This essay will explain and analyze the contribution of two fashion advertisements to the social construction of binary gender norms (the traits associated with different genders created by society). These are a Calvin Klein ad and a Dolce and Gabbana ad, found in an article titled "15 Recent Ads That Glorify Sexual Violence Against Women", and will be analyzed for their portrayal of the male gender as strong and powerful , and for the female gender as passive and subordinate. These ads are also tied to larger structures of intersectional gender inequality, due to the social and harmful effects they may have on their viewers. First, it is necessary to describe Dolce & Gabbana and Calvin Klein advertisements, which depict and glamorize gang rape scenes, in order to analyze how they contribute to the social construction of binary gender norms. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay The Dolce and Gabbana advertisement features multiple male figures and a single female figure, and there is a clear distinction in the balance of power, as the male models are physically strong and stand in a dominant position compared to the female model, who instead he is forced to lie down by one of the men. Furthermore, both male and female models are sexualized, as most male models are topless or wear open shirts, to effectively present their physical power, while the model simply wears a swimsuit and high heels, presenting her as a perfectly feminine figure. It is also important to note that the men in the advertisement are sexualized, but as aggressors, while the woman is also sexualized, but on the contrary, as a passive victim. Furthermore, although all the models are relatively emotionless, the woman is the only one who has her mouth seductively half open and has a blank, carefree look, while the man holding her down stares straight into her eyes, demonstrating the contrast with the powerful and active male figure and the immobile and passive female figure. Similarly, the Calvin Klein advertisement has multiple male figures and a single female figure, and depicts them as emotionless, even explicitly sexualizing them. The men are mostly shirtless and the woman only wears a top that reaches up to her chest. Furthermore, the woman is held back, as in the Dolce and Gabbana advertisement, but on the contrary, two men hold her back, highlighting the complete helplessness of the woman and the extreme control of the men. Additionally, the woman is seen having a completely blank expression, while the two men holding her down stare directly at her, once again demonstrating the depiction of male figures as active and female figures as completely passive and subordinate. Therefore, the description of these two advertisements demonstrates the blatant sexualization and victimization of women present in them, as well as the controlling power of men. Consequently, these two advertisements, which are supposed to advertise jeans for both brands, contribute to the social construction of binary gender norms. The male figures are presented as men who have reached the peak of their masculinity - they are physically strong, powerful and successfully manage to take control over a woman and her body - while the female figures are simply there to highlight the power of men, and are significantly passive, a characteristic that is often attributed to women by society's construction of the female gender. The advertisements also feature multiple figures.