The feminine hygiene company, Always, released a commercial depicting young men and women doing various things “like a girl.”
The older kids performed various activities, like running or throwing, in a stereotypically bad or girly way. The company wanted to point out how damaging using the term “like a girl” can be to girls as they age and go through puberty.
The commercial went viral. The response was mostly positive, but many voiced their disapproval via Twitter.
Some complained that women wanted equality until it no longer suited them. One user said that he hoped these women were prepared to shovel “like a girl” and not leave it to their men. But I think these complaints have little relevance to the commercial’s message. This anger is misplaced. The commercial is in no way negative towards men. It doesn’t place blame on men for perpetuating the offensive saying. It’s asking everyone to stop using it.
The few times that advertisers use their commercials to send a positive message to women it seems to upset Twitter users. This commercial was not meant to degrade or shame men. It is meant to shed light on some of the negative stereotypes that are ingrained into our culture.
One of the more poignant moments in the commercial is when a producer asks a young man if his definition of “girly” is offensive to his sister. He balks and says of course it isn’t. I think once a personal connection is made, people second-guess the saying. The implication in the saying, that women do things worse then men, is better understood.
If we apply this offensive saying to a particular woman in our lives, perhaps it’ll help us better understand why these commercials are necessary.