Laura Mulvey's theory argues that in patriarchal societies, women are typically portrayed as passive objects of the male gaze. Men are the active viewers who project their fantasies onto women, whose images are styled accordingly. Music videos often depict women as dismembered objects, focusing on individual body parts like legs and chest, while portraying men as whole subjects. However, this depends on genre, as pop videos may be less likely to exemplify the male gaze than genres like R&B that emphasize attracting viewers.

1. Laura Mulvey
The Representation theory

2. "In a world ordered by sexual imbalance, pleasure in
looking has been split between active/male and
passive/female. The determining male gaze projects its
fantasy onto the female figure which is styled accordingly”
In other words…
In a patriarchal society women are passively looked at for
the pleasure of men. The representation of women are
fantasised by men. Females are seen as objects.

3. Mulvey argues that the image shown in a music video is planned to the
'narrative'. Mulvey's idea that women are 'dismembered' means that
women are not focused on as a whole however the camera tends to
focus more on their body parts. She argues that this is due to the fact
that women are obsessed with their own body parts like their bum,
boobs etc. Mulvey also argues that men are the ones seen as a whole.
Example: ‘Telephone’ by Lady Gaga and Beyoncé
Revealing dressing to attract men Dismembered legs Dismembered Chest
Men seen as a whole; masculine Women seen as ‘objects’

4. Personally I do agree with this theory however in my opinion it depends
on the genre of the music. For example I would not expect to see this
theory in action in a Pop music video however I would expect this
theory to be carried out in a genre like R&B.
R&B Pop
In the music video ‘single ladies’ Beyoncé is singing about single
ladies although the clothing is used in order to attract the male gaze.
Beyoncé and her dancers are both dressed in leotard, outlining their
figure and therefore attracting men.
In the music video ‘Superbass’ Nicki Minaj is dressed in tight fit
cloths in order to attract men; her legs are seen to be dismembered as
well as her chest. All the men are looking at her in the music video as
all the men that are watching this music video would be booking at it.
In the music video ‘Next to me’ Emele Sande is fully clothed; she
is wearing a brown coat and in other parts is wearing a black top.
This music video goes against Mulvey’s theory on the male gaze.
Adele also goes against Mulvey’s theory as she is fully clothed in
her music video. She does not dance in her music video. Her body
parts are not dismembered and she is seen far from an object.