I snapped this photograph of a Make a Wish Foundation advertisement at the Los Angeles International Airport. The organization aims to grant wishes to children with life-threatening medical conditions.
Unfortunately, in this advertisement, they pigeonhole girls into the princess role. There are five adult males in the ad with the little boy: a soccer player, a surfer, a soldier, a man in a red hat (?), and an astronaut (I’m assuming people imagine there is a man in that space suit). There is one female, and she looks to be a princess. (Or maybe that’s supposed to be an option for the little boy in the ad? Somehow I don’t think so.)
Meanwhile, Aisha C. sent in this March of Dimes promotion, called “I’m Born To…” It portrays children, each given a supposedly natural talent (hence, “I’m born to…”). Each child, though, is attributed a gender stereotypical talent and future:
Lisa Wade is a professor of sociology at Occidental College and the co-author of Gender: Ideas, Interactions, Institutions. You can follow her on Twitter and Facebook.
