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-)
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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)
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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)
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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
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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)
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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
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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.
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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.
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Replying to @Aella_Girl
The lunatic bit is the premise that it is the role of a shaving-products company to tell us such things. Whatever particular nonsense they come up with is secondary.
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I don't mind that - ads, especially ones from established companies, seem to me to be an incredible compass for the pulse of society. Big companies are soulless, they will do literally anything they think will sell a product, and their message is based on tons of market research.
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Replying to @Aella_Girl @StephenPiment
They don't always get it right though and I'll be shocked if they have here.
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