The media has an incredibly large audience and a strong ability to affect change on this audience. Yet, society still seems trapped in the same stereotypical ideas that pretend change will never come. We think that racism has been eradicated and that men and women have achieved the equality they fought for, but then we see television programs where the criminal, by pure coincidence, is a black man and women are reduced to their physical appearances. 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, showing masculinity as heroic and concerned with control, and portraying people of color as characters associated with crime and lower social status, all serving as a media means to slow down social progress. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Throughout 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 often seen, women are limited in their ability to be “eye candy”, while men exercise 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,” delves into this concept, including that women deceive themselves into believing that their sexuality is now in their own hands when it is still largely controlled. from male expectations (197). This is shown in Justin Bieber's video as the female lead, Xenia Deli, is scantily clad and shown 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 hugging him upon his return. This intimate behavior highlights how sexual attractiveness is a crucial component of femininity and the importance of women. Bieber also conveys his heroic and masculine character as he protects his weaker and more dependent girlfriend from kidnappers. As Bieber tries to become more intimate with Xenia, she attempts to reject him but ultimately gives in to his desires, reinforcing Gill's argument that women's attempts to display their sexual dominance are ineffective, and instead only satisfy male desires (196). the video manages to both affirm and challenge some aspects of gender stereotypes by reinforcing expectations of beauty for women but also showing a lack of authority and dominance for men. Even as power shifts between the sexes, gender is still expressed primarily 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 appearance, largely dependent on authority and from male pleasure (461 ). Xenia conforms to this standard as she is very thin and attractive in the eyes of the Western world, conveying to the audience that only this image can be classified as beautiful. Mernissi also mentions time in her article, stating that men exercise a dominant position by forcing women into the idea that youth is equated with beauty (460). Justin Bieber also doesn't fail to share this, as a crucial lyric in his song is,.