Thanks for the comment, Frank! I agree that stereotypical assumptions are part of the “cognitive background” for most of us–but they are not as likely to get into text because people watch their words carefully. Pictures, on the other hand, are often considered from a design perspective rather than a content perspective.

I think the key to avoiding this kind of unintended messaging is for someone to have ultimate ownership of the whole site. As long as one group has final say about text, another about graphic design, another about navigation, etc., there will be a potential for problems. And there will also be missed opportunities.