David/Davina

We're all so used to stereotyping in advertisements these days that we're more or less inured to it. Nonetheless, occasionally you see an ad that includes stereotyping that is just so blatant that it makes you want to fume. The one that's got my goat right now is a coffee ad that I saw on TV the other night.

Apparently some coffee company has decided that those little portion control packs of instant coffee that you find in motel wardrobes are going to be the next big thing for the trendy, inner-city, 25 to 35 demographic, or possibly the over-the-hill 35+ and mortgaged up to the hilt demographic that looks back fondly on the days when they were under 35, trendy and inner city. The ad has a couple of attractive young women sharing coffee and discussing the hostess' new flat-mate, who we are told is very good-looking. Then the flat-mate comes home, and by god, he is very good looking. While coffee is being made for him, he goes to his room to change for his night out: we next see him standing on a trendy, inner city landing but only from the waist down. He is wearing high-heels and a skirt.

I don't know what kind of misogynistic, homophobic toad comes up with this sort of rubbish, but this sort of obvious stereotyping really pisses me off. Not every good-looking man in the world is gay: some of us are straight, thank you very much. Whatever some little toad of an advertising copy writer who can't pull a good-looking chick might think. Whoever this turkey is, he'd be better off lowering his expectations, rather than polluting our airwaves with these obvious attempts to queer the pitch for those of us who are better endowed in the facial aesthetics department. God put ugly men into the world for a reason - to take care of the ugly women. Deal with it. Either that, or get yourself a big jar of vaseline and console yourself with thoughts of the trophy bride you'll be able to afford once they make you a partner in the agency.