Toxic Masculinity

Gillette’s ad on “toxic masculinity,” or rather the negative reaction to it, demonstrates one of the main things wrong with this country. The fact that a company focuses on bullying, abuse and other negative actions, with the goal of turning those things around is, I think, a commendable effort. The fact that so many men actively dislike the ad and vow never to buy Gillette’s products again underscores why bullying, abuse and other negative actions are so prevalent.

Reading many of the comments, I was revisited once again by embarrassment for my gender, in this case not only for their rabid attack on Gillette, but also for their apparent ignorance.

“Thanks for letting us know that ALL men are potential rapists, misogynists, bigots and hostile aggressors, not just a small minority. [This person must have missed the part where MEN were also the ones who stepped up and did the right thing in the video.] This must include fathers, brothers, sons, all family relatives and friends. Just more extreme leftist ideology that is ruining society, mixed with crazy feminist man hating agenda . . . never buying Gillette again, well done for alienating your customer base!” [If your customer base is abusive men, it’s time for a new customer base anyway!]

“Why do women climb into men’s affairs and dictate their conditions? We do not climb in their affairs. [WHAT?! Have you not been paying attention to male politicians creating reproductive legislation in the last several years?!] Some kind of double standards. They dress defiantly, and we are to blame for being harassed because of this. It is not necessary to equate a small number of men and make all the rest of the predators of the majority!” [I guess I missed the part where they said that predators were the majority.]

“Thank you for continuing the war on men. [Yes, it’s real! Just like the war on Christmas.] It’s always nice when companies paint all men as toxic.” [Again, they missed the MEN interrupting the toxic actions in the video.]

“Gillette - the progressive razor!” [Apparently not being abusive is a distasteful political issue.]

“Well done. Insult your largest customer base with leftist propaganda. [See my remarks about customer base and political issues.] Do you seriously believe you are the only shaving option out there. I have used your products for 25 years, say goodbye to my business. GET WOKE, GO BROKE.”

“Please stop characterising men and boys as monsters, sexual predators, haters of women and bullies - as they are not. To be truly manly, a man would, amongst other things, respect, uplift, protect and cherish women.” [That was exactly the point Gillette was making in the video, and YOU MISSED IT!]

Perhaps Gillette’s main mistake was trusting American men to understand subtle – or even not so subtle – distinctions between “masculinity” and “toxic masculinity.”