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Gender Expectations in Pop Culture
Gender expectations is a similar term to gender role and/or gender stereotypes that contributes to a social role. Stereotypes are centred around social construct, and individuals who do not meet the criteria are punished. Western culture's obsession with perfection creates an unhealthy balance and self-destructive tendencies relating to personal and professional ideals.

Media
The media stereotype individuals and groups based on specific genders and sexual preferences, making it impossible to branch out from impossible standards (Exploitation..). Women are forced to reinvent themselves to be perceived as interesting or important while men must be perceived as dominant and successful. “Typically, men are portrayed as active, adventurous, powerful, sexually aggressive and largely uninvolved in human relationships. Just as' consistent with cultural views of gender are depictions of women as sex objects who are usually young, thin beautiful, passive, dependent, and often incompetent and dumb.” Society has created media to be the educator towards young girls to value their youth, sexuality, beauty, over their intelligence and power to lead. Young boys are taught success brings dominance and power instead of healthy relationships and emotions.

Music Industry
The music industry is overwhelmingly male-dominated in which, unsurprisingly, has constructed the industry to lean towards the male gaze. Statistics revealed in 2018 that the music industry in the United States was inordinately male producers as they dominated 97.7% of the industry, while women 2.3%. Due to this fact, men influence most female artist's work. However, over the last decade, inspiring women in the business have spoken out about their personal experience and the detrimental effects in and surrounding the industry.

The music industry has proven to have one of the most corrupt tendencies in any industry. An obvious stereotype perceived on female songwriters who sing about heartbreak automatically categorizes them as desperate and annoying although, if a man were to do such thing, they would be praised for being courageous and passionate in their songs. An example is Taylor Swift as she discusses the mental and physical toll of being in the spotlight in her documentary Miss Americana. Her and many other women in this industry battle with the media scrutiny and toxic media culture in their daily lives as they must be perceived as perfect and beautiful at all times.

Another pop star who has spoken out about her personal struggles in the industry is Lady Gaga. In Gaga's documentary film Five Foot Two, she discusses the power struggle between the artist (mainly female) and the producer. The singer explains the manipulation producers act upon women as they exclaim the artist can and will be nothing in the business without them. Gaga states the categorization methodology the industry forces on women and expect every female artist to offer similar aspects to the world. “The methodology that I used to get out of that category was when they wanted me to be sexy or they wanted me to be pop I always put some fucking absurd spin on it that made me feel like I was still in control," the star exclaims.