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Lisa Wade, PhD is an Associate Professor at Tulane University. She is the author of American Hookup, a book about college sexual culture; a textbook about gender; and a forthcoming introductory text: Terrible Magnificent Sociology. You can follow her on Twitter and Instagram.
Comments 44
Janna — October 2, 2011
I think it's to appeal to people afraid to call a baby boy beautiful.
Lisa — October 2, 2011
Brilliant: (of color) Very bright and radiant. Honestly, I think that is what they meant. Baby boys are too young to be called handsome, so brilliant works just as well. Plus, it wouldn't make sense to call a baby brilliant. They're all the same (intellectually speaking).
Jamie Kilcline — October 2, 2011
Infants are not any different no matter what their biology sex is. This is why we have so many gender inequalities today.
Anonymous — October 2, 2011
Briliant? as in intellgent, talented and so on? How on earth do you know that about a newborn?
Jessica — October 2, 2011
After watching almost all 4 seasons of Mad Men, I've come to understand the realization that advertising is the effect, and not the cause of many of the issues brought up on Sociological images. Advertising is a response to what the masses want to see published with the bottom line of selling whatever goods to make a profit. I do believe this becomes problematic in that these advertisements perpetuate stereotypes such as "boys are brilliant" and "girls are beautiful," but we must keep in mind these are reflections of the consuming population. If we want to see a change in how things are sold, we as a collective society have to find a way to do so, whether it be via boycotting or some other method.
Anonymous — October 2, 2011
Of course! Boys do things, while girls just are.
Babyymamaxfuego — October 3, 2011
Once again color with gender annoys the crap out of me . Then things like that? oh yeah i totally forgot we still live in the 60's (rolls eyes)
Stephanie — October 3, 2011
I think both of these descriptors are reflective of what we think each gender requires for future prosperity (hence, why they are on the front of congratulatory greeting cards). In the case of boys, "brilliant" translates roughly to, "capable of attaining future financial success," and for girls, "beautiful" translates roughly to, "capable of attaining the boy who is capable of attaining future financial success."
That would be my take, anyway.
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