Always - "Like a Girl"

[FrankelandFilly]

I wondered if any of you had seen the video for the Always "Like a girl" campaign and if you had any thoughts on it.

Personally I think it's a very well put together video and the young girls brought a tear to my eye. I've posted the video in Chat too and it's got a lot of positive comments.

[AskBasil]

I actually found that incredibly sad.

To see those little kids run as fast as they could, look as if they were throwing as hard as they could, with no idea that they're not supposed to be good at it - in contrast to how they're going to feel about doing things "like a girl" within about 2-3 years, was pretty heartbreaking tbh.

But the bit afterwards was cheering.

[JaneParker]

It is certainly worth working against this in yhour own families. My girls (20s) run marathons, triathlons and one plays sport for an England team (she's in Amsterdam this weekend competing). They both ride (spent their teens when not working for pretty stunning exam results they were on horses) and we all ski.

They were bought feminists books. I earn 10x what their father does and women are successful, strong and fit in this family. They come from generations of strong fit successful women. You can make your own family like this if you plan and work on it and give them the right role models.

[CaptChaos]

And back to the real world, where normal people live

I thought it was sad also. The horrible way they all ran/threw/fought at the beginning and then the realisation that it's not like that at all was good. The bit where they realised that running/throwing/fighting like a girl was just how they run/throw/fight and that they didn't have to buy in to the whole put down was fabulous.

[AshleyDavidson]

I've never seen this video. Doing anything "like a girl" I always thought it meant "like a little girl", which would imply, you're weak, because you're doing it "like a child". Yet, in the video, children (little girls) looked a lot more mature and strong than the grown women, who obviously grew up with the idea that girls are weak. It's sad, how it gives the impression that girls are strong when little, because they are themselves, but because of this stupid saying they grow up to be weak, because the world said so.

[PenguinsHatchedAnEgg]

That interpretation of 'like a girl' would only make sense if it was only used to women though. Men are often told they 'throw like a girl' or 'cry like a girl'. The only logical interpretation is that the girl bit itself is insulting.

[CaptChaos]

I've never seen this video. Doing anything "like a girl" I always thought it meant "like a little girl", which would imply, you're weak, because you're doing it "like a child". Yet, in the video, children (little girls) looked a lot more mature and strong than the grown women, who obviously grew up with the idea that girls are weak. It's sad, how it gives the impression that girls are strong when little, because they are themselves, but because of this stupid saying they grow up to be weak, because the world said so.

Do you not live in the UK or US then? Doing something 'like a girl' has always meant doing something badly, or stupidly or with no skill at all. The young girls in the video haven't yet been socialised to believe they are crap yet, or maybe the socialisation hasn't been internalised yet. That's why they seem happier in their own skins than the older girls or young women. The women (as they showed at the end) aren't weak at all, they have strong bodies, which can do amazing things, but they have been well schooled in society's belief that women are weak, and there to be pitied and ridiculed, when that belief is overruled, they realise just what they are capable of.

Women aren't pathetic wallflowers at all, we have all just been told for so long that that is what we are, that it becomes an internalised belief, no matter what the actual facts are.

[GobblersKnob]

I am mildly pissed off that I was moved by a bastard sanitary towel add, I am obviously an advertisers wet dream.

The young girls who are just ready to take on the world as people, with no idea how the stuffing is likely to be knocked out of them just because they own a vagina made me very sad.

[sausageeggbacon11]

Well if doing anything like a girl covers my DD it would surprise a few people. When the kids were a little younger DD use to roundhouse kick things off of her brothers heads. Now that is the sort of like a girl she has been brought up to be like.

[cailindana]

Great ad.
Also annoyed that I was moved by bloody P&G. Bastards. It's a big turn around from the out and out anti-feminist insulting arseholery about mums being general snot wipers and aren't they great for being skivvies.

I felt sorry for all the ones who had done it "wrong" and who looked sheepish afterwards - although it was quite interesting to see the lightbulb go on for the boy when he said "I was insulting girls but not my sister."

[LonnyVonnyWilsonFrickett]

I too really like this then was annoyed that it had anything to do with sanpro! Such is the way of the world I suppose, messages now apparently all need multi-national conglomerate sponsors if they are to be heard.

However it is a really good message and I really liked it.

[Aseaandthreestars]

Calindana I just told DH about it and mentioned the penny dropping with the boy - I don't know how staged it all was, but he really did seem to get it.

Girls don't know that they're shit at everything, they have to be told, this seems to be the message I hear every day, so it is refreshing to hear the truth. Until they're told they're rubbish, girls just confuse everyone by being brilliant.

[Birdo83]

You do realised the whole thing is probably staged right and adverts aren't real? Don't tell me every adult performed the acts pathetically and every child performed them with such over the top enthusiasm. I don't believe it. They are told what to do.

Another company jumping on the feminism bandwagon to make some bucks.

[AskBasil]

Well of course it was staged but so what?

It was really well done and it made the point in a moving and quite shocking manner.

Because actually, it was shocking. The bald demonstration of what happens to girls between the ages of 8 and 18 in terms of what they think they can achieve, is advertising as its best. Up there with the Levi's ads.

[MontyGlee]

I'm all for this... but:

I can't help thinking that the underlying issue of confidence (or rather, lack of) is caused - or at least exacerbated by - the bombardment of unattainable suggestions of beauty from, amongst others, Proctor & Gamble, the owners of the Always brand. That would make this a little bit hypocritical wouldn't it? Rather like Nestle saying they're a bit worried about orangutans.

Maybe I'm just cynical

[FrankelandFilly]

It's being discussed further

[TeaFuelledRadical]

Well

[EElisavetaofBelsornia]

It makes the point well and movingly. But it did leave me, as mother of two young girls, wondering how to combat the welter of negativity they will face growing up. I don't want to dismiss JaneParker 's experience but it does sound like fairly unlimited financial freedom helped.

I am trying to be a positive role model as a woman, making sure my DDs see me exercise, don't hear me saying negative things about my body or appearance and valuing kindness and hard work over looks and compliance. Are there other ways I can give them a bit of resilience out there?