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Gillette is Still the Best a Man Can Get–Whether He’s Cis or Trans

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By positively portraying a trans man in a groundbreaking new commercial, Gillette is putting themselves on the frontlines of the cultural conversation around social justice and LGBTQ acceptance.

For most men, learning how to shave is a rite of passage, one traditionally learned from their father. Unfortunately for a lot of trans men, this is a passage that they usually end up missing out on, while their cis counterparts too often take it for granted.

Gillette sees a problem with that, just like we do. In a new ad campaign (released just in time for Pride month, how about that), we meet Samson, a trans man, and his father. Samson is seen gleefully shaving and recounting his joy to be able to finally shave, while his father proudly watches. As Samson repeats the steps his father instructs him, both men are smiling.

“I’m at the point in my manhood where I’m actually happy,” said Samson in the advert. “It’s not just myself transitioning, it’s everybody around me transitioning.”

It’s sweet. It’s heartwarming. It’ll give you those Robert-DeNiro-in-Analyze-This feels. But… it’s still a commercial. Its goal is, first and foremost, to sell you a product.

It’s easy to wave this off as rainbow capitalism. The timing for it is certainly right. And honestly, I don’t think of razors as that big of a sponsor of the LGBTQ community — any more than I do Listerine or Budweiser, who certainly got their rainbow-striped bottles out, conveniently just weeks ahead of annual Pride month.

However, maybe that is the point. Coming from a cisgender perspective, I don’t look at shaving as an exciting thing as much as I a burden. To me it’s just a massive pain that sits on a perennial to-do list alongside washing my hair.

But that is also part of what this Gillette advertisement is a trying to get at. Whether a man first starts shaving when he is twelve or forty-two, it is a brand new and exciting thing. It’s something to rejoice in — the fact that you are finally allowed to join the boys club with your peers. And that’s exactly why it is even more special for trans men, who are somehow never included in this narrative. They finally get to do these things that their cisgender peers have taken for granted for so long.

Credit: Gillette

Regardless of the intent of this commercial, whether it comes from a genuinely good place or is just another shill from capitalist businessmen who recognize that LGBTQ people and their allies buy razors too, the message of trans acceptance still comes through loud and clear. And you can’t help but appreciate Gillette for sending it.

From their commercial condemning toxic masculinity, which caused controversy when it was released earlier this year, to this groundbreaking ad promoting trans acceptance, it’s starting to feel like Gillette is truly living up to their slogan — they might really be the best a man can get.

Top Photo via Gillette

Just Wear The Damn Lipstick Already

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War Paint For Men is a makeup line that wants men to be able to wear makeup without feeling, you know, girly or gay or something. Toxic masculinity much?

Are you a man who wants to wear makeup? Do you want to be able to buy it out in the open, rather than just ordering it discreetly to your PO Box like normal people who hate themselves — but still not have people, you know, assume anything about you?

Basically, are your toxic masculinity levels higher than the level of mercury in the fish you had for dinner last night?

Really? Then boy, have I got the dumbest idea ever for you.

Welcome to War Paint For Men, the “men’s makeup line” now available on the internet. The line features concealer, foundation, and of course, super-bro marketing.

According to the website, “the skin on a man’s face is 25% thicker than a woman’s. Men’s skin also has bigger pores, and a lot more of them, which produce more sebum [an oily substance produced by your skin as a natural moisturizer–ed.] than a woman.” While other sources do vouch for this as fact (excuse me for being understandably skeptical), and therefore a rationale for men to have their own specified skin-care needs and skin-care lines, there is still nothing offering a reason why men would need their own makeup.

Other than, you know, makeup obviously being girl stuff that gives you cooties and makes you gay and stuff. You know.

Let’s be real: the biggest thing the potential customer base for overtly masculine lines like this are terrified of is the possibility that they will be perceived as gay if they touch or use anything traditionally feminine. And lord knows we don’t want to catch gay germs or anything. Obviously the worst thing in the world is being gay or a woman.

Another problematic element of this whole thing is the use of violence in their branding. It can’t just be foundation — it has to be “war paint.” Why does all traditionally masculine marketing have to be violent? We get it — you want the world to know that you’re not like a regular dude, you’re like a SUPER BUFF BEAT-EM-UP DUDE. Congratulations?

The price points are all over the place for these products, but tend to be in the range of high-end makeup lines like Urban Decay or NARS (aka women’s makeup, because now I guess we differentiate that shit). In US dollars, War Paint’s concealer runs for roughly $23.39 and tinted moisturizer about $28.59. Of course, you could also just go down the Maybelline aisle at Ulta, pay about $8.00 for their under-eye eraser, and call it a day.

For the record, when you over-market things like this, it just contributes to the toxic masculinity of our culture, continuing to perpetuate societal norms that say men should not be wearing makeup. That it isn’t acceptable — regardless of the fact that plenty of men, from actors to hockey players to businessmen, wear simple things such as concealer or demattifying powder in their day-to-day lives to smooth out and even their skin tone, or even just to give themselves a little bit of a confidence boost.

Just like, you know, their female counterparts or whatever.

You can buy from this line if you want. It seems that the shine control powder is already sold out, so clearly some people are. Or you could take notes from career drag queens like RuPaul Charles and just use NYX or Sugarpill or something.

Whatever it is you do, just buy the damn eyeliner and get over yourself.

Top Photo: War Paint For Men, via Facebook

Men In Virginia Should Want Kavanaugh Gone

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Should circuit court judge Brett Kavanaugh be appointed to the Supreme Court, the lives of women throughout the U.S. will change, starting with the court being overshadowed by a man who clearly has a proclivity for lying about sexual assault, straight through to the great Republican fantasy of repealing Roe v Wade. And at the center of this whole situation, there is twisted kernel of truth, which is now apparent: Republicans don’t care about people, they only care about keeping and maintaining power.

Kavanaugh, who is at the center this ongoing political opera, is a man whose moral compass is supposed to govern the supreme law of this country. However, what is now at stake is whether in 2018 – in the era of “me too” – a man’s personal reputation or the need for political expediency is worth more than a woman’s life, liberty, or right to safety. Kavanaugh’s hearings have become a litmus test of where we now stand as a country – morally, ethically, politically.

Regardless of what Republicans, conservative punditry or even the White House has said, Kavanaugh has been accused of more than just horseplay. He has been accused of sexually assaulting four women. “But boys will be boys,” as some have been saying. “It was so long ago,” others have said. Yet as men, it is important for us to acknowledge that “boys being boys” does not include drunkenly trying to hold down a woman and covering her mouth so she does not scream.

One potential concern, which has been raised in defense of Kavanaugh, is that any woman with a score to settle will be able to claim sexual assault without the burden of proof, and that Kavanaugh should be presumed innocent until proven guilty. In trying to secure his nomination as quickly as possible, though, he has shown his preference for power and prestige over justice. This is the elitist culture of toxic masculinity at its intersection with things like extreme privilege and class.  

As a guardian and symbol of justice, he should care that these accusations are taken seriously, and considered with the full rigor and power of our justice system. His ambitions to the Supreme Court should be subordinate to this concern. Nonetheless, the president, who has also been accused of sexual assault, unsurprisingly said that the women accusing Kavanaugh are “all false to me,” using his own accusations as a way to defend the embattled judge.

The president’s comments pose another question: Is sexual assault not sexual assault unless it is reported within 24 hours of the incident occurring? We know the short answer to this is no. But this is one of the broad questions we should expect our elected leaders to take seriously now that these accusations are part of the nomination process.

Kavanaugh’s defense relies solely on his character as a “family man,” though the more accusations that are leveled, the more reasons we have to distrust and question his character. His defense, using his status as a virgin throughout high school and for many years after, is  just one example. Beyond this being an obvious play to the Republican’s Christian base, are virgins suddenly incapable of sexual assault? If the allegations are true then it’s obvious that young Kavanaugh’s virginity didn’t come from a place of Christian virtue.

This also exposes the Republican Party’s precarious position; having to defend a lecherous president and Supreme Court nominee while simultaneously extolling the virtues of chastity and virginity. While always positioning themselves as the party of values, what has become obvious is that the GOP only has values when it’s convenient to do so. And at this stage, their main value is political power at all cost. We should all take umbrage at the notion that the hunt for truth in sexual assault allegations must be quick; a lifetime appointment to the highest court of law should not be done in haste.

People in this country deserve better.

Even if Kavanaugh did what these women allege, I’ve heard people ask if there is no room for redemption and forgiveness. If there is room, then he still must take responsibility for his actions before forgiveness is considered – something he has consistently failed to do. By lying, he has shown that he is willing to make a mockery of the high court he wants to represent. Forgiveness is only possible if you own up to what you did, including assaulting women during “horseplay” in the 1980s. Having a wife and two daughters does not change this.  

The battle over the Kavanaugh nomination transcends party lines. It is about not only the way women are treated, but the kind of story we, as a country, are willing to tell to one another. Values, morals, and ethics are critical, and the Republican Party continues to lose credibility by being unwilling to back up their own moral claims with concrete action. Attempting to force through the Kavanaugh nomination instead of investigating multiple allegations proves that their goal is not truth, but promoting their agenda at all costs.