Gillette Slammed For Advert Depicting A Woman Shaving Her Arms
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Featured Image Credit: Gilette/Venus
Gillette Venus has waded into controversial territory for the second time this week as its latest advert has sparked outrage on social media after it shows a woman shaving her arms with a razor.
Comments from viewers on social media brand the new advert as 'absurd' with many worried that it would make teenage girls feel 'paranoid' about having hair on their arms.
A woman with tattoos walks under palm trees before going into a bathroom, climbing in the bath and running a razor over her tattooed forearm lathered in shaving foam.
The advert depicts people of all ethnicities, one with tattoos and another with vitiligo heading to the beach with roller blades and skateboards.
With the slogan 'My Skin. My Way', the shaving giant promises a custom razor 'designed for wherever you shave'.
But instead of embracing the inclusive advert, viewers took to Twitter to express outrage and confusion over the brand's advert with some asking whether shaving arms is now considered 'normal'.
One viewer tweeted: "Wait, is that woman on the Venus ad SHAVING HER ARMS? Is that supposed to be normal now?"
Wait, is that woman on the Venus ad SHAVING HER ARMS? Is that supposed to be normal now? pic.twitter.com/yjHyzQyMDL
- Jane Duke (@stoneflowerjane) March 28, 2019
Someone commented: "So I've just seen a girl shaving her arms on the Venus advert. Is this a normal thing for females to do!? Because I've never done this. Genuinely intrigued."
One said: "I just saw a Venus razor commercial where the women featured was shaving her firearms. Do other women do that? Never once have I ever thought to shave my arms."
I just saw a Venus razor commercial where the women featured was shaving her firearms. Do other women do that? Never once have I ever thought to shave my arms.
- Daria Morgendorffer (@WhatsSleepTho) March 6, 2019
Another wrote: "On the Venus shavers commercial that I just saw they showed a woman shaving her arms! Is that a thing now?"
Others were 'disappointed' in the brand message. They claimed that the ad, which is now airing both in the UK and the US, would make teenagers feel 'humiliated and paranoid' about having arm hair and that it added unnecessary 'social pressure' to women.
Someone commented: "I was so humiliated and paranoid about having arm hair as a teenager because I just wasn't sure if women were supposed to or not. How depressing that sounds to me now. That advert would have sent me into a spiral as a teenage girl."
Show them exactly who you are :sparkles:#MySkinMyWay pic.twitter.com/bgx5hsrB03
- Gillette Venus (@GilletteVenus) April 11, 2019
Another woman tweeted: "Ffs there's a woman shaving her arms on the new Venus advert. GET LOST RAZOR COMPANIES AS IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY MADE US PARANOID ABOUT ALL OUR OTHER BODY HAIR. Genuinely angered."
A third tweet read: "Just seen a @GilletteVenus advert with a woman shaving her arms. How f****ing absurd. Like women need that social pressure. Do one Venus."
Another wrote: "Just saw a Gillette Venus ad with a woman shaving her ARMS, THE LEG-SHAVING THING IS BAD ENOUGH CAN YOU NOT LEAVE US ALONE??!"
Earlier this week another Gillette Venus advert sparked a fat phobia debate after the brand chose a plus-size model, body-positive influencer and author Anna O'Brien, to front their campaign.
Anna was splashing around in the sea alongside the picture were the words: "Go out there and slay the day."
However the inclusion of Anna - also known as Glitter and Lazers - prompted a huge response from people claiming it promoted and glorified obesity.
There's no reason to be rude or unkind to someone who is obese and there is no reason @GilletteVenus should be encouraging life threatening obesity. This would also be true if they used an anorexic model. I wish the model they used well but Gillette should know better.
- Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) April 6, 2019
However other social-media users had very different views:
Crazy how so many of you in this thread are her doctor! She has a right to exist in her body at any goddamn stage and she shouldn't have to hide it until you're comfortable with it. Unbelievable the level of cruelty in this thread.
- The Sassiest Semite (@LittleMissLizz) April 5, 2019
Gillette Venus were quick to reply to the criticism:
Go out there and slay the day :muscle: :camera_with_flash: Glitter + Lazers pic.twitter.com/cIc0R3JfpR
- Gillette Venus (@GilletteVenus) April 3, 2019
Gillette said: "Venus is committed to representing beautiful women of all shapes, sizes, and skin types because ALL types of beautiful skin deserve to be shown.
"We love Anna because she lives out loud and loves her skin no matter how the "rules" say she should display it."
Word.
Topics: Hair and Beauty, Life News, Health