We're on the cusp of a social revolution. The dichotomy between men and women is changing for the better with the biggest push for equality since the Suffragette movement. And the first ever safety razor manufacturers, Gillette, are eager to be a part of it.
It's all very well and good for women to be exposed to powerful messages telling them not to accept anything less than total respect from their fellow man, to report any incidence of sexual harassment they might experience, and to live their life in accordance to what they want rather than what men expect. But without men confronting other men about negative "masculine" behaviour, there never will be any real change.
That's why Gillette are pledging to donate $1 million per annum for three years to non-profit organizations which aim to inspire and encourage men to be the best kind of role models, and their new advert - released yesterday (January 14) - does much the same thing.
In the short film they turn their well-known tagline "The Best a Man Can Get" on its head with a new slogan, "The Best a Man Can Be", as they tackle the dangers of toxic masculinity and promote a more positive message for all the young men out there.
"As a company that encourages men to be their best, we have a responsibility to make sure we are promoting positive, attainable, inclusive and healthy versions of what it means to be a man", they wrote on their website. "From today on, we pledge to actively challenge the stereotypes and expectations of what it means to be a man everywhere you see Gillette."
The advert particularly explores bullying in young boys; the marginalisation that occurs when any boy tries to be different and deviate from the usual standards of boyhood. It attacks the age-old excuse "boys will be boys", instead suggesting that we should be protecting boys from playground assaults and teaching them to deal with disagreements rationally rather than defending physical violence as being a part of being a boy.
There are a few familiar clips within the video. We see a snippet of Terry Crews' speech before the Senate Judiciary Committee last year on the proposed Sexual Assault Survivors' Bill of Rights Act, as well as the viral video of a father named Ron Alston encouraging his daughter to make daily morning affirmations that she is a strong young woman.
And then, of course, it deals with men's relationship with woman and the #MeToo movement, reflecting on the sexual objectification of women on television, the dehumanising effects of "mansplaining" in the workplace, and the myriad reports of sexual harassment and sexual assault by men in power over the last couple of years.
In a bid to show that manliness includes respecting women, they show men stepping in to tell men to stop telling women they don't know to smile, and to stop trying to hit on every woman who exposes a bit of flesh.
Naturally, there has been something of a backlash from a lot of conservative men and women. Many people have voiced their desire to boycott the brand, the general argument seeming to be a complete incomprehension of what the ad is actually trying to say.
People are saying, for example, that "masculinity isn't toxic". Of course it isn't. The concept of toxic masculinity is separate from real masculinity. By suggesting that toxic masculinity exists is not discounting the existence of healthier masculine ideals, such as chivalry and respect. Toxic masculinity simply refers to the pressure society puts on men to be aggressive, territorial and never ever show their emotions.
There are also those who accuse Gillette of being sexist, despite the strong message arguing against the phrase "boys will be boys"; a phrase which is sexist against boys in itself. It's certainly not trying to suggest that respectful men don't exist in the world, it's just trying to tell society to stop bullying them.
Despite what the haters think, this movement is not about restricting men's behaviour, it's about dispensing with fragile egos and nonsense stereotypes and setting a good example for future generations who hopefully will have more respect for woman, and for each other, in the years to come.
Tagged in feminism