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=Gender Advertisements=

This book was written by Erving Goffman during the 1970's. It address the concept of gender stereotypes in media advertisements, and goes into depth about how men and women are portrayed when posing/acting for advertisements. The different categories Goffman goes over, such as Relative Size and Feminine touch, are insights into what each gender must perform in order to be "socially accepted" by society.

Relative Size
The concept of Relative Size has an immediate connection with size/placement of individuals in advertisements. Typically, the size of someone represents their superiority of status. Goffman argues the fact that men are typically pictured larger than women when they are pictured together. The size of men represents their superiority over the women, and women are shown as shorter due to their submissiveness.

Feminine Touch
Feminine Touch is clearly evident in various advertisements, especially with handbag brands such as Michael Kors or Coach. The touch of a female is seen as very delicate and not in full control. The fingers are often tracing the perimeter of an object they are holding. On the contrary, men are typically pictured in full possession of an object, or even the woman they are pictured with.

Function Ranking
When a man and woman collaborate, the man is performing the executive role. For example, in many advertisements, men are driving cars, sailing boats, carrying boxes, because the women are expressed as fragile beings that need the support of a male counterpart.

Family
When it comes to family, Goffman explains the distinct relationship between a mother and her daughter, and the father and his son. In this instance, members of the same sex in families are substantially closer, and are pictured close together.

Licensed Withdrawal
Goffman expresses the odd fact that women are put into uncomfortable and odd positions for advertisements. They are crouching, laying down, knees bent, and sometimes looking totally helpless and unaware of their surroundings, almost as though reality is just too much for them to handle.

Ritualization of Subordination
This is expressed by lowering oneself physically. As stated earlier, woman are typically the ones lying down or sitting down, to indicate their submissiveness to males. Very rarely does one see a man in an advertisement mimicking the same positions. And if a man is, he is seen as feminine or homosexual.