So the other day I watched the Gillette Advert for the first and only time. It’s hilarious. It tries too hard. It’s self-conscious. It speaks to men in their most vulnerable place. Their vulnerability. It positions men in a bizarre space which highlights how truly unevolved they are. And everyone was celebrating it….?
Except, some men were mad. How dare you say ALL men? This isn’t men. I don’t know men like this Not all men are rapists and sexual assailants. Oh the rants we saw. Oh the rage. Why are you so angry if it isn’t you?
Dating struggles in this current climate. It can’t breathe. It’s suffocated by what seems to be an amusing indulgence of male entitlement and privilege, but this slowly turns into rage and resentment.
And therein lies the problem. When a whole group of people totally miss the point from R Kelly (these girls wanted it) to Gillette (men are more than just arseholes! WE can evolve if we shave with the right razor) it highlights just how entrenched patriarchy is in our dealings of the world.
I remember once telling a guy that I considered myself a feminist. Woooooh, big mistake! Before I had time to explain that as a black woman this was somewhat different, he went off on me. He ranted about how it meant I hated men and that I just wanted a world run by women. I kept quiet. I can’t explain chose and equality to someone who doesn’t want to hear it. He then went on to suggest that feminists just hadn’t been fucked right and therefore they were angry. They were jealous. And don’t get him started on lesbians. The date ended soon after that.
What worked well for Gillette is that men are showing their negative emotions more openly and freely. Like all movements seeing the size of the problem helps. If your man gets angry at that advert and it’s not about the victims but is about how badly men were portrayed then, run y Precious. He just doesn’t’ get it and it’s not your job to mansplain this to him.
I don’t think Gillette got it right. They were basically telling men that shaving will save them from patriarchy and their privilege. That it’s hard out there for beards. It was bizarre. I was bored. It’s #MeToo skewed to get clicks and likes and more razors bought. I can never buy another Gillette razor again. I will survive.
#EtTuGillette ?
© Chelsea Black 2019
