As the global equality movement welcomes ever-swelling tides of gender parity, it seems we no longer live in a man’s world, but a world which is fairer to all.
With that, comes a new era during which men are forced to redefine their masculinity; a concept which has been passed down from generation to generation since the dawn of the cavemen.
Now, these men have spoken out about the constant battle they face when it comes to masculinity.
You can watch them talk of the struggles in the footage below:
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The candid interviews reveal how difficult it is to navigate a modern world as a man and accompanying research shows how over one in five British guys, still feel pressure to be a so-called man’s man.
A study of 1,000 men, commissioned by Gillette and conducted via OnePoll.com, found two thirds, (67 per cent), agree man’s role in society has changed.
Yet 45 per cent of men still say they’ve felt unable to share their feelings because of their gender.
The short film, released by Gillette – in association with Southbank Centre’s Being A Man Festival – interviews British men of today, asking for their views on masculinity, what it means to them and how they see the future of being a man progressing.
Jack Rooke, award-winning comedian said:
This campaign is cool because it’s about getting a whole host of different men from a whole host of different backgrounds and cultures and sexualities, to just say, ‘Hey, there isn’t just the one type of guy who you see in every film and every sort of cultural exploration of what being a man is.’
British poet, Nick Makoha, said:
I struggle with being a man.
How do you look yourself in the mirror and be comfortable with the face that stares back at you?
Anthony Anaxagorou, writer and educator added:
I often see with young guys, they’re not really given permission to express their vulnerable side.
After all, masculinity comes in all shapes and sizes, as variable as the weather and can even take different forms in one guy depending on the day.
Gillette have also constructed a single male face as part of a new advertising campaign.
They’ve used portraits of multiple British men to form a single male face – demonstrating the complexities of modern men of today.
A Gillette spokesperson said:
Gillette has been an expert in men for over 100 years, understanding their needs and designing products to meet these.
This is even more important today, meaning that we meet with over 80 men every single day, at our Global R&D headquarters in Reading, UK to grow our understanding of their needs.
They continued:
It’s crucial we continue to listen to the men so we can continue to develop the best product for them and develop as a brand to stay relevant to them.
The campaign, including both the advertising and film, showcases the diverse nature of masculinity we see in the UK – and since British men don’t have one face, we do not have one razor.
Outlining a partnership with Movember, they concluded:
We are proud to be working with Being a Man festival, as well as continuing our longstanding partnership with Movember, as together we address the challenges and pressures of masculinity in the 21st Century today – something that is important to us as a brand as we look to celebrate and cater for all men.
The research results found over one third of men, (35 per cent), will grow in confidence when carrying out a grooming regime and we want men to feel comfortable about this.
Ted Hodgkinson, Southbank Centre’s Senior Programmer, said:
We are pleased to be working with Gillette on this year’s festival.
These findings lay bare the weighty expectations of masculinity that many of us still struggle to shake off and highlight the need for more spaces like Being a Man festival, where men can share their stories openly and challenge outdated assumptions, rather than bottling up feelings which, as men, we know can have more serious consequences.
An extended version of the film will be showcased at Being A Man Festival taking place at Southbank Centre between the 24 and 26 of November.
Tickets for Southbank Centre’s Being A Man festival are on sale now.
A former emo kid who talks too much about 8Chan meme culture, the Kardashian Klan, and how her smartphone is probably killing her. Francesca is a Cardiff University Journalism Masters grad who has done words for BBC, ELLE, The Debrief, DAZED, an art magazine you’ve never heard of and a feminist zine which never went to print.