Representation of gender in music videos

In music videos it seems that men an women serve very different purposes. Most of the time while a man can be seen using an instrument of some kind, a woman can be seen performing a dance routine, often accompanied by many other women of a similar aesthetic.

It can be perceived by many people that women in music videos can be treated almost as sex objects. The way that many videos, particularly in the pop genre, present females to the audience is very sexualised and can be considered part of a technique to draw the attention of male viewers named by theorists as the "male gaze". This includes featuring women who are thin, US size zero, with long legs, perfect hair, smile and skin without any blemishes.

A prime example of a music video that conforms to the stereotypes of women is Britney Spears' "Toxic". The video straight away adheres to stereotypes by having Britney take on the role of an air hostess wearing a revealing, short outfit in order to be as attractive as possible to male viewers. In the video, Britney can also be seen dancing in a skin coloured body suit whilst showcasing her flexibility in certain positions of her dance routine. The purpose of the routine and the clothing worn throughout the video isn't to serve as an aide to the narrative of the video but instead to keep male viewers engaged through voyeurism.