that feign change that will never happen. We think racism has been eradicated and men and women have achieved the equality they fought for, but then we see TV shows where the criminal, coincidentally, is a man of color and the Women are reduced to their physical appearance. Music videos like “What Do You Mean?” » by Justin Bieber reinforce and encourage these gender and racial stereotypes by characterizing femininity as fragile and dependent on beauty standards, by portraying masculinity as heroic and control-minded, and by portraying people of color as characters associated with crime and lower social status, all serving as a model. means by the media of slowing down social progress. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay In Bieber's video, femininity and masculinity are represented by the concept of women as sexual subjects, dependent on and controlled by heroic, dominant male figures. As is often seen, women are limited in their ability to be “eye candy,” while men exert the control and dominance that is continually expected of them. Rosalind Gill, in her article "From sexual objectification to sexual subjectification: the resexualization of women's bodies in the media", develops this notion, in particular by asserting that women are mistaken in believing that their sexuality is now in their hands while it is still largely controlled. by the expectations of men (197). This is seen in Justin Bieber's video in which the female protagonist, Xenia Deli, is scantily clad and presented as a mere object of desire. She displays the weakness and worry of "typical" women as she anxiously waits late at night for her boyfriend to return safely, immediately kissing him upon his return. This intimate behavior highlights how sexual attractiveness is a crucial part of femininity and the importance of women. Bieber also conveys his heroic and masculine character as he protects his weaker and dependent girlfriend from their captors. As Bieber tries to become more intimate with Xenia, she attempts to refuse him but ultimately gives in to his desires, reinforcing Gill's argument that women's attempts to display their own sexual dominance are ineffective and only satisfy to masculine desires (196). The video manages to both affirm and challenge aspects of gender stereotypes by reinforcing the expectation of beauty for women but also by displaying a lack of authority and dominance for men. Even as power shifts between the sexes, gender remains primarily expressed in traditional forms. Fatema Mernissi explains this gender imbalance in “Size 6: The Western Women's Harem,” sharing that women in North America are forced to adhere to beauty standards that constrain them to a certain weight and height. appearance, depending largely on male authority and pleasure (461). ). Xenia conforms to this standard because she is very thin and attractive in the eyes of the Western world, making the audience understand that only this image can be classified as beautiful. Mernissi also mentions time in his article, claiming that men exert their domination by forcing women to the idea that,.