By now, you've probably seen Gillette's "We Believe: The Best Men Can Be" ad. Launched last week online, the ad depicts several examples of toxic masculinity, including bullying, harassment, mansplaining, and the notion that "boys will be boys." For those that may not know, toxic masculinity refers to masculinity that encourages aggressive and violent behavior and discourages emotion and self-control. In other words, masculinity that is both dangerous for women and harmful to men. It's also crucial to note that toxic masculinity does not mean that allmasculinity is toxic. The ad ends by exhorting men to embrace a healthy vision for masculinity, with text that reads: "it's only by challenging ourselves to do more that we can get closer to our best."
Of course one goal for any commercial is to be noticed, and, in this case, mission accomplished. The ad has garnered a number of reactions, ranging from appreciation to rebuke. For instance, one week after its unveiling, the YouTube version of the ad had been viewed more than 25 million times, and had accrued almost 700,000 likes and more than 1.2 million dislikes.
Read Full Article »