The most important video you will watch today, no actually, EVER, is all about changing the way we raise our young men and the way we behave in front of them.
Toxic Masculinity and the #MeToo movement were just some of the things to come out of 2018 but they may have been some of the most important ones. Whether united or divided by the conversations, it was a good thing that they happened.
By addressing this, people found their freedom and release. Many women came out with their personal experiences through the #MeToo movement and men took a step back to look at what toxic masculinity meant.
Gillette decided to create a short film about “The Best Men Can Be”. It follows different men taking a stand against toxic masculinity and showing their children how to be better men.
The company’s new advertisement addresses the #MeToo movement and the role toxic masculinity plays in it, asking, “Is this the best a man can get?”
The advert encourages men to police themselves and friends by discouraging behaviours like harassment or blatant sexism.
In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Gillette brand director for North America Pankaj Bhalla discussed the importance of the advert.
“To say the right thing, to act the right way. Some already are, in ways big and small. But some is not enough because the boys watching today will be the men of tomorrow.”
“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,”
“We are taking a realistic look at what’s happening today, and aiming to inspire change by acknowledging that the old saying ‘Boys Will Be Boys’ is not an excuse. We want to hold ourselves to a higher standard, and hope all the men we serve will come along on that journey to find our ‘best’ together.”
The company is going one step further and has set up a funding drive to assist the Boys and Girls Club of America. This is how they guarantee the next generation have a better footing.
Watch the important short film below.