Introduction
Children and teenagers, on average, watch a half hour to two hours of music videos each day (“Impact of Music Lyrics and Music Videos on Children and Youth (RE9648)”). These music videos, specifically hip-hop/rap videos, tend to warp the images of women, portraying them in a negative way. This negative portrayal can affect both the male and female viewers, no matter their ages. Children and teenagers see the portrayal of women in these videos, and their minds become molded into thinking that is how a woman should act or be treated.
Gender stereotyping is frequently seen in hip-hop/rap videos on television these days. Gender stereotyping can be described as displaying simple roles or characteristics to one or both genders. There is much concern that the negative portrayal of women in hip-hop/rap videos can affect both the male and female viewer in terms of self-esteem issues, sexual roles, and success in life.
Gender stereotyping is “one type of subjective perception [mental views] of what a male or female should be or how one should act” (“Women in MTV”). Much of the time, women are portrayed as sex objects; seen as objects to satisfy the desires of the male artists and viewers. Females are often portrayed as “naïve, virginal, submissive creatures” in need of male protection, adoration, and direction (Chng, “Women in MTV”).