Gillette released a new commercial that has taken hold of many headlines, flooded Twitter feeds, and sparked a new controversy. Aiming toward the #MeToo movement, Gillette’s commercial takes on the problem of how toxic masculinity affects our society. Shortly after its release, the advertisement became one of YouTube’s most disliked videos. The advertisement has also received a major wave of negativity from consumers.

Many people see this commercial as being hateful toward men and bashing them for actions that not all men do. However, this is not the message that Gillette was aiming for. Many instances were shown where men stood up and did the right thing in situations of sexual harassment and bullying. I believe you need to be able to speak and acknowledge how toxic masculinity is negatively affecting society in order to start making a change. In my opinion, that is exactly what Gillette did. The anger stemming from viewers needs to be reevaluated. The commercial is not geared to make men seem like terrible human beings but rather to show the problems that litter our society. It illustrates how men can help change these problems.

I asked many men what their reactions were to the ad. A lot of men said that they did not understand why Gillette released the ad, considering it doesn’t promote shaving or razors at all. In my opinion, instead of marketing their product, Gillette used the platform that they have to release a message they feel strongly about. I honestly cannot think of one other razor brand out there for men besides Gillette. They don’t need to put their money into branding themselves; they decided to use it for a better purpose.

Since everything nowadays is being construed into controversy, Gillette knew that not everyone would understand the commercial. However, they still released it because of the importance they believe it has. As a woman, I honestly teared up while watching it for the first time. It made me think of how I was raised to never walk the streets alone, always check the back seat of my car before getting in, always have my phone in case of emergencies, and many other precautions I need to take as a woman. Knowing that men are encouraging men to be better people and stand up for others gave me hope that women aren’t alone.

Men are acknowledging the problems women face and are realizing they can help make them better for us. I think that’s the true message Gillette was trying to exude. The phrase “boys will be boys” is constantly used to excuse inappropriate behavior of men. In the commercial, adults are seen saying the phrase over and over again in a robotic tone. Many people found issues with this specifically because they believe that it is just a phrase that holds no meaning behind it. However, the commercial was aimed to show that “boys will be boys” is no longer an acceptable excuse for boys to hurt others.

I believe in the message Gillette was trying to get across to the public. I hope that others who disagree can look at it in a different light. The commercial has sparked conversations across the Loyola campus between both men and women. Despite opposing opinions, the problem is being discussed, which is one of the reasons for the commercial itself. It’s not about “the best a man can get,” but the best a man can be.

Image courtesy of Time.com