“Boys will be boys” — a phrase heard so often, it’s essentially ingrained in society.
The four-word expression is used to rationalize negative behavior young and older men engage in with each other, as well as women and girls.
A boy punches another boy on the playground, and people shrug it aside — boys will be boys.
A man places his hand uncomfortably high on a woman’s thigh — don’t blame him though, “boys will be boys.”
The saying has been used to justify violence and harassment for centuries, creating a culture of toxic masculinity that favors bullying. However, for Gillette, this saying is no longer acceptable.
Olivia Heersink | Argonaut
The company’s new campaign attacks the phrase head on, telling consumers that men and boys don’t have to be restricted to the narrow confines set by society. Rather, they can be kind and supportive, not harsh or predatory. It’s a welcome change for a male-tailored advertisement.
The almost two-minute video begins with several men looking at themselves in the mirror, as a snippet of newscasts play in the background, throwing out words such as bullying, the #MeToo movement and toxic masculinity. Soon, a voice asks audiences, “Is this the best a man can get?”
It then showcases examples of negative male behavior: a young boy being bullied and called a sissy, as well as a man grabbing a woman’s butt on a sitcom and a businessman patronizing the only female employee in the conference room.
These actions, the voice says, have been excused for decades because “boy will be boys.” But society is changing and men must hold other men accountable.
A different scene is set by Gillette — men intervening against sexual harassment and bullying, all while young boys watch and absorb.
The ad concludes, “It’s only by challenging ourselves to do more that we can get closer to our best.” And it is.
However, this idea of taking on gender stereotypes isn’t new. In the past few years, there have been multiple attempts of companies marketing similar ideas, mostly geared toward the opposite sex.
Companies, such as Always and Dove, have been working hard to end the negativity against females by showcasing realistic women and girls of all sizes, ethnicities and ages.
But when looking for businesses doing the same thing for men and boys, I had a much harder time finding any other than Gillette or AXE Body Spray.
According to a New York Times article, Juliet Williams — a gender studies professor at the University of California — said society continues to rely on those traditional definitions of masculinity, which are then reflected within advertisements.
“We’re really in a moment of the mainstreaming of the idea that girls can be anything,” said Williams in the article. “We haven’t seen the same shift with men. It’s still ‘boys will be boys.’”
How can we expect to move forward when so much of society is rooted in the past, including something as simple as an ad?
If advertisements can’t reflect all people, then executives should revisit the drawing board. Gender stereotypes are long outdated to hold a place in the 21st century.
The companies who are on board with this idea seem even more revolutionary because it’s such a stark contrast to what we normally see, which is why their ads are so refreshing.
It doesn’t matter if sexism sells, the anachronistic ideas about what it means to be a man or a woman are completely false and no longer acceptable. More companies should showcase that idea.
Advertisements have more power than many give them credit for and with that power truly does comes great responsibility. It’s time to shape up and leave chauvinist ideas of gender in the past — that begins with advertising.
Olivia Heersink can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @heersinkolivia