The present research was an attempt to explore gender equality in current ESP textbooks as they play a key role in meeting the specific needs of the learners (Hyland, 2002). This study was conducted to investigate the positioning of gender in the images and texts of Oxford English for Careers series including Commerce, Nursing, Technology, and Tourism. First, dimensions identified in Goffman\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s Gender Advertisements (1976) were converged with the image semiotic categories of Kress and van Leeuwen\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s Reading Images (2006) to analyze the images of these ESP textbooks. Second, a systematic quantitative content analysis was carried out with reference to gender visibility in texts. The results indicated that (a) men are more active and competent in technology and tourism; (b) women appear as objects to be scrutinized and objects of desire in all the subjects studied; and (c) men are more frequently presented in workplaces and shown as the breadwinners in commerce, nursing and technology. The results, which mirror institutionalized unfair gender discrimination to the disadvantage of women in society, have implications for materials writers, language instructors, and learners which are fully discussed.

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