The Best a Man Can Get?
In the first piece of the new biweekly column Tea Time with Max and Amanda, Max Himpe, BF ’21, and Amanda Thomas, SY ’21, consider the implications of — and truth behind — Gillette’s controversial advert in the first .
Max:
If Gillette were to market a razor for me, its slogan would be “The Least a Man Can Get,” in honor of the little facial hair I can muster. But, of course, Gillette does not market to me. The Best Men that Gillette Could Get in their adverts were hetero-hunks with good teeth, short hair, and an affection for mirrors. I possess only one of those qualities. (I’m not telling you which one.) Gillette Jocks fed me a singular vision of dudedom and, ever since my first shave, I have not taken the bait.
So you can imagine my surprise when Gillette became the newest corporate passenger to board the “woke train.” Gillette’s latest advert, shockingly, tells us that men can do better. In the confusingly-shot sequence citing #MeToo, #BoysWillBeBoys, #WhatIActuallyThinkSheIsTryingToSay and plain-old #Bullies, Gillette inspires men to “act in the right way” and to teach the next generation what a Real Man is.
I’m always up for breaking down some gender norms and holding men accountable. But after years of misrepresenting and restricting masculinity, I struggle with Gillette’s attempt to speak for and to all men. It’s like the class clown suddenly turning around and telling you to respect the teacher. I just don’t buy the change.
Amanda’s response:
I’m really interested in the idea of “a new corporate passenger boarded the woke train.” When I first watched this commercial (as the highly sentimental person I am), my eyes welled with tears. I think as a woman I tried to attach myself to anything with which I could connect.What stuck out to me in particular were the black men. I have seen videos on Twitter in which black men step up to encourage more positive images of what manhood (specifically black manhood, stereotypically considered violent, ruggish, and thuggish) could look like. I’m cynical about Gillette’s decision to put out this ad, but I am happy that they were able to present the black community in a way that looks familiar.
The point about Gillette not being a representative for people’s understanding of manhood is valid, but I think for a lot of men shaving is seen as the first step towards becoming a “man.”
Max’s Response:
I agree that the brief segment about black masculinity was tear-jerking. But after a cursory Google of “Gillette male models,” I found very few black models. Does Gillette only now support black masculinity when it suits their brand? I’m not dismissing the representation; I’m just unconvinced that this is a meaningful take on masculinity from a brand that has so long represented so few masculinities, including those of People of Color.
As to whether shaving is a masculine rite of passage, that isn’t the case in every boy’s life. After my first shave, I looked like a Sweeney Todd victim, with shaving foam and spittle seeping from my mouth. It was a day of minor consequence and major annoyance. Since then, shaving has remained an unimportant task to me. I mow my facial lawn approximately every fortnight. It’s gotta be done, but it ain’t fun. Shaving certainly never underscored some significant transition from my boyhood to manhood. Finding out that I liked to touch my asshole was honestly more seminal.
If we allow a razor company to speak for manhood, then we are admitting that masculinity is only about bodies and grooming. But becoming a man, in the orthodox sense, is not just about the physical. It’s about exposure to cultural codes and dictates around male behavior; it’s about repressing femininity. A more critical vision of masculinity would address these more profound issues rather than celebrate the superficial non-rite of passage that is shaving.
Amanda’s response:
Thank you for looking it up! I doubt Gillette cares too much about whether they’re appealing to black men. I think they knew that this thing would circulate around Twitter and “woke” people and #BlackTwitter would get a hold of it and turn it into a talking point. I hope there was at least one black person in the marketing meeting. I’m going to have to agree with the razor company speaking for our manhood. I think if anyone’s going have to speak for our manhood it’s going to have to be a company that has tried to sell us the idea that masculinity and manhood starts with facial hair. I agree masculinity is more than facial hair, but people know the name Gillette and are going to actually care because it’s a huge company. If Axe created a commercial like this, boys in middle school would understand that manhood is more than a certain smell (a bad smell, if I may add, but hey, I’m not the voice of the people). I wonder who would be a better spokesperson than Gillette on the issue of toxic masculinity, without coming across as fake. I guess I found the commercial compelling because of its decision to include intersections between race and gender, which to do tastefully requires effort. I have the last word so you can’t reply so that sucks… I guess I’ll think about it… to myself.
