Gillette Won’t Pull TV Ad That Targets ‘Toxic Masculinity,’ Despite Backlash
Gillette has no plans to pull a new TV spot that asks if a “boys will be boys” mentality is truly “the best a man can get.”
Titled “We believe” (and embedded above), the commercial intercuts vignettes of dad-approved bullying, the verbal and physical harassment of women and other examples of toxic masculinity. A narrator remarks that such behavior has “been going on far too long,” and while “some” of its exhibitors have learned to act “the right way,” “some is not enough.”
“It’s been going on far too long… we can’t laugh it off,” the script reads. “Something finally changed, and there will be no going back, because we believe in the best in men…. to say the right thing, to act the right way…. Some already are, in ways big and small…. but some is not enough. Because the boys watching today… will be the men of tomorrow.”
While many have applauded the men’s personal care brand’s messaging, some are calling out Gillette and parent company Procter & Gamble for “virtue signaling” and lumping all men into one, deplorable basket.
“I’ve been buying Gillette products for 55 years … no more,” wrote one commenter on Gillette’s YouTube channel. “I glean from this that most men are dogs, and that is simply not true.”
At least one beard-care rival has attempted to poach disenfranchised Gillette users, tweeting, “Gillette is part of the anti-male SJW movement. Any men who are sick of this can come right on over to us … where we understand how men work and don’t try to change them into women.”
The blustery reactions that professed great offense of course seemed to underscore the point being made. “I was [expecting] a tone-deaf ad that insulted men and all I saw was an ad with a message that many can relate to,” someone noted on Twitter. “People are so incapable of nuanced thought it hurts.” Added another: “Lotta fragile bros … only proving it right.”
Many see the TV spot as only reinforcing age-old parental guidance. “I was raised to always try and be better, to treat women with respect, and to know that we are equals,” one man said on Twitter. “I don’t see any problem with having an ad that suggests we should expect more from the men out there who aren’t living up to that standard.”
In response to the incidences of backlash, including appeals to take the commercial off the air, a Gillette brand director said in a statement to the Wall Street Journal, “We recognize it’s sparking a lot of passionate dialogue — at the same time, it’s getting people to stop and think about what it means to be our best selves, which is the point of the spot.”
(As the Journal notes, it appeared that Nike would take it on the chin last year for a spot that sided with NFL players who kneel. Yet despite some backlash, sales rose 10 percent.)
As part of a larger The Best Men Can Be campaign, Gillette is donating $1 million per year for the next three years to U.S-based non-profit organizations “designed to inspire, educate and help men of all ages achieve their personal ‘best’ and become role models for the next generation,” starting with the Boys and Girls Clubs of America.
What are your thoughts on the Gillette ad/messaging?
The fact that some people are reacting negatively just speaks to the importance of the ad being out there. Hell, they should just cancel all Super Bowl commercials this year and just air this a few dozen times.
Of course. These disgusting white men had to be educated about their toxic masculinity by Gillette.
They definelty need an education.
Men don’t need a pink haired, female, feminist director telling men how to act. As a masculinist, I believe men are the ones who are being exploited.
Case in point: A guy turns 18 & wants a student loan, he has to register for the draft or no loan. Women don’t have to register to get a loan. This is true equality?! Where is the feminist outrage?
Maybe using a law created in 1917 & hasn’t been modified since 1980 isn’t a real strong argument.
“Masculinist” isn’t a word, dude. Try “misandrist” and you admitting to being one is alarming. You honestly think that the world is out to get us men? No, they’re out to get the abusive bags of garbage who abuse women and think it’s ok to perepeuate violence as a valid way of expressing anger (also known as abusers!).
I will always be masculine, there is no debate for me on that. I don’t even know who runs gillete, so why on earth would I consider
their weird, twisted values. I treasure my masculinity to compliment women sensitivities. If men don’t embrace and
perpetuate masculinity, who will…. women?
Ever saw that show “Deadly Women” on ID TV. I wonder if those women are practicing male masculinity. 🤔
Don’t be foolish, woman don’t want equality, they want superiority. they believe they are more intelligent, lately they are even claiming greater strength, and they proclaim that if women ran the world there would be no war, never mind history teaches quite a different story.
Only insecure men object to this ad or abusive ones. Umm those who oppose might want to self reflect.
“Only insecure men object to this ad or abusive ones. Umm those who oppose might want to self reflect.” LMAO!!!
Only women who hate men would cheer this ad. Might want to self reflect yourself Mary. If your mind can handle it.
@ Rob thank you for proving my point.
I couldn’t agree more John Barr. Be better according to whose definition? Women? Try telling them how to or not to behave and get ready for real backlash.
Blame that on MEN then…..They created the law…they were the ones who kept women out…So yeah in this case its not about men being exploited…Its about the poor and middle class being explited by the rich
Women want the same respect afforded men and since you’re so used to being in power, equality seems like opression. Sorry it hurts boys. Truth is you need a men’s movement. A REAL one. You guys still die earlier than women. Heart attacks, violence against each other, war, it’s a toxic masculinity that tells you needing help is weakness so you don’t go to Drs till it’s too late. You teach your sons the same thing, then wonder why the women in your lives keep complaining you won’t open up to them, won’t let yourselves be known because the only big emotion a “real man” is allowed to feel is anger. God forbid you cry at a sappy movie. One of your buddies sees you do that and you’re “gay.” Yeah you need a men’s movement, but this whole “I hate women, they are such b******s and I can’t wait to use another one and throw her out, that’s just the same old BS playbook you guys have always played by. Sad thing you deny yourselves so much joy, so much intimacy and well, life, all in the name of power you can never hold on to.
Chris: Men need “an education”? We live in a bi-sexist (not referring to sexual orentation) society. Men are expected to be one way & women are expected to be one way. Both genders are equally discriminated. Change is not a one way street. Case in point: How often do women ask a guy out, face rejection, & pick up the check? Answer: Rarely!
As far as street, cat-calling is concerned, women love it & hate it. An educated, overweight woman told me she would give up half her intelligence if she could put on a pair of tight jeans & have men whistle as walked down the street. She had never experienced the sensation & craved the experience.
You should really give up while you’re behind. Are you Brendan Fraser from Blast from the past? You sound like you’re living in the 70’s, it’s rather embarrassing..
Agreed…. except with the part that men need education! Men need education on what? We are the men; we are the ones with the tried and tested experience.
Quit speaking for others! If you want to be whistled at with tight pants just ask some other men. They will do it if you are honest! You spoke it and projected it because thats what you want! Now own it.
Right?!!! If only the parents and influencers in their lives had raised their boys to not be bullys, to not be sexist, to not to be a-holes and jerks, we wouldn’t need Gillette to swoop in like this!
Nobody “needs” Gillette to swoop in about anything. Their job is to sell razors, not virtue-signal online in the hopes that feminist landwhales on twitter won’t hate them.
Trying to sell razors is exactly what they’re trying to do here. That’s literally all they’re aiming at. They’re just using the current cultural moment to do it. It doesn’t make the “message” any less relevant. I mean, just… behold some of the things said on this very thread.
someone missed the point clearly.
thanks goodness Gillette may educate some that need it
Oh! I didn’t know Bill Cosby was a toxic “white men” (man), Anita!
According to his kids, he was a pretty abusive SOB, so…
Why just white men? Isn’t the ad targeted at all men?
No the ad is not targeted at all men. Only white men are shown as aggressors in the ad while black men step in and stop them from something as simple as trying to talk to a woman.
@Jon D Williams
As a white woman, most of the discrimination and harrassment I have experienced is from WHITE men. And yes…black men will often come to my defense. Sad but true. White men are entitled and dont give a crap.
White men are threatened by this ad because its holding up a mirror to them.
Well let’s see. Who is it that’s had the most power over everyone for a couple of centuries now in the US?
Because that makes it okay to reverse the racism and call out white men that were not alive over 200 years ago. I’m Latino and find this condescending and insulting. Plus having it come from a multi-billion dollar corporation it is disingenuous too.
Dan “reverse racism” isn’t a thing. Some white people came up with the idea and they’re usually the ones that try to keep pushing the narrative that it is real. I do wonder though if you actually bothered to watch the ad. I get the feeling that most who are complaining here like you didn’t.
There’s no need to bring race into it…
Hey Anita, your statement is racist, and I’d like to know why it hasn’t been deleted. ”Disgusting white men” is clearly racist, and you really should take a look in the mirror and try to work on being less racist against white men. Gillette targeted white men in the ad because Gillette is run by cowards that didn’t want any backlash from the political LEFT. If they wanted to be accurate, they would have shown all races to be equally at fault. However, they let the minorities “off the hook” and make it appear that white men are 99% of the problem. Real men, like myself, will boycott Gillette and their sales will plummet. BTW, look up the stats on domestic violence, and you’ll see that Black and Hispanic men commit much more than white men. Add to that the misogynistic lyrics in most rap music, the Black and Hispanic gangs(and their negative influence on boys/young men), and really a ”mountain” of other evidence that you can easily look up—you can clearly see that the Gillette ad is unfairly targeting white men. The ad was clearly a mistake, but if they were going to go through with it—they should have clearly shown all races to be at fault. Besides the racism against white men, this absurd ”toxic masculinity” message is a complete joke, lol. Apparently, men are not allowed to be men anymore, lol. I find it ironic that you extreme LEFT people have no problem with masculine men who are in the armed forces, police forces, firefighters, etc.—protecting you from criminals, terrorists, etc.—but somehow you want your cake and eat it too, lol. Politically, I am in the middle, as I only care about the issues. I have no time for the extremes on the LEFT or the RIGHT. In this Gillette case, the ad was not fair, and it clearly had other problems as well. The result is a boycott of Gillette products.
However, they let the minorities “off the hook” and make it appear that white men are 99% of the problem.
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Gee. that couldn’t possibly have anything to do with the fact that white men have had the most power in this country for the majority of its history, could it? Also, just because this ad may heavily feature white men, that does not automatically mean the message isn’t being targeted at men of other races as well. My guess is if they are targeting a specific type of man in this ad, it’s likely because that may be the majority of their customer base. Not that complicated.
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BTW, look up the stats on domestic violence, and you’ll see that Black and Hispanic men commit much more than white men. Add to that the misogynistic lyrics in most rap music, the Black and Hispanic gangs(and their negative influence on boys/young men)
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First off, wrong, second, there is tons of rock music made by white men that is just as misogynistic. Look at all the rock stars bragging about banging groupies, who’ve slept with underage girls, and who’ve been convicted of domestic violence. People have talked constantly about the violence in the black community for decades now, so don’t try and make it seem like that’s an issue that’s been ignored for years. Plenty of white men, however, still get a pass for their crap and still get people defending them. Our current president was accused of numerous sexual assaults and has said truly vile things about women and he still got elected. If Obama had all of that on him his career would’ve been (rightly) over. So yeah, if white men are being targeted specifically here, there’s a reason for it.
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Besides the racism against white men, this absurd ”toxic masculinity” message is a complete joke, lol. Apparently, men are not allowed to be men anymore, lol. I find it ironic that you extreme LEFT people have no problem with masculine men who are in the armed forces, police forces, firefighters, etc.—protecting you from criminals, terrorists, etc.—but somehow you want your cake and eat it too, lol.
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WTF is this supposed to mean? First off, when people talk about “toxic masculinity”, they’re referring to the fact that way too many men out there think they need to solve their problems with violence. Men are more likely to commit mass shootings. Men are more likely to become serial killers. A lot of men will get violent when a woman turns them down because they feel they’re “entitled” to them. Stuff like that. That is what we’re calling out. That is not decent “masculine” behavior, that’s just being a total creep.
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Second, you do realize that there are plenty of police officers, firefighters, and military men who can be very gentle outside of their jobs, right? Men who don’t need to walk around bragging that they’re just so “tough” and “badass” and needing to beat people up or carry guns everywhere they go and whatnot to prove it? Your job does not determine how “masculine” you are, and if you truly believe that, congratulations, you have just proven why this ad exists.
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And spare me your “I’m totally above all it all and am annoyed with ‘both sides'” nonsense. This isn’t a “one side or the other” issue. This is simply a “let’s be decent people” message. Nothing more. If that bothers you, you may want to think about why that is.
Angela, you have zero logic to your arguments. So now all white men today are to blame for who has had power in the past? So, because of the past, and unrelated to this ”issue” Gillette is trying to address—white men can be unfairly targeted? That is your argument, lol. If you read my post, I explained everything. Yes, we can see that behind it all, other races are included—but the problem is that Gillette should stop being a cowardly pawn of the LEFT; if they truly are speaking to all men(regardless of race), they should show it in the ad. They did not, and everyone can see it. Again, your logic leaves me laughing. So, according to you, Gillette sees the majority of their customer base as being a ”problem.” Apparently, most consumers of Gillette products are evil men, right? lol. This ad was meant for everyone to see, and they thought it was going to have the same impact as other controversial ads from other companies…but they miscalculated. I’ve already explained the problems in my last post, so I won’t waste my time going over it again.
That is your response? ”First off, wrong”, lol. Take the time to educate yourself; look up the domestic violence stats I spoke of, and you will see I am correct. ”Bitches, hoes” in every second line in many rap songs, is just an example. The fact that you stated that some of the rock music is ”just as misogynistic” lessens your overall argument because you are proving that all races should have been shown to be at fault; this ad should have shown black men and Hispanic men also causing problems. They didn’t because they were terrified of the backlash from the LEFT. ”Groupies” are part of rock, rap, and other types of music, and plenty of groups that are not ”rock” end up with underage girls. Your comment on the black community violence only reinforces what I stated about there being plenty of it. LOL, so now you’re saying that somehow white men are above the law when it comes to violence? So, according to your argument, when a cop shows up for a domestic violence call, and it’s a white couple, the cop states that the guy is white so he can’t arrest him. LOL, you really have zero logic. My uncle is a lawyer, and I’ve heard and seen it all. When the cops show up and there is domestic violence, someone is going to jail, regardless of white, black or purple, lol. If you refer to white people being able to afford a lawyer…wrong! Plenty of white people are living below the poverty line and can only get a public defender. Yes, you are right about some white people almost getting away with terrible things: Harvey Weinstein is one example, but lets also look at Bill Cosby—he got away with his horrible crimes for many, many years. It’s obvious that the people who are on the LEFT seem to always get a ”free pass”…until the evidence is overwhelming and they are forced to turn on one of ”their own”. First of all, being a moderate, I only care about the issues. Besides, I am in Canada, and so I just laugh at the ridiculous political situation you have in the U.S. You really need a third party; that will straighten out the absurdity on your LEFT and RIGHT. As far as Trump goes, he has done some good things, but he has also been divisive, and has been a pig in his personal life. Look at what Hillary Clinton got away with? There is corruption on both sides. As far as Obama, he did good things, but he also made mistakes, and I didn’t like his views on some things. I felt sorry for his poor mother passing away so young, and all the struggles she had to endure. You’re wrong about his career, as everyone knows the media is LEFT-biased, so if he did the same things that Trump did, he would have gotten off much easier than Trump did. Media-wise, Obama had a very easy time. You just confirmed that white men were targeted, and you try to justify it, lol. In other words, this ad is a great ”punishment” to white men, and it is deserved. LOL, are you serious?
No, wrong again. Toxic masculinity refers to much more than violence; try researching it(even though it’s absurd and just another pathetic term used by the LEFT. Your comments concerning serial killers, etc., has nothing to do with the argument. There are plenty of nuts out there, both male and female. This ad is targeting completely different actions by men, and as far as masculine behavior, the LEFT views all masculine behavior as toxic.
The LEFT is looking to eliminate most of the masculinity in men; if that happened, those military men and cops would be far less effective. You don’t want that, because you want to be safe! Being gentle outside of the job isn’t the point; on the job is what is important in keeping people safe. Many of you won’t admit how many lives have been lost because of how illogical some things have become(thanks to the LEFT and P.C. culture). For example, I know personally of a couple of cases involving a female firefighter and a female cop; because they didn’t have the aggression/drive and strength of a man, people died. Sure, there are cases when a female cop is more appropriate, but you don’t hear the stories on the news about the people that lose their lives. One female figherfighter couldn’t carry a guy out of a burning building, so she had to drop him and save herself. The quota for female firefighters most likely caused that man his life; odds are very good that a male firefighter would have carried that guy out. We see the same thing with cops, where a male is more effective in many situations. So, the evidence is overwhelming to support my overall argument. Btw, for those of you who think that a few lives here and there are not important because the equality in each job(quota) is more important…what if one of those victims was your brother or father? You have to be able to do a job properly, so masculinity comes into play. When there is a school shooting and you have cowardly cops that won’t rush in because they are scared and use the excuse they are waiting for backup…is that who you want protecting your kids? Real cops risk their lives and rush in. If you follow the wishes of the LEFT, all the cops would be ”waiting for backup”.
Yes, I do not live on the LEFT or the RIGHT. I am not a sheep. I analyze the issues. You’re final thought shows how LEFT-leaning you are. Perhaps you should think about why you are responding to a message that I left for someone else. Her racist remark caused me to reply. I don’t see you addressing her remark? Perhaps you are racist as well? Lastly, ”let’s be decent people” is a good message, but Gillette screwed it up. Okay, I’ve wasted enough time on this. If you respond back, expect a much shorter response, as I have a real life and that is why I rarely post on these sites. Ciao!
For some reason my reply was not posted. I’ll make some minor changes and try again. It is censorship like this that fuels all the talk about most online sites being ”left-leaning”, and how they suppress any information that questions the LEFT. Hmmm…I wonder how many other posts were not allowed for political reasons? If the ”moderator” would read my posts, he/she would see I question both LEFT and RIGHT. Back to the post:
Angela, your arguments are not logical. So now all white men today are to blame for who has had power in the past? So, because of the past, and unrelated to this ”issue” Gillette is trying to address—white men can be unfairly targeted? That is your argument, lol. If you read my post, I explained everything. Yes, we can see that behind it all, other races are included—but the problem is that Gillette should stop being a cowardly pawn of the LEFT; if they truly are speaking to all men(regardless of race), they should show it in the ad. They did not, and everyone can see it. According to you, Gillette sees the majority of their customer base as being a ”problem.” Apparently, most consumers of Gillette products are evil men, right? lol. This ad was meant for everyone to see, and they thought it was going to have the same impact as other controversial ads from other companies…but they miscalculated. I’ve already explained the problems in my last post, so I won’t waste my time going over it again.
That is your response? ”First off, wrong”, lol. Take the time to look up the domestic violence stats I spoke of, and you will see I am correct. The fact that you stated that some of the rock music is ”just as misogynistic” lessens your overall argument because you are proving that all races should have been shown to be at fault; this ad should have shown Black men and Hispanic men also causing problems. They didn’t because they were terrified of the backlash from the LEFT. ”Groupies” are part of rock, rap, and other types of music, and plenty of groups that are not ”rock” end up with underage girls; they are all at fault. Your comment on the Black community violence only reinforces what I stated about there being plenty of it. LOL, so now you’re saying that somehow white men are above the law when it comes to violence? So, according to your argument, when a cop shows up for a domestic violence call, and it’s a white couple, the cop states that the guy is white so he can’t arrest him. LOL, you really have no logic. My uncle is a lawyer, and I’ve heard and seen it all. When the cops show up and there is domestic violence, someone is going to jail, regardless of white, black or purple, lol. If you refer to White people being able to afford a lawyer…wrong! Plenty of white people are living below the poverty line and can only get a public defender. Yes, you are right about some white people almost getting away with terrible things: Harvey Weinstein is one example, but lets also look at Bill Cosby—he got away with his horrible crimes for many, many years. It’s obvious that the people who are on the LEFT seem to always get a ”free pass”…until the evidence is overwhelming and they are forced to turn on one of ”their own”. First of all, being a moderate, I only care about the issues. Besides, I am in Canada, and so I just laugh at the ridiculous political situation you have in the U.S. You really need a third party; that will straighten out the absurdity on your LEFT and RIGHT. As far as Trump goes, he has done some good things, but he has also been divisive, and has been a pig in his personal life. Look at what Hillary Clinton got away with? There is corruption on both sides. As far as Obama, he did good things, but he also made mistakes, and I didn’t like his views on some things. I felt sorry for his poor mother passing away so young, and all the struggles she had to endure. You’re wrong about his career, as everyone knows the media is LEFT-biased, so if he did the same things that Trump did, he would have gotten off much easier than Trump. Media-wise, Obama had a very easy time. You just confirmed that white men were targeted, and you try to justify it, lol. In other words, this ad is a great ”punishment” to white men, and it is deserved. LOL, are you serious?
No, wrong again. Toxic masculinity refers to much more than violence; try researching it(even though it’s absurd and just another pathetic term used by the LEFT. Your comments concerning serial killers, etc., has nothing to do with the argument. There are plenty of nuts out there, both male and female. This ad is targeting completely different actions by men, and as far as masculine behavior, the LEFT views all masculine behavior as toxic.
The LEFT is looking to eliminate most of the masculinity in men; if that happened, those military men and cops would be far less effective. You don’t want that, because you want to be safe! Being gentle outside of the job isn’t the point; on the job is what is important in keeping people safe. Many of you won’t admit how many lives have been lost because of how illogical some things have become(thanks to the LEFT and P.C. culture). For example, I know personally of a couple of cases involving a female firefighter and a female cop; because they didn’t have the aggression/drive and strength of a man, people died. Sure, there are cases when a female cop is more appropriate, but you don’t hear the stories on the news about the people that lose their lives. One female figherfighter couldn’t carry a guy out of a burning building, so she had to drop him and save herself. The quota for female firefighters most likely caused that man his life; odds are very good that a male firefighter would have carried that guy out. We see the same thing with cops, where a male is more effective in many situations. So, the evidence is overwhelming to support my overall argument. Btw, for those of you who think that a few lives here and there are not important because the equality in each job(quota) is more important…what if one of those victims was your brother or father? You have to be able to do a job properly, so masculinity comes into play. When there is a school shooting and you have cowardly cops that won’t rush in because they are scared and use the excuse they are waiting for backup…is that who you want protecting your kids? Real cops risk their lives and rush in. If you follow the wishes of the LEFT, all the cops would be ”waiting for backup”.
Yes, I do not live on the LEFT or the RIGHT. I am not a sheep. I analyze the issues. You’re final thought shows how LEFT-leaning you are. Perhaps you should think about why you are responding to a message that I left for someone else. Her racist remark caused me to reply. I don’t see you addressing her remark? Lastly, ”let’s be decent people” is a good message, but Gillette screwed it up. Okay, I’ve wasted enough time on this. If you respond back, expect a much shorter response, as I have a real life and that is why I rarely post on these sites. Ciao!
@dominick
Domestic violence is committed by white guys too. Black and other races are just more likely to be arrested due to discrimination. White guy privilege remember?
Betty, when you address someone, try to spell that person’s name properly, lol. Regarding your message, of course there are problems out there with bad cops; however, most cops are fair(of course if you’re only source of news is CNN, you’ll be lead to believe that all cops are rotten and racist. They cherry-pick a few incidents and make it appear that is the case all the time, and they also distort plenty to serve their left-leaning purpose). Try looking at the facts of each case. If a cop is guilty of something, he/she should be brought to justice. However, if someone has committed a crime, that person should be arrested. The fact that people on the LEFT continue to blame the cops for arresting someone that has committed a crime, is laughable and pathetic. In fact, with all the negative coverage regarding cops, many cops are not evening going into some bad neighborhoods—resulting in many criminals getting away with a lot. So, gangs and other criminals are benefitting from the absurdity coming from the LEFT; it’s no wonder that many criminals out there are claiming they were mistreated by cops(even though most are not…except for the few that are cherry-picked for the news to make it seem like it’s an epidemic), as that only leads to more criminal opportunity for them. Remember the ”Hands up, don’t shoot”—which was based on a lie…and the media barely addressing it when the truth came out? Also, do you notice how the media ignores all the cops being attacked or even killed by those same criminals? So, if you are on the LEFT, just make up anything that will cause a big commotion, and that is all that matters, lol. Other races? Nobody is talking about large numbers of Asians being arrested by the cops—because they are not out there committing crimes. If your logic is correct, all races would suffer…but you are obviously wrong. Sadly, many black kids get bullied into becoming gang members, and they(and their families) face violence(even death) if they don’t join; the same can be said of Hispanic gangs. There are other reasons why they join gangs, and even people that are not in gangs can turn to crime because of extreme poverty or addiction. More has to be done to address all of these issues. I have already addressed the idea of cops not arresting white guys for domestic violence because they are white; that is idiotic and obviously untrue. I have heard first-hand what happens on domestic violence calls, and abusers go to jail(regardless of race). Remember, this ”white privilege” doesn’t fit with your story because many of the women that are the partners of those white guys are white themselves…so that means that cops are ignoring the fact that a white woman has been beaten? If anything, you should be talking about ”white women privilege”(I know you don’t like that term because it forces you and all the LEFT-leaning white women to realize that you cannot jump on the ”hate white men” bandwagon…when you are experiencing all of the same ”benefits” that you claim white men have(directly or indirectly). When a black girl or black woman goes missing, do you ever hear about it on the news? RARELY! When a white girl or white woman goes missing, it’s all over the news, and then you see it on “60 Minutes” and other T.V. programs. Comedians have always made jokes about calls to cops that involve a black woman, where it takes forever for cops to respond…but when there is a report of a white woman or white girl in trouble, the sirens are blaring and the cops are there in two minutes! White women also get more attention from all races of men, and job-wise, they always have been given jobs that could have easily gone to Black or Hispanic women. There is ”white women” privilege. As I stated, politically I am neutral, as I only care about the issues and the facts. The fact is that white women know they have advantages, but they don’t want to admit it because they want to be included in the mob on the LEFT that is brainwashing people for political gain. They don’t want to be targeted, so they pretend that they have no advantages because they are white. The safest thing for them to do is join everyone else in bashing white men and hope that everyone ignores their white women privilege. White women: compare your struggles to those of black women over history. What were you doing during slavery? White women(married to slave owners) were called ”slave mistresses” back then and were in charge of the household. These white women beat and humiliated slaves to keep them inline. Slavery was horrible, brutal, and a moral abomination. As far as the current situation in America, perhaps if Nancy Pelosi would stop focusing on her ever-shifting dentures, she could face reality: her home district is full of junkies shooting up in the streets, and countless homeless people living on the street(and crapping on sidewalks so much that daily clean-up crews are sent out to wash it down and pick up all the needles and trash). Many California cities are just as disgusting and crime-ridden because of 3 decades of Democratic policies. What a slap in the face to the Angel Moms who were ignored by Senate Democrats recently, and then the Dems show up at some rally where they hold up pictures of gov’t workers that are impacted by the shut down. They are spitting in the face of those moms that held up pictures of their dead kids(killed by illegal immigrants). How can anyone vote for those disgusting Democrats? You want open borders, but you make sure to lock up your home and property! Hypocrites! I’m glad I live in Canada, where there is more logic(though government here has some big issues as well). Try working together to eliminate ”sanctuary” cities(which are a joke and responsible for many terrible things, including the deaths of many innocent people). Put together an effective border security plan, even if it includes a certain amount of fencing. Instead, the LEFT’s plan is open borders, because it helps them politically. BTW, when someone questions the LEFT, they are called racist. Everyone is tired of that absurdity, and they can see right through it. Try using logic and seeing things realistically. Many people face discrimination for many reasons. I’ve seen disabled people treated horribly and turned down for a place to live; some have ended up on the street. I’ve seen bigots targeting every nationality there is. So, stop being narrow-minded and realize that you don’t have to be a sheep of the political LEFT; you don’t have to be a sheep of the political RIGHT. Examine each issue on your own(and if viewing media is part of it, read/watch different sides of each argument so that you can come to a logical conclusion). One more point: Most of these discussion forums end up receiving comments by people that are pretending to be a few different people at the same time(male and female); this absurdity, along with the fact that some people refuse to see things logically and realistically, is why I rarely ever bother to post. I started this one as a response to a racist comment, and I ended up having to post longer messages to try to educate some people, so learn from my posts and take my advice: Work towards getting a third major political party(moderate) in the U.S, and watch how things change for the better. Btw: now that I see that all the people responding to my posts are silly sheep that are controlled by the LEFT, there is no point in replying with lengthy messages; therefore, I will only be replying with extremely short replies from now on, and I will let my previous posts be the answer to everything else. Also, this discussion forum has become a complete waste of time, so I won’t bother checking in after tomorrow, to see if I have any new replies to my posts. Therefore my previous posts will serve as my reply to all future messages(after tomorrow). Ciao!
my dude… chill… no one is reading your essays about how a commercial is evil for saying people should maybe try harder to be better so the next generation can be better
This is the internet, no one cares that you’re not buying products cause a company isn’t specifically catering to your want to never improve society for the better
That would be a great idea!
Agreed. I mean, this?
,
“Gillette is part of the anti-male SJW movement. Any men who are sick of this can come right on over to us … where we understand how men work and don’t try to change them into women.”
.
Imagine being that fragile and whiny over an ad that’s trying to make a valuable point. I applaud Gillette for this current ad, and I hope it plays as often as possible.
You’re absolutely right. And if you needed any proof just look at some of the disgusting responses right here. How anyone could have a problem with “Hey, do better, and stop being awful” is just beyond me, unless you’re just really committed to being awful.
Annie: If there was a diaper commercial telling women to “stop abusing your children”, the gender feminists & women in general would be up in arms. (Yes, there are many women who abuse/neglect their children.) Ads are suppose to inform the buyer how good their products are compared to brand x or y. There’s enough bombardment of media commercials, internet pop-ups, etc. Do we need a razor company to play dime store psychologist/socialologist with consumers? It’s crass manipulation for $$$.
John: There is not a culture norm in this society of women abusing their children. Yes, there are women who do it, but your analogy fails because the two situations are not related in the way that you intend. There is a strong cultural norm in this society that has allowed men to behave very badly against women. It is not all men. There are a lot of great ones out there, but it is enough men for there to be a need for societal change. Any company that wants to step up and point that out to help make things better going forward should be applauded. By the way, companies have been making social commentary for a long time. This is not new and if it gets people to think, then why not?
“There is a strong cultural norm in this society that has allowed men to behave very badly against women.” I’d say such a norm exists for women behaving very badly against men too. Physical violence (eg. a slap or a punch) perpetrated by women against men is seen as insignificant, even humorous. Also, women being verbally abusive to men is seen as far less acceptable.
“There is not a culture norm in this society of women abusing their children.” 40% of child abuse is committed by mothers acting alone, 17.3% by both parents. The remaining 42.7% is split between fathers acting alone, unmarried partners of the parents and other relatives.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/somatic-psychology/201105/who-are-the-perpetrators-child-abuse
“There is a strong cultural norm in this society that has allowed men to behave very badly against women.” Such a norm exists for women against men. For example, woman-on-man violence is often viewed or portrayed as acceptable or even humorous. We see a woman get angry and strike a man, we tend to sit back and enjoy the show. We see a man get angry and strike a woman and it’s the apocalypse. Just look at YouTube’s policy to delete all videos showing men striking women, but no similar policy for the reverse.
“There is not a culture norm in this society of women abusing their children.” False. Ohhhhh so FALSE! Not only is 40% of child abuse committed by mothers acting alone, but the idea of a woman smacking her son senseless for any transgression is viewed as no-nonsense parenting (perhaps not so much now, but very recently, yes). The idea of a man smacking his kid for any similar transgression makes people nauseous.
Also, as pointed out by other posters, most (not all) of the men committing the condemnable acts in this commercial appeared to be Caucasian. Catcalling, cheating and notions of male superiority (and especially the celebration of such) are far more prevalent among minorities than among Caucasians. If indeed Gillette was trying to make a valid point with a true intention to spark change (and not just aiming to sell more menthol Foamy), they would have factored this in.
With all due respect, what some people don’t understand is there is no “cultural norm” that “allowd men to behave badly against women.” Despite the false narrative this ad propogates; men are already good! Dad’s already stop real fights. Guys already stand up for a woman being harrassed. In fact, it is in men’s innate, biological nature to love, respect and protect women. Yes, there are bad men. That’s why you need good men to stop them. Something that has happened (and continues to happen) to this day. What this ad does is blur the line between “toxic” behavior and regular normal male behavior; kids play fighting, a guy approaching a pretty girl, a boss correcting an employee (could be male or female.) The tone of the ad suggests this is violence, harrassment and “mansplaining,” but that’s the whole problem. Boys bond different than girls; they wrestle, fight and rough house. Society expects men to approach women and 99.99999% do it, not to harrass or catcall, but because they love, respect and genuinely desire female companionship. If you don’t believe that than you have bought into a propaganda machine and you shouldn’t “womansplain” to men what their intentions are, because you’re wrong and will never understand what it’s like to be a guy (feminist logic back at ya.) Sometimes women (and men) say incoherent things in boardmeetings, it’s not always wrong to correct someone just because she’ a woman. It also says, “some men are already making a change” which symantically suggests that MOST aren’t, which is why it’s offensive to men. Men know that MOST are. In fact, out of the thousands of men I’ve met in my life I’ve never met one who harrassed, abused, or within reason objectified women. (any more than women objectify men or set a value on them based on income.) It would be fine if this commercial was just about bullying, or being better people, there would be no backlash. Bullying is not a specifically male problem and men rarely bully girls. Girls bully girls statistically far more. In addition, there is no such thing as toxic masculinity; just toxic people. The rest of mankind know this isn’t true and are offended when painted out to be that way over and over in mainstream media, and we recognize it as a harmful narrative being shoved down our throats causing nothing but an unnecessary divide between the sexes when we should be coming together and respecting each others differences; masculine and feminine. Also note, if a company put out an ad that offended ANY other group of people and they spoke out about it, it would be apologized for a removed immediately. Instead, it’s more male-shaming “fragile egos” “you guys who don’t like getting stereotyped must be part of the problem,” etc. Imagine an ad that stereotyped all women as sluts and cam girls and said “some women are already doing better but there’s work to do,” and when women were offended everyone said “shut up this just proves you’re emotional and illogical, you’re proving the ad right.” What is so hard about thinking out of the box and stepping in mens shoes?
Hey Jews, stop being awful, do better. Hey blacks, stop being awful, do better. Still can’t see why people might have a problem with bigotry?
I am waiting for the ad to tell women to not gossip, backstab other women, and spend less money on designer shoes.
Yes, Raul, me too! Women are horrible as well!
It’s funny to me that some men are so offended because commercials, tv shows and the media have always tried to push an image of what women should be. Anyone saying this commercial is trying to make men into women is just ignorant and prove the point of the ad, you don’t have to be an arsehole to be a man. And of course arseholes can be either sex.
I love the ad, and I eagerly anticipate the next one targeting women.
Scott: I love your sly sense of humor! We live in a sexist society in which both genders are discriminated in their societal roles.
If a commercial participated in “targeting women”, every gender feminist would be outraged. So much for equal time
Are you about done now, or…?
And what, specifically, will it target about women?
“And what, specifically, will it target about women?” I’m glad you asked…
-Women are every bit as guilty of bullying as men, except women tend to be more psychologically cruel than physically violent
-Women tend to be bigger gossips…an ad might show a group of women talking hateful trash about an absent peer
-Women have a harder time getting along with each other in the workplace, and are far less likely to respect a female boss…yeah yeah, deny it, but anyone who’s been in the workforce for a couple of years and who doesn’t have his/her head up his/her rear end will confirm this
-How about the fact that it’s perfectly okay to show women physically striking men in entertainment for laughs? A woman gets angry at her husband and she smacks him, or unleashes a flurry of punches. This doesn’t mean women hit more, but maybe a commercial could show the double standard of portraying woman-on-man violence as comical and man-on-woman violence as horrific
…just off the top of my head.
Gillette makes products for ladies too, so I eagerly anticipate the sequel to this brilliant commercial.
Thank you, Scott! It’s such a double standard, and women get away with it!
Maybe it’s a cultural thing (I’m Spanish), but… What the hell is wrong with people? Who would see this ad as negative, complain against it, and demand it’s pulled from TV?
I’m a white heterosexual male, and I, too, think men need to take a step back and reevaluate how we treat women, as a single society. And this ad appeals exactly to that. Are all men like that? No, of course not. But that’s part of it – you don’t need to be one of the toxic individuals to “have to do something about it”. And if people are offended by it and feel attacked, maybe they’re part of the problem and either don’t know it, or they know but don’t want to acknowledge it.
After watching a second time, i can see that the main problem is that they suggest that all men were bad before, and they need to wise up.
Supongo que el problema es que sugiere que “todos” los hombres son de esa forma, y que se necesita que cambien.
Well, i am also from Spain, and i was shocked with how much different points of view we have. For instance, try to explain to an american, that we all have our fingerprints on a database, and we dont have a problem with that…
Yes, Delirious, exactly what I was thinking! If you’re offended, you’re part of the problem!
No, if you’re not offended that would indicate you actually believe this commercial is an accurate portrayel of men currently, that makes you part of the problem. The only men not offended by this are the ones’ who believe “tocic masculinity” real and men “need to do better,” which only tells the vast majority of men who know toxic masculinity isn’t a thing and men are just fine as it is, are the men who are probably actually toxic and hiding a predatory nature. The other 99.9% of us guys are already just fine and don’t need a shaving company spreading false narratives about a fake problem and caricaturing us. Oh, and then when we point it out continuing to “man shame” with dumb concepts as “fragile egos.” Give me a break.
Right on. No more men…. no more whites right?
Yes, let the lesbians of color take over the world
….it’s our birthright
Whatever you say, “Ryan.”
Agreed. Any rational, intelligent man sees the truth in these ads, and their importance in being broadcast to the youth. Any man who flies off the handle, immediately blaming “SJWs” for attacking their “manhood” are clear victims of toxic masculinity. By no means do I consider myself anywhere near a “social justice warrior”, but I applaud Gillette for fighting the idea that we men can or should get away with acting like idiots and brutes simply because of our gender. We should be better.
Right because using TYT and terms like Toxic Masculinity is not a dog whistle to the identitarian left. Moreover, this supposed soap boxing from a multi-billion dollar corporation is disingenuous at best
OK – lets create a tampax ad on feminine toxicity… see how well that goes down Ryan. Stating a reaction proves guilt is the biggest cop out line ever which has no basis proving association – quite the opposite is true – if you see something unjust a reaction is justified.
Mitch Clark: Someone’s going to tell you that there’s no such thing as feminine toxicity, but you and I know it’s as much a thing as toxic masculinity. Toxic femininity, for those who doubt its existence, would include such things as body image issues. Sure, people blame men for those things, but we all know the real drive and competition for physical beauty comes from other women, not men.
So we’re all scum bags huh?
The problem is the bias against men is overwhelmingly strong. Innocent men can be falsely accused and have their lives completely destroyed. People are so quick to target men and talk about how much they need to change but they don’t hold women to any kind of standard, which is clearly being abused all over our legal system. You’ve got women who are emboldened to make any sick claims they want and make any kind of demand they want. If you want to hold men accountable, then women must be held to account too when they do wrong.
False accusations are incredibly rare, though, so no, try again.
Except they are not. Your pithy little comments don’t hide your lack of substantive input. Try again.
Hey, when we’re all gender neutral things are going to be fab-u-lous!! Thank god (notice the intentional lower case g there…wink wink) we have the ingenious ad folks at Gillette to help us shun masculinity. It’s so gross….c’mon girls, are you with me? Now let’s watch the cute boys in the tight pants play some ball.
That is a rather juvenile and irrationally thought out statement. The reaction is more about being falsely associated by those that are good people and proud of themselves and how they’ve raised their children. As for Gillette, I have 3 words for them; “Dollar Shave Club.”
There is no reason for Gillette to pull this ad. First, it doesn’t accuse “all men” of being a-holes and jerks, just some of them who seem to think it’s acceptable to BE an a-hole and a jerk. I do wonder if the people who want the ad pulled, though, are also the ones who believe that all Mexicans are rapists or all Muslims are terrorists. I’d bet that Venn diagram would be just one circle…
Nice analysis there, npc 321432534.
Oh they for sure are.
“The ad isn’t stereotyping all men, but everyone who disagrees with men fits an absolute stereotype!” – You
looks above and is glad Gillette has done this ad.
This makes no sense. I’m a man and don’t take issue with it, as my parents raised me to respect others, to not bully, to not objectify nor treat women as anything other than equal … and that’s what this ad is about. Perhaps you are “some of [the men]” who feel personally attacked by this ad?
Or perhaps you’re sitting on your throne of moral superiority, gazing down upon the rest of us, unable to comprehend that we’re not as advertised.
Because you’ve been duped.
By an advertisement.
Or maybe you’re just overreacting and completely missing the point.
You are, without a doubt, the most confusing elephant I’ve ever met.
Drew F: There is “no reason for Gilette to pull this ad”??? Please wake up!!! Advertising is ALL about the MONEY. Gilette has an ulterior motive & it has nothing to do with men. Gillette figures they can bring in NEW female customers; women (feminists) who stopped shaving their legs/armpits… reintroduce them to pink razors, etc. It’s the flip side to pink ribbons.
What you said, John Barr, is spot on. It’s about the publicity, both positive and negative, that this ad has sparked. One would have to be truly naive to think the company cares about anything more than $$$. And in order to stand out from the thousands of other commercials that portray men as idiots or villains, they had to really come out swinging.
If they really want to draw attention, they should come out with an ad that shows all the ways women can be despicable people.
Who hurt you that you feel the need to complain that there’s no current ad showing all the ways women can be despicable? Seriously, you might need help to get over the thousands of years that women were relegated to second-class status (and often lower). Women have had to fight for equal status, and are still fighting and MUST continue to fight, as it’s clear there’s a long way to go before some men don’t lump all women together (as they claim this ad lumps all men together). We’re just approaching the 100th anniversary for women’s right to vote in the U.S, but I guess you think 100 years has been long enough that we’re “even” now? No, seriously, seek help. There’s a saying about privilege that I’m not going to quote right, but in essence it’s that when you’ve been in a position of privilege for so long that when someone else holds up a mirror or starts to gain equal footing, it feels like those privileged are now oppressed. Get over yourself – you’re not oppressed, you don’t need “equal time” for an ad complaining about women.
DREW F: You stated regarding men, “Privileged are now oppressed. Get over yourself…” Interesting POV. Now tell me how the 50,000 + men (boys) who died in the Viet Nam War… what male “privilege ” did they possess, buried 6 feet under? Guess how many women’s names are on the wall: 3.
As I stated earlier, we live in a bi-sexist society in which ALL genders are discriminated against. You mentioned the thousands of years women have been relegated to 2nd class status & I mentioned the thousands/millions of men generally FORCED into military conflict for thousands of years as if the latter choice is more preferable. (Men catering to women by providing them with the spoils /fruits of war through life & limb? Which sex got the best deal?)
Drew F.: I invite you to point out exactly where I COMPLAINED that there’s no current ad showing all the ways women can be despicable. All I said was such an ad would draw a lot of attention. Judging by the stream of rage you fired off at me, I’d say YOU’RE the one who needs to seek help, not I.
Sorry had to reply here but John Barr’s post below didn’t have a reply option.
You’re complaining about men dying in Viet Nam, but not women? Are you really that dumb? Women weren’t allowed in combat. And who do you think made that rule?
Sue, no disrespect intended but, actually, if you research history; the women’s suffarage movement, seneca falls, etc. the vast majority of women didn’t even want the vote at the time, and a lot of that was due to fear that voting registry would also mean draft registry, like it was for men. In addition, war wasn’t like it is now. 1st World, American technology, superior weaponry, non-combat positions, etc. allows women to be formittible on a modern day battlefield. During Vietnam or WW1 or WW2 woman would have been annihilated as they are by average far slower, weaker, and less physically capable as men. Which is just a biological fact, I hope some University professor didn’t lie to you and tell you sex is a societal construct because it observably isn’t. This is also one reason some men are so offended by an ad like this. It treats men as if they are these “bad guys” and only “some are doing better and shoul set an example.” The way 99.9% of men see it, is we are already good. We already have an innate, genetic desire to love, respect and protect women. Many men in history laid their lives down to protect women, children and weaker men. It’s in men’s maculine nature to be good and use it to stop bad men. Maculinity isn’t harmful, it’s what stands between everyone else and the wolves. People can be up in arms and miss the forst for the trees with this commercial but the reality is masculinity is a positive thing and no one’s going to realize it’s importance until it’s gone.
So true their revenue from new female customers will offset the loss in Male customers.
@Drew F Oh, definitely. When I saw there was backlash, that crowd were the first ones I thought of.
No. I’m liberal / left leaning and vote democrat. You’re just not putting yourselves in men’s shoes for some reason. It’s offensive because it’s a false narrative (which I guess has fooledf you) that men are inherently bad. It says “some men are already doing better.” Symantically, that means MOST are not, which is false. 99.9% of men already stop fights, protect and respect women. There are good men and a small fringe of bad men and that’s been the case since the dawn of time. What this ad attempts to do is eqaue bullying to masculinity, when it is not a male specific issue. From there, it blurs the lines between toxic behavior and natural, normal male behavior; play fighting, approaching a pretty girl. In addition, if a company made an ad about ANY other group who felt offended and spoke out, it would be removed and apologized for. So, when the mass majority of men are offended by this ad and they refuse to remove it, what does that tell you? No one takes men stereotyping serious. In fact, to point out the obvious false representation of men means you must have a “fragile ego” or “part of the problem.” Just more man-shaming. How would women feel if a commercial came out that made all women look like sluts, whores and cam girls and the message was “some girls are already doing better.” Women would flip! And how would they feel if, when they did, everyone said, “if you’re mad about this you must be a little fragile female with a stupid brain and part of the problem.” Just like ANY other group, it isn’t up to everyone else to explain to us how WE ARE. Men are fine and WE already know a commercial like this doesn’t represent us and should be offensive to everyone to suggest it does.
Good on Gillette. This is exactly the message that needs to be put out there.
Namoni: Why doesn’t Gillette show a typical date where a man has to initiate the date, make the arrangements, pick up the check, guess if it’s appropriate/non- appropriate to make a move, etc. Suggestion: Women, flaunt your bodies in clubs, & buy guys a drink for a CHANGE… might that be “the message that needs to be put out there.”
And forget about marrying up, checking for a Rolex watch, a Porsche in the parking lot, & whether the guy signs his tab with the title “Doctor”.
How old are you and when was the last time you went on a date?
You lost me at “Namoni.”
Naomi: Sorry I misspelled your name. If you’re “lost” because I misspelled your name, does it say more about me or you? (Narcissism?)
😍
Just because a woman flirts with a guy doesn’t mean she owes him anything. And if a guy makes “a move” and gets upset it wasn’t reciprocated, that’s they guys fault. Blaming women for mixed signals is a stupid argument; just because you think she’s being flirty doesn’t mean she is — it’s the guy who is perceiving her as being flirty.
Looks like some poor little men are triggered.
Right?? I mean, how fragile do you have to be to be?
totally, just goes to show how important this ad actually is.
No doubt. I’m a man & father of 2 & I couldn’t agree more with the ad. I raised my children by my golden rule, which is simply, DON’T BE A DOUCHE! It’s not brain surgery, it should be common sense (which is a flower that doesn’t grow in everyone’s garden). The commercial doesn’t imply that all men are this way, so if that’s what people take from it, that’s on them.
Olivia: Please don’t use the “fragile” comment when referring to men speaking their thoughts & feelings. Men don’t need need political commentary when trying to decide on which blade cuts beard stubble best. In comparison: It seems every other day, feminists are complaining that they don’t like the way women are portrayed in advertising or how products are sold.
When in fact, men are often portrayed in commercials as inept, bumbling fools around the house while the women are much wiser. Sexism at it’s finest.
/!\ Triggered alert /!\.
But you and guys like you ARE fragile. It’s not like “Voldemort”, you’re not safe from them just because you don’t name things… Also you can voice your manly feelings and thoughts just fine without being a whiny snowflake, you know.
Sorry sweetie, but it’s not “fragile” men that have a never ending parade of marches, ads, TV shows, talk shows, radio shows, articles, opinion pieces, eytc etc whining about everything from catcalls to “manspreading”. That would be WOMEN. Try projecting your common behaviour on someone else.
Robin, And “poor little women” want to hold on to those things that benefit women & not hold onto those things that don’t benefit women. A guy has to do ALL the date initiating, pickup the check, guess when/ if making a move is appropriate. When things go right, the woman takes credit. When things go wrong it’s ALWAYS the man’s fault.
Who hurt you John Barr? You seem very angry.
Amen! John Bott really watch it and pay attention. I love a strong masculine man. One who isn’t afraid to show his emotions. I’ve raised 3 beautiful boys. This commercial is targeted against toxic masculinity, not masculinity.
Renee, I’m not picking on your specifically, you just happened to have the latest post I read that highlighted an ironic theme I’ve been reading. As you stated in your post, you love a man “who isn’t afraid to show his emotions”. I find it laughable that there is post after post saying that any man who finds this ad objectionable is “triggered” or has a “fragile ego”, etc. So apparently a man showing emotion is only acceptable when you like the emotion and/or reason to express said emotion.
I am a man, raised by a single mother, who doesn’t exhibit any of those traits that are depicted in the ad. Of all the men I know, the worst I can think of are a couple guys that have some mildly bad locker room talk, but it stops there. I raised a son who, as far as I can tell, treats men and women respectfully. I immediately found the ad offensive. I watched it again.. yup, still offensive. I don’t need a lecture from a company trying to sell me a product.
To me the commercial breaks down like this… “hey men, you suck something awful. You need to do better.” There is nothing uplifting or inspiring. The good behavior they show is what I would call ‘normal’ behavior in my world. Also, when growing when people said “boys will be boys” it was related to coming home all dirty because they were out playing or maybe banged up or bruised for horsing around. Thanks for taking that phrase and tying it permanently to bad behavior.
And just to be clear, I will sleep like a baby tonight. I’m not ‘triggered’ and nothing ‘fragile’ of mine is broken.
This comment is for DLC, who didn’t have a Reply button…PERFECTLY PUT!!!!!!! “Boys will be boys” indeed meant how boys would roughhouse with each other, maybe get into a scuffle now and then. It certainly had nothing to do with one kid beating the living hell out of another weaker boy while grown men stand around and watch. Same with the recent condemnation of the phrase “Be a man.” Somewhere along the line, some women got the idea that this was meant as an attack on women. In fact, “Be a man” merely meant “Act like an adult”, “Don’t be so immature”. Maybe we’re putting way too much importance on how one gender interprets the thoughts and emotions of another gender.
Lynda Pullins: No one hurt me. (Thanks for inquiring.) I’m simply paraphrasing the writings of Dr. Warren Farell (The Myth of Male Power, Why Men Are The Way They Are) I also utilize the writings of Dr. Camille Paglia; one of the few libertarian feminists. There are others as well.
Sorry if my gender studies passion came across as anger to you; that happens when one tries to squeeze in a particular P.O.V. instead of going to bed. Sleep well & keep the peace.
Women that are defending this ad are THOTs that depend on weak men to white knight for them. They’ll either end up childless or as a single parent. These are the THOTs that throw tantrums when it’s time for them to be treated equal to a man when it doesn’t benefit them. Having big brother media/corporations/government to teach men a lesson gives then satisfaction. THOTs need to be patrolled.
John Barr and Scott only retaliate against comments posted by women who support the ad.
Sexism at its finest.
I don’t understand the hate this advertisement this getting. Are men upset because Gillette (and literally everyone everywhere) is saying sexual assault is bad? Are they upset about saying aggression isn’t a proper way of handling things? That *gasp* maybe violence isn’t an answer? Maybe it’s an age thing (I’m 21), but it’s baffling to me that grown men are getting so upset about a commercial. That is making valid points.
It’s because men aren’t the problem. Masculinity isn’t toxic. And we’re getting sick of being portrayed as the bad guys by people who think stereotyping (#yesallmen) is a good thing.
Also, letting feminists define what masculinity should be is like letting the Roman Catholic Church decide what Muslims should believe.
It’s not saying that masculinity is toxic, it’s saying that toxic masculinity is bad. You clearly didn’t watch the commercial. It differentiates between being a douchebag and being a man.
Also, FYI, a man wrote the commercial. Stop being such a snowflake.
Amen Dante
If it differentiates between being a douchebag and being a man, then what the hell does masculinity have to do with it?
Answer: nothing. It’s just a term that the SJW snowflakes can throw out there to make themselves feel woke.
It’s saying, be a man, stand up to those who do wrong, don’t be a dick towards women. A real man isn’t a bully, they have the balls to stand up to bullies and protect others, they know that you should just leave a woman alone if she’s not looking for your attention.
I think you’re so upset about it because you see yourself as being attacked, and that says more about you than the commercial.
Men have been telling women what to do with their genitals and uteruses since the dawn of time. Now we’re coming for your facial and body hair… be very, very afraid.
LOL.
.
But yeah, your first sentence in particular-exactly. Thank you.
someone clearly missed the message here. your comments are why Gillettte has done ads like this.
You should look at the ad again. It’s not stereotyping. It specifically states that some men engage in that behaviour and some don’t. It’s not saying all masculinity is toxic. It’s stating that some behaviours that some men engage demonstrate toxic masculinity. That does not mean that all masculinity is toxic. And it’s not feminist who are determine the difference between healthy masculinity and toxic masculinity. It’s men who are doing that. A new generation of men who don’t want to put up with the attitude that to be a man means you need to demean women, that to be a man you need to bully others etc.
Seriously, it is truly amazing how some people, both in this thread and elsewhere, are completely missing the point of the ad and keep wanting to deflect with, “Yeah, but women!” and other irrelevant arguments of that sort in response. It’s really not that complicated a message, guys.
JJ, No.. if it said “some men engage in the behavior,” there wouldn’t be a backlash. It says “some men are already doing better.” Symantically that means “MOST’ aren’t. You should watch the ad again. Implying “MOST” aren’t is a false narrative that stereotypes and makes caricatures out of men based on a small fringe of “bad” guys. Pay attention. By the way, you and everyone else who thinks the ad is ok are not reading. NONE of you are arguing against anyone who condones bullying, violence or demeaning women. You’re like the 1,000’th person who has this wrong. NO ONE you are arguing with is making that point. This is a nuanced debate, not a binary one. The side you’re arguing with sayd > “MEN ARE FINE, NOT TOXIC, NO NEED TO IMPROVE, MEN ARE ALREADY GOOD.” And for some reason you and everyone who likes the ad heres “MEN ARE FINE, RAPE IS OK, BULLYING IS GREAT.” Like, come on man, wtf?
“Masculinity isn’t toxic” —> that’s not even the point of the ad. It’s pointing out that TOXIC masculinity is bad, which it is . Men will attack other men because somebody isn’t being manly enough. There’s men assaulting women because they believe it’s their God given right.
toxic masculinity is NOT REAL. If it is, than so is toxic femininity. Since there’s only two sexes, why not TOXIC BEHAVIOR. There is no “toxic masculinity” just toxic people in the world. It’s a small fringe minority of men who still think it’s ok to bully, harrass, and behave poorly. What you and every other person who thinks this ad is ok isn’t realizing is that NO ONE IS SAYING BAD BEHAVIOR IS OK! They are saying it is such a small and/or equal issue with women, that it cannot be used to caracaturize and stereotype the vast majority of men who are JUST FINE and don’t need to be told to do something they already know! Which also continues to perpetuate the false narrative that toxic masculinity is real, thus why YOU believe in something that’s a complete farce. One side says it’s real and the other says it’s not. No one is condoning bad behavior toward anyone.
JohnO36: It’s simple. Men are tired of all the male bashing that started in the 1980’s with daytime talk shows; predominately viewed by frustrated stay home women. Advertisers monitored the content of these shows (the numbers game) that catered to a victimization mentality.
As far as the Guilette commercial is concerned, men are tired of women preaching to them & men are no longer remaining silent.
Case in Point: When it comes to physical violence in relationships, MORE women hit men than the other way around. This is the stereotype feminist have allowed to fester.
Your “facts” don’t really match up with reality. From the NCADV, 1 in 4 women (25%) & 1 in 9 men (11.1%) experience what is commonly considered domestic violence. The numbers don’t break it down to male against female, female against male or same sex.
As soon as Tampax makes a commercial calling out toxic femininity and girls who bully, I’ll buy into this. Until then, I’ll chalk this up as yet another misguided attempt at demonizing all men for the behavior of a very limited few.
Masculinity is not toxic.
Except to feminists. And idiots. But then, I repeat myself.
Thanks for proving Gillette’s point so eloquently. The mere fact that you saw that ad and then copped that blind, willfully-ignorant ‘Tude about it starkly illustrates why new thinking is necessary. If you want to mulishly believe that this is feminists dictating to me, go ahead. It’s a free country, at least for a little while longer. But this change was neither dictated nor even suggested by these shadowy “feminists”. It’s been simmering among men like me, who spent our entire adult lives THINKING about what we say to women and how we say it; how we treat women and how WE will be perceived. You’re delusional if you think that all or even MOST men have to be manipulated into rethinking how we raise our sons. And you’re even more clueless if you think that it somehow lessens masculinity to ask our sons to become less callous about personal relationships. What it does is make them better humans, better citizens…better MEN. BRAVO to Gillette for having the cojones to step out there and FINALLY be the first big corporation to say what so many of us have been leery of saying because of men just like you. Face this, champ: your presumptive mindset is OVER. OVER. And no amount of sniffy dismissal by you or anybody else is going to change it. If you don’t like this brave new world, strap in, Bubba. Gonna get a lot worse for you in the future. I normally don’t reply to people who cower behind “clever” screen names but, in your case, I’d hide, too.
👏👏👏👏
👍👍👍👍 well said!
cheers to that!
*Stands and applauds*
.
I love the guys in this comment section who are trying to suggest that women shouldn’t have a say in how men behave. ‘Cause, y’know, it’s not like the way men treat us has any direct impact on our lives or anything. How dare we comment on something that affects us!
Can everybody just reference this reply across the entire internet? That’d be great thanks. Well done sir :)
Bravo!!!!
So I use a screen name. You’re an idiot. Guess which is better?
Also – if you don’t think this idea isn’t exactly what’s been pushed by third wave feminists for years, you haven’t been paying attention. Perhaps you should start.
I’m an idiot, eh? Funny, it’s true what they say: stupid people never know they’re stupid. I’m fine with your thinking I’m an idiot. I’d be a lot more worried if you didn’t think that. But what I said stands and you are completely powerless to influence it in any way: your way of thinking is over. Done. Your caveman attitudes are painfully transparent and seen for what they are: the last gasps of an entrenched mindset that says that men rule the world. We don’t. We SHARE the world. Unlike you, I make my living putting my views out there – under my own name – and letting people say what they will. And what MOST people say is that empty, phony phraseology like “third wave feminists” is a smoke screen designed to save face and couch an unwillingness to change in a cracked facade of intellectualism. The sad fact is that you don’t have it. You’re a dinosaur and your time is up. I don’t care what chauvinists or feminists have had to say about it. I care about what I have been saying for the past forty years: men who think like you and lord it over women are just scum and no excuses are going to justify your asinine views. Piss off, boy. You have nothing and I’m not responsible for educating you.
stevefoolbody: “your way of thinking is over. Done. Your caveman attitudes are painfully transparent and seen for what they are: the last gasps of an entrenched mindset that says that men rule the world.” This isn’t entirely true. Men who think more like you aren’t having as many kids as men who think more like the guy you’re dissing (for entirely logical reasons). Other cultures around the world tend not to be so enlightened in this regard, and they are the ones reproducing en masse. In actuality, YOUR kind is in greater danger of disappearing in the long term than the other dude’s. Especially with immigration (legal and illegal) on the increase, you’re more likely to see a RISE in the attitudes you so vehemently condemn.
I’m concerned with this society, today. The rest of the world is not my concern. His attitudes are Done. And he knows it, which is why he’s blustering.
“I’m concerned with this society, today. The rest of the world is not my concern. His attitudes are Done. And he knows it, which is why he’s blustering.” The rest of the world should be your concern, because the rest of the world is coming to your house. I’m going to go out on a limb and say you’re not one of the many knuckleheads in favour of the Wall?
Amazing how you use the terms “sniffy dismissal” when there was not one ounce of anything substantive to your “rebuttal”. One long wall of cliche slogans with occasional punctuation still means you didn’t actually say anything.
Well, not anything that someone like you would understand. And I wear your befuddlement as a badge of honor.
There have been movies made about mean girls, in fact it was called Mean Girls and it wasn’t the only one! Women are just asking that men act like men (not guys) and be respectful…I’m pretty sure most know how. Yes there are women who take it too far, but we’ve been dealing with those guys who truly believe that it’s their right to have the great jobs without a “woman” messing it up. It’s his right to say anything he wants about a woman’s physical appearance, to belittle her, to grab her or to just treat her badly, all because he has a penis and how dare her invade HIS space and society said it’s ok for him to do so…boys will be boys. He’s a player….whatever label you want to slap on it. We’ve had to be quiet and take it because again society said so, because if we speak, that somehow were weak or whining or my favorite, want special treatment? If the ad doesn’t apply to you, then it doesn’t apply to you, and that great! I truly believe their are a lot of good MEN out there. I’m married to one and believe me he is no slouch in the masculinity department.
Sometimes a boy calls a girl names, comments on her appearance or mannerisms, and some adults will dismiss it as “boys being boys”, or even worse, just “teasing because he likes you”. That teaches boys it’s OK to continue that behavior, and girls that they should accept it. Those boys then grow up to be adult Michael Weatherly-types who think it’s OK to harass and target women, and they still think they are just teasing and having fun. No. I hope this ad runs for a year, that churches talk about it, that schools talk about it, and that parents (most importantly) talk about it.
So you hope that all these organizations talk about it. To what end? So they push men to act more like what, exactly? Where are all these “boys being boys” ideas being pushed in churches, schools, etc.? Maybe where you come from, but where I come form, if a boy was rude to a girl, he was told to stop and then punished if necessary. Girls weren’t told they need to just accept it. No one ever had to tell boys not to rape because they knew that rape was bad.
I’m not sure what nightmare planet you SJWs live on, but I’d like to welcome you to Earth.
Wow, do you need to get out more.
Masculinity can be toxic.
So can femininity.
I’ve been a guy for 57 years, and I think the commercial is great! When I first saw it, I didn’t think it was saying all men are pigs, but it’s acknowledging that some men are. Can anyone seriously disagree with that?
Apparently, yes. There are a lot of snowflakes out there regarding this commercial. They’re the first ones to call others snowflakes, but when called out for bad behavior they get their panties in a twist. They’re the reason why the commercial was made.
triggered white males apparently
Exactly. I truly don’t understand how some people are interpreting it as an attack on men. It’s an attack on specific behaviours that some men engage in. Heck it’s not even an attack, it’s a suggestion that we can do better.
It’s seen as an attack on men cause no one would ever get by making a commercial like this about women.
Probably guys who act like that, disapprove of the ad. Clearly some commenters are bothered by it, but in reality, it’s long overdue. It’s not an attack on all men, it just calls out those who can’t be bothered to do the right thing. It’s what me should strive to do, be an example to others, especially children, of proper behavior & respect for ALL others, not just some.
Honestly, I don’t see it as an attack on men at all. I mean, could be I’m wrong. But it seems to me that it’s encouraging fathers/society/etc. to stop trying to mould their young men to follow toxic patterns. As mentioned several times on this thread already, there are already plenty of outstanding men out there, including those who are raising their sons to also be good men. But don’t all men benefit from the idea that they don’t “have to” have certain attitudes or really antiquated behaviours in order to be considered Real Men?
Fair enough, but (and answer honestly now) do you think that a similar ad pointing out the rotten behaviour that SOME women exhibit would be met with such overwhelming acclaim? Or would it be called sexist and misogynistic? Would such a commercial even stand a chance of getting made?
If as many women were guilty of the same behavior that some men are, sure. They aren’t, though. There are some women who can be as bad as some men, but there is no equivalency between men and women on bad behavior. When the MeToo hashtag first started, weren’t you surprised by how many women were using it? I sure was. The vast majority of women I know posted on Facebook with the hashtag and their own stories of bad treatment by men, ranging from having a work colleague taking credit for ideas they came up with to being groped on public transit to being sexually abused as children or raped as adults. Yes, there are women who do bad things to men and other women, but it’s nowhere near as prevalent as it is the other way around. If it ever becomes so, sure, I would absolutely support a similar ad campaign.
First of all, I didn’t say “the SAME behaviour as men”, I said, “rotten behaviour that some women exhibit”, meaning in part lousy behaviour that is more prevalent in women than in men (I made a partial list in another post). Maybe sexual harassment is more common in men (although you wouldn’t believe how much I get touched, shoulder rubbed, tickled and arm squeezed by my older female co-workers…even after I clearly move away from the contact, a lot of them don’t get the hint), but bullying is as much a woman thing as it is a man thing. Also, women are more likely to physically assault a man than vice versa because she thinks he can’t hit her back, or that perhaps bystanders will jump in to save her if he does start beating back in retaliation. Anyways, exactly who do you think is watching this commercial? You think the perverted public transit groper is going to see this, and if he is, that he’s going to give one good god damn about it? In the end, the men who will react one way or another to this are the men who don’t do any of this stuff, and those men will either be A) offended at being generalized, or B) satisfied in the self-loathing that marketing propaganda such as this and the constant brainwashing from university liberal arts dolts with a Twitter account have managed to instil in them.
Who do I think is watching this commercial? Men who stand by quietly as they see examples of so-called “toxic masculinity”, and don’t do anything to discourage it (such as the guy who stops his friend from chasing the hot girl as she passes by in the commercial), and the fathers who need to know their kids don’t learn these things by osmosis. Both parents should pay attention to that message.
As I acknowledged, yes, women do bad things, too; but not to the extent that men do. If they get as bad, there will probably be “behavior modification” videos for them, too.
Not so incidentally, you should definitely let the women who are pawing you know that it makes you uncomfortable. These rules that we’re all getting used to work both ways.
If as many women? Are you serious? Girls don’t bully girls? Women don’t interrupt men when they are talking? Non reciprocal DV, 70% of which is committed by women, simply doesn’t count? What planet are you currently occupying?
I’m so ashamed to be a male. I hate my parents for not having a girl
I hate your parents for having any kids
You win this comment section
Imagine how your parents feel.
While I applaud the message, I doubt the target audience, growing boys, will be paying much attention to a commercial for a product they aren’t even old enough to use yet.
The ad is targeted to fathers currently raising boys.
49% of boys are raised by single mothers and 80% of teachers are female. If anything, the campaign should aim at women.
Except the point of the message is that the way men treat women can influence the way their sons treat women. That’s why it’s strictly targeted at guys.
You need to check your “facts” there Trump. Nearly 70% of all children under 18 live with both parents, 23% live with single mothers, but that doesn’t take into consideration that both parents may have been together for years before the separation.
What the hell do female teachers have to do with anything? It’s their job to teach subjects to children, not raise them. If you think otherwise, that’s part of the problem right there.
This ad is so powerful. First time seeing it. When the dad left his son just to ask that other kid if he was okay, instantly made my eyes watery. The fact that people are bothered with it only demonstrates that the video served to its purpose. Well done.
This is a FANTASTIC ad!! Good for you Gillette.
Anyone who honestly believes that Gillette(A brand of the Proctor and Gamble corp.) actually cares about #Metoo or any kind of social justice, is a fool. They are trying to sell a product, most likely put together by chinese children, and are using the current climate to sell their product, just like advertisers have always done. But it won’t work long term. Male consumers(the majority of gillette users) don’t want to be moralized at by a mega-corporation, so while short term sales may rise, it will cost the brand long term sales.
You’d have to be pretty naive to think that any corporation actually cares about social values, I agree. That being said, the message’s still a good one to have out there. *shrug*
Personally, when I hear/read SOME of the complaints this ad has generated, I do wonder if this totally not-DudeBros think we women automatically combust in orgasmic ecstasy when we use this brand of shampoo or that we have to change into a bikini as soon as we see that brand of beer. Grow up. You think ads like these make it harder for a man to know where he stands (and, by the way, none of my brothers/friends and my SO certainly don’t seem to have any confusion about that)? Welcome to the 21st century, you’re just 19 years late, but that’s okay.
The backlash just shows how toxic masculinity has become
“us … where we understand how men work and don’t try to change them into women.” Ah. So, not bullying, don’t act inappropriately with a woman means BEING a woman. Good to know. Would really like to know who the heck came out with this tweet. Just to stay clear of their products.
I don’t understand why SOME men think raising the bar (or, more often than not, just maintaining the status quo of being a civilized human being) is too much to ask. If you need the bar to be that low to feel like a man, I have bad news for you.
I haven’t seen it… but just look at the gender division here in the comments.
What gender division? there are two people who don’t like it everybody else is for it man or women.
There’s a guy right below this comment trying to change the subject (“well what about women, huh?”). They’re all over the place.
If you’ve got a problem with this ad, you’ve clearly done at least one of the things in it, and you’d rather not face judgment for it.
Dear women: Please stop making false rape claims. Please stop paternity fraud. Please stop domestic abuse of your partner. Please stop ‘seducing’/raping underage boys. Please stop drunkenly sexually harassing men on a night out. You can doo better. ‘Be better women’. Yeah I don’t think that would go down too well…
Dear DudeBros: Please stop propagating the myth that there are so many false rape claims out there. In fact, the bigger problem is that rape (whether the victim is a woman or a man) is far under-reported.
“Please stop making false rape claims” you do know that false rape claims are a small percentage of rape claims, right? Jesus, Google exists for a reason.
He doesn’t let facts get in the way of his opinion!
Yes it does exist. Now try using Google to find references and “facts” that don’t come from a feminist or feminist influenced publication. I’ll wait….
Thank you, Gillette….
Well i’ll start using Schick then. Or even better, stop shaving alltogether.
Gillette, you are a razor company. I will follow the Bible for my life, not your company. You think too much of yourself, but I won’t think of you at all anymore.
Isn’t there a bit in Leviticus that says shaving is a sin? In that case, yeah, “renouncing” the teachings of Gillette in favour of those of the Bible should work for you, Mary Jane.
Yeah, and slavery is cool too, per the Bible. And men of course are allowed to dominate and control their wives (plural). So… you know, cool cool to want to live life according to the Bible.
I was gonna say something but WOW, Freddie delivered the goods; I can’t top that.
But where in the Bible does it say bullying and abusing people is NOT a sin?
so you’re saying the Bible is in favour of bullying and in favour of harassing women?
Remember the bible was written by a man.
…okay?
At least razors are real. You’re just expounding mythology.
Make sure to stone yourself next time you eat shrimp while wearing a poly-cotton blend.
Great powerful ad. Stop censoring stuff. If you don’t like it then turn the channel.
Wonderfully done!
I LOVE THIS
Something that escapes a lot of us is that the patriarchy is just as devastating for men as it is for women. No man who is healthy or self-respecting turns to violence or sexual assault — or defends these things. Men like to think of themselves as being in control, but they’re just as damaged by the world as anyone else is.
…
Even the white wealthy men at the top who are “winning” are living lives of despair, not able to love or connect. Lusting after more, more, more, and none of it is ever enough.
These arguments in this thread are understandable but fruitless. Until we can work together — across genders, across parties, across countries, we’ll just create more unnecessary pain.
…
We humans like to see ourselves at the top of the hierarchy of animals, but I question this. When will we be able to become truly wise? When we we learn to listen to the pain of others without shouting it down or bringing out our own as if it erases every other form of pain?
…
Strength is the ability to be vulnerable in the face of trouble. Everyone of every gender can develop strength, and learning to listen through pain is a key aspect of it.
GREAT post. Thank you.
If you’ve got your boxers in a bunch over this ad and what it represents, then odds are you’re part of the problem, whether you’re able to recognize that or (likely) not.
This is an amazing ad!!! Brought a tear to my eye!
Yeah, I’m definitely for real crying. I love this commercial. We are all responsible for contributing to the world as it is and as it will be. As it can be.