body { -ms-overflow-style: scrollbar; overflow-y: scroll; overscroll-behavior-y: none; } .errorContainer { background-color: #FFF; color: #0F1419; max-width: 600px; margin: 0 auto; padding: 10%; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; } .errorButton { margin: 3em 0; } .errorButton a { background: #1DA1F2; border-radius: 2.5em; color: white; padding: 1em 2em; text-decoration: none; } .errorButton a:hover, .errorButton a:focus { background: rgb(26, 145, 218); } .errorFooter { color: #657786; font-size: 80%; line-height: 1.5; padding: 1em 0; } .errorFooter a, .errorFooter a:visited { color: #657786; text-decoration: none; padding-right: 1em; } .errorFooter a:hover, .errorFooter a:active { text-decoration: underline; } #placeholder, #react-root { display: none !important; } body { background-color: #FFF !important; }

JavaScript is not available.

We’ve detected that JavaScript is disabled in this browser. Please enable JavaScript or switch to a supported browser to continue using twitter.com. You can see a list of supported browsers in our Help Center.

Terms of Service Privacy Policy Cookie Policy Imprint Ads info © 2023 Twitter, Inc.

Conversation

That recent Gilette ad is fascinating and reveals what feels like culture's collective confusion over what gender is supposed to be. The ad starts by showing a sequence of 'bad' masculine actions - boys fighting, guys catcalling women, or shaming each other for crying. (Cont-)

21

108

267

It also features lots of men treating women badly - mansplaining, slapping them on the ass, etc. The message seems to be clear: It's bad to expect men to be strong or present as aggressive or dominant over women. We then move onto Gillette's vision of "The best men can be" (cont)

3

5

41

The "best men can be" is summarized by the following shots: 1. "Men need to hold other men accountable" 2. A man tells a woman to smile. Another man gets between them and says "cmon" 3. A man catcalls a woman. Another man gets in front of him and says "not cool" (cont)

3

6

39

4. A father with his son breaks up a fight 5. A man resolving a fight peacefully 6. A father teaching his daughter to say "I am strong" 7. A father breaking up a fight between boys

1

4

38

This list is Gilette's example of how men 'should' behave. In this list, three (four?) feature men in the role of "protector of women" - that a man's job is to protect a woman from other men. Another two feature men using their physical strength to stop fights. (cont)

1

10

79

Only one shot on this list features something that seems feminine - peacefully resolving a fight. Gillette tells us it's bad when men show dominance over women, but then show shots of men acting as protector for women implicitly too weak to do it themselves

3

19

104

Gillette isn't truly challenging masculinity, it's just redirecting it - it still uses the appeal to strength, power, and physical intimidation as being inherent to maleness - "Men need to hold other men accountable." It's stroking the war game urge in a socially acceptable way.

7:30 PM · Jan 15, 2019

Replying to

Maybe this is all fine, but it does make me feel like Gillette - and the society it's so carefully catering to - is confused about what it means for a man to be 'good to a woman'. Both the bad and good worlds provided as contrast in this ad seem to remove agency from women.

25

16

185

Arrogation Toast

@lordcataplanga

Replying to

I think the point is to conflate "socially acceptable" with "Gillette approved", so that people start seeing Gillette as authorities on what masculinity is. They envy the position that female beauty products have.

Replying to

Well said and wish this tweet would get 10K likes as it exposed the smoke screen and marketing ploy. More division is not going to fix our divides but it surely will give a brand a marketing boost and open up a new opportunity for them to segment their product toward new market

3

Replying to

and

@hellothisisivan

There just trying to sell crap razors to women, be honest about it. They don't give a f*ck about anything but for selling their brand. Pure capitalism, and using social media to attract women to their brand. Clever.

1

Special Snowflake

Replying to

I can't imagine a world where physical intimidation is not needed.

2

@GretschPlayer17

Replying to

Can you see that men can’t win? If we step in, we “remove agency” from women; if we stand by, we “give silent approval.” There is no correct path forward: we are always wrong.

1

6

Replying to

It does not put men in the role of necessary protectorate. It’s a commentary on the fact that time and time again if a woman stands up for herself a man will just think she is crazy, IF he gets legitimation from another man. If a man steps in, another man is more likely to LISTEN

1

1

Replying to

And by "socially acceptable" you mean "against the people the ad-makers hate and fear." It basically says "Men, to be a real man, physically challenge the (white) men that we hate and fear."

1

@Johnstandifer6

Replying to

I’m so sick of hearing this hold other men accountable you ask 99.9% of us and we hate rapist and douche bags even so much so rapist especially child one can’t be put in general pop in jail or prison because we will beat them to death but we don’t hold other men accountable right