How can I force my avatar photo to appear?

[Hoggy Dog]

I have successfully uploaded a photo which Yahoo says will be used "across all Yahoo networks." I have also successfully "Changed Photo" in this forum and clicked "Submit" after it appears.

Yet it is not persistent and never appears on any of my postings. Moreover, when I go back to "Edit Profile" it is not shown.

Lather, rinse, repeat... I've done it now at least 10 times. How can I make it actually work?
When I view my Yahoo profile, the uploaded photo IS there and is shown as my "avatar" photo, replacing the previous generic smiley face that you see above and to the left of this question and all my other postings. Also, I have verified that my Yahoo Profile is "visible."

However, the photo simply refuses to appear on any postings here on Yahoo answers- when I use "Update Photo," my uploaded photo appears in the selection dialog, and it looks to be "selected," so I hit "Use Selected" and the page successfully updates itself to show the uplaoded photo. I hit "Submit" and it says it has saved my changes...

BUT! the picture simply never appears anywhere else, and when I go back to my Profile here on Yahoo Answers, it shows the old generic Smiley Face as my avatar photo.
Regarding ✔ While at http://avatars.yahoo.com click on "Yahoo!" under "Export your Avatar".

When I go to that url, there is no "Export your avatar" option available- only a "Create Avatar" button. When I click that, the only options are all cartoon avatars, which is NOT what I want. So the absence of "Export Avatar" is probably as it should be since I have not created any actual "avatar." I have simply uploaded a small photo that I want to appear next to my postings and on my Yahoo Answers profile. It already appears correctly on my main Yahoo profile. I just want it to migrate here as well.

So I apologize if my use of the word "avatar" isn't appropriate for what I'm trying to accomplish. What should I call the little graphic that appears by all of my postings and on my Yahoo Answers profile? I want it to change to the uploaded photo and I can't seem to get it to do that.

[Barkley Hound]

Try the second check in step 4.

You can upload a photo, use a Yahoo! cartoon, or use one from Facebook or Twitter as your avatar.

STEP 1.
Your profile is currently visible.
In order for your avatar to appear you may have to make your Yahoo! Profile visible. Try the other steps and come back here if it does not appear.
Go to: http://profile.yahoo.com/y/settings/privacy/ and make sure the profile is not hidden.
There is no reason to hide your profile. Nothing appears unless you enter it and turn a switch on. The name can be anything you want.

STEP 2.
If you want to use your Facebook or Twitter avatar be sure to link the sites in the Profile options.
http://profile.yahoo.com/y/settings/linked-accounts/

STEP 3.
To create a cartoon avatar first go to http://avatars.yahoo.com and create one.

STEP 4.
You have 3 choices of where to choose the photo to use.

✔ While at http://avatars.yahoo.com click on "Yahoo!" under "Export your Avatar".

✔ Go to your Yahoo! Answers settings at http://answers.yahoo.com/my-activity/edit/about and click on "Update photo or avatar"

✔ Go to your Yahoo! Profile at http://profile.yahoo.com and click on the current avatar.

Upload one or choose an existing one. The same avatar is used throughout Yahoo!.
[The cartoon avatar from step 3 is does not appear as a choice in the Yahoo! Profile. Use one of the other 2 methods.]

NOTE: Procedures on a portable device may be different. I can not help you with that.

ℬ ℋ

[Ooops]

It can currently take a while to update, as it shows in your profile it may well soon appear here as well.