GilletteGillette is being praised for its new advert which shows a transgender man being taught how to shave for the first time.
The progressive ad follows Samson Bonkeabantu Brown, a young transgender teen from Canada, who’s taught to shave by his father.
You can watch the full advert, titled ‘First Shave’, here:
In the ad, Samson says:
I always knew I was different but I didn’t know there was a term for the type of person that I was.
I went into my transition just wanting to be happy. I’m glad I’m at the point where I’m able to shave.
As Samson begins shaving for the very first time, his dad comforts him and tells him not to be scared.
We are proud to showcase Samson’s special moment with his dad!
— Gillette (@Gillette) May 26, 2019
His father tells him: ‘Shaving is about being confident. You’re doing fine.’
The tagline for the advert, which is released as part of Gillette’s #MyBestSelf campaign, is ‘Whenever, wherever. However it happens, your first shave is special.’
In a Facebook post, Samson has opened up about the support he’s received from his dad throughout his transition, adding how he’s always encouraged him to ‘be confident and live authentically as my best self.’
https://www.facebook.com/jamalofallhustles/posts/10211801367629643
He wrote:
This moment overwhelmed me during filming and again today seeing the ad since it’s been launched.
I’m keenly aware of how blessed I am to be able to exist in this world being supported by my family in ways that all too often many of my trans brothers, sisters, and siblings who exist outside the binary are not always as fortunate.
I am confident that this ad will encourage many of my trans siblings and fill them with the knowledge that our existence in this world can be filled with the love and support we deserve.
The advert was heaped in thousands of comments of praise shortly after being shared to Gillette’s Facebook page.
.@Gillette’s new ad shows a father teaching his trans son how to shave. We’re not crying, you’re crying. 😭
Bravo to brave companies like Gillette that are paving the way for a more inclusive world! pic.twitter.com/ABwd1k981C
— The Mask You Live In (@MaskYouLiveIn) May 25, 2019
One person commented: “Beautiful ad! Please continue to include transmasculine folks in your advertising, and to support the LGBT community in concrete ways. As a non-binary person, I appreciate this message!”
Another added: “It feels so nice to be represented. Thank you for displaying my kind of normal.”
The shaving brand has previously been praised for calling out toxic masculinity, a campaign which saw the brands tagline changed from ‘The Best A Man Can Get’ to ‘The Best Men Can Be’, to include topical issues like the #MeToo movement.
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Emma Rosemurgey is an NCTJ trained Journalist who started her career by producing The Royal Rosemurgey newspaper in 2004, which kept her family up to date with the goings on of her sleepy north east village. She graduated from the University of Central Lancashire in Preston and started her career in regional newspapers before joining Tyla (formerly Pretty 52) in 2017, and progressing onto UNILAD in 2019.