Photo Source: www.facebook.com/always

The issue of gender equality has been on the radar for some time. The feminine hygiene brand Always launched a campaign titled “Like a Girl” which led to a Super Bowl ad that went viral. We are excited to highlight their efforts.

In the very popular advertisement, an off camera director asks women, men, and some younger boys to act out different activities “like a girl” would. The adults then act very timidly, poking fun at how a girl would do things like fight, run, or throw. A little boy in the Super Bowl add also pretends to be weak and frail. 

The entire tone of the ad chances when young girls were introduced onto the set and asked to perform similar activities. This is where the commercial really strikes a chord, as the young girls run quickly, throw with accuracy, and mime what “fighting” looks like with energy and intensity. “It means run as fast as you can,” one little girl said about what it meant to run like a girl. The young girls, not yet aware of the great divide in gender inequality, were certain that doing things like a girl meant doing them passionately and to the best of their abilities.

There is something to be said about this subject in today’s society, and about what the “Like a Girl” campaign has introduced to mainstream media. Although it seems like the subject matter wouldn’t fit in modern civilization, it does. Even though women seemingly have more opportunities for success than ever, somehow things are not equal.

Thankfully, Always isn't letting up. They have since introduced a follow up to the original “Like a Girl” video, this time simply featuring girls showcasing their different unique abilities. “I shoot like a girl,” one female hockey player announced after effectively hitting a hockey puck into the net. “I score like a girl,” another young girl announced, after throwing a basketball through a hoop. Young girls of different ages, ethnicities, and backgrounds are featured throughout the inspirational video. Some girls are also portrayed doing mathematical equations and chemistry, two fields that are typically considered to be dominated by males.

Clearly, Always fully plans on continuing the campaign, which apparently is focused on not only encouraging girls to participate in sports, but on boosting their confidence and self-worth.

The impact upon social media users has been very obvious, but Always has stated the videos are indeed intended for young girls. “When did doing something ‘like a girl’ become an insult?” the original advertisement asked. Truthfully, it may be impossible to answer that question. However, Always wants to change the fact that anyone evens ask it in the first place.

The “Like a Girl” campaign hasn’t brought forth a brand new issue, but it has approached a long standing issue in a brand new way. And maybe, just maybe, that’s enough to make other people do the same thing. We applaud Always for making a difference for all of our girls!