Masculinity vs Feminity

How do advertisements construct narrowly defined categories of gender and sexuality? What are the consequences of transgressing these roles?

Ive noticed that advertisements for female athletes have not been as successful nor have they been for as big of deals as they have for male athletes. Female athletes are not given near the exposure that male athletes are in the sports relam either. In a way it wouldn't make sense for companies to advertise female athletes because they are not as well known as male athletes and that's a real shame. Male athletes are seen as being way more talented then women athletes because males are suppose to be the dominant/competitive sex. Another reason why there isn't as many female athletes on advertising campaigns is because female athletes for the most part, are not what the American public wants. Women don't like athletic woman because they posses great talents, aka they are jealous of the athletic women. Guys didn't like to see athletic women in advertisements because female athletes demonstrate strength and perseverance which makes guys feel threatened. Feder-Kane wrote "Successful women athletes risk being labeled "mannish," with generally unspoken implications of lesbianism close to the surface."(279) Athletic women are seen from both sexes as being too masculine while on the other hand, male athletes are likable by both sexes. Women like male athletes because they are seen as being the "ultimate" man and men like to see male athletes because they want to be like them. Women athletes usually get advertising deals which include McDonald's, gum, camera and cereal while male athletes get advirtising deals that include cologne, underwear and even movies.
I slightly agree Shori because even though women liked to be thought of as beautiful, the only real successful female athlete that has done some advertising is Sharapova. For the most part its almost guaranteed that you wont be successful in the advertising market if your a female athlete. I would like to see more female athletes in advertising and i wouldn't mind them being known to be sexy in advertising but i don't think there is a real big market for that at this moment in time. Being a female athlete myself i would love to prove that female athletes can look just as good in a dress as they do in their sports uniform but i don't see that happening in the near time future. if you were to switch the advertising and sex roles i think that you would have some very unsuccessful advertising campaigns. Its hard to be a female athlete because niether sex likes you as much as they would like a male athlete. It just wouldnt be economical for advirtising companies to get more female athletes into the market because females athletes are not as well known or as likeable.