For MEN.

So I don’t know about y’all, but if there is one thing that vexes me, it is the never ending stream of manufacturers that feel the need to gender everything. I mean, deodorant? Really? That is literally scented air in a can, that you’re selling. The last time I checked, air did not have a gender, or an identity, or a sex for that matter.

Why does this happen? Well, it’s a little process called market segmentation. Check out this hilarious video on the topic by the checkout. Spoiler alert: like any other form of marketing, this exists to make you pay more money for stuff you don’t really need.

Why is gendered based marketing a problem? For one, the constant reinforcement of harmful stereotypes is never good for us. Additionally, this whole maning up of so called feminine products, like deodorant, is a symptom of our societies toxic view on gender. Masculine traits are always viewed as better than feminine ones. Therefor, for a man to start using feminine things, is emasculating, and bad for their image as a whole.
When women claim products marketed towards men for themselves, like pants, or cigars, it’s seen as empowering and even sexy. But a man can not show up to work in a dress.
If you want to know more about this topic, Laci Green explains it most eloquently.

It’s hard to make men buy your lady crap. But, to help those poor companies sell more stuff, a lot of them have started to advertise their products in drag. Soap, body wash, candles, shampoo, razors, and, let’s not forget, every diet soda on the planet.
I mean, check out this laundry detergent I found. Never fear. You can now safely do laundry without feeling like your genitals might shrivel up two sizes.

So next time a manufacturer tries to tell you that certain scents, shapes, colors, products and behaviors are not for you?

Fuck em. Fuck em right in their overpriced dingdongs.
Claim your identity for yourself, and don’t be so afraid of a little femininity. Because all that deodorant says, is that you’re so insecure, you need your personal hygiene products to stroke your ego. Not very manly, is it?

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Originally published on sugarnomilk.com.