"What does it mean to do something like a girl" was the focal point of the powerful viral ad from the sanitary pad company Always. The video has been viewed for over 20 million times in just one week, thus implying the efficiency of the campaign that targets to redefine the stereotypical notions pertaining to the capacities of the female gender.
Lauren Greenfield, filmmaker and director of this commercial shared on their Youtube page: "In my work as a documentarian, I have witnessed the confidence crisis among girls and the negative impact of stereotypes first-hand,"
"When the words 'like a girl' are used to mean something bad, it is profoundly disempowering. I am proud to partner with Always to shed light on how this simple phrase can have a significant and long-lasting impact on girls and women. I am excited to be a part of the movement to redefine 'like a girl' into a positive affirmation."
The video shows how aspiring talents demonstrate how it is to run like a girl, fight like a girl, and throw like a girl. First set of participants, made up of adolescent girls, older women, boys, and men, re-enacted these actions in a squeamish, weak manner while the second group, involving young girls, showed strength, courage, and dexterity.
Realizations come at the end of the video wherein one participant said "If somebody else says running like a girl, or kicking like a girl, or shooting like a girl is something you shouldn't be doing then that's their problem. Because if you're still scoring, and you're still getting to the ball on time and you're still being first-you're doing it right. It doesn't matter what they say."
This has sparked conversations in the social media world and a lot of girls, particularly the young teens, expressed their confidence by sharing their greatest accomplishments with the hashtag #LikeAGirl.
Female athletes, like two-time USA Track and Field Champion for 5k and professional athlete for Oiselle Lauren Fleshman, were also struck by the video hence sharing "I think it's a very powerful video. I've written about the internal conflicts of being a female athlete. These seemingly harmless words continue to prevent girls from developing the indomitable confidence many of us have been lucky enough to protect or restore. I'm a fan of any movement that makes adolescence easier for girls. It certainly can't hurt to redefine the term 'like a girl' to more accurately describe our capabilities. Let's swap 'like a girl' for 'like an amateur.' Makes a hell of a lot more sense anyway."
The ad ends with the tag line "Let's make #Likeagirl mean amazing things."
What's your most amazing 'like a girl' moment? Sound off in the comments section below!
