The Gillete short film supporting the Mee Too Movement with the tagline “The Best Men Can Be” has generated a lot of interest. It condemns toxic masquilinity, urges men to step in when they see their friends/colleagues cross the line of decent behaviour and puts the onus on them to stop sexual harassment. The film also blames mascuilinity for sexual assault and urges society to show compassion towards sensitive boys and men. Many welcomed the ad, praising the razor company for taking up an important issue like sexual harassment in the backdrop of the MeeToo movement.
Critics have accused Gillete of playing to the gallery and make hard working, innocent men look like monsters. They feel the short film makes scapegoats out of men and that there is nothing wrong with mascuilinity. They stress that the majority of men, like women, are good people. Piers Morgan, on the show Good Morning Britain, said that the Gillete ad is eager to fuel the current pathetic global assault on mascuilinity and that “Let Boys Be Damn Boys, Let men Be Damn Men”.
However, many were on Gillete’s side. Queer Eye’s Karamo Brown tweeted : ‘I love everything about this Glllete ad. Great message’. Some suggested that the men who were left offended by the ad were in fact part of the problem and that far from eroding mascuilinity, the ad paints men as strong and responsible people. Gillete brand director Pankag Bhalla told the Wall Street Journal : ‘This is an important conversation happening, and as a company that encourages men to be their best, we feel compelled to both address it and take action of our own’. Some were of the opinion that the ad would boost sales and by attracting a new generation of mellenials, similar to what Nike achieved with its controversial ‘Just Do It’ ad starring Colin Kaepernick, the former NFL quarterback.
The depiction of men in the short film nudges society to rethink its value system towards women and treat them as equals. We have come a long way from the heady days of the Anti-Vietnam War protests when slogans like ‘Make Love, Not War’ were common parlance. It was only in the 80’s and 90’s that sex became taboo, owing largely to Feminism.
As far as blaming mascuilinity for sexual assault, Gillete has hit the nail on the head. Since boys are taught from a very young age to be tough, not to cry when in despair and never be girlish, they end up suppressing their feelings. And when they find other boys bullying them, they turn into bullies themselves in self-defence. As they grow up, this mascuilinity turns toxic. Men find no means to vent their suppressed feelings. With age comes loneliness, and what follows is self-destruction. The fact that boys are silent sufferers of sexual abuse could also explain the anger against the ad.
Any change, however small, is welcome, whether in the domain of the family, school or workplace. If boys are told that it is ok to cry today, they may not turn into monsters tomorrow. Schools and families must jointly tackle the menace of bullying and strive to mould students into more compassionate human beings. And society must be sensitive to the emotional needs of men. Let us not dismiss the crying boy, the confused teenager or the lonely man as a loser. Instead, let us try and and understand his source of despair.
Some people are of the opinion that Gillete has used this ad to gain more customers. It may be appealing to the Mee Too sentiment that women feel strongly about. And since women happen to be the ones shopping for groceries (that includes razors), Gillete might just have cemented its place in the market. But if business and market forces are urging people to rethink on unjust value systems, then so be it.
Also Read Gillette’s defence : https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/gillette-defends-controversial-short-film-the-best-men-can-be-20190116-p50rrl.html
Kanishka Uncensored 