Always, the feminine hygiene brand, tried to empower young girls and women with their Super Bowl ad on Sunday, using the expression “like a girl” as an empowering phrase instead of one to mean throwing, running and fighting poorly. The ad sparked a reaction on social media, with #Likeaboy trending immediately and calling the Always campaign sexist and exclusionary.
But the reactive campaign backfired. Long after the Super Bowl ended Sunday night, the #LikeABoy hashtag was still going strong, but instead of undermining the #Likeagirl campaign, it quickly became filled with almost the exact same content.
Some people used the hashtag ironically — with Twitter user Mark (@xCidna) saying that “meninist” and the “meninism” movement is satirical — or just to stir the hornet’s nest, but there were people who were earnest and sincere on both sides of the debate.
TheWrap has gathered some of the most passionate tweets from the #LikeABoy hashtag.
#LikeAGirl is empowering but #LikeABoy is sexist. DEM DOUBLE STANDARDS. alsopeoplestilldontknowmeninistissatirical.
— Mark (@xCidna) February 2, 2015
Anyone using #LikeABoy unironically is part of the problem. Ppl, listen and pay attention b/c that #LikeAGirl commercial is so so important — Michael Moccio (@MiMoccio) February 2, 2015
#LikeABoy believers are upset about the lack of equality in #LikeAGirl, so let’s give them what they want and have a tampon ad for men — Elise Risio (@always_elise) February 2, 2015
God forbid women feel empowered in a society that believes them to be weak #LikeABoy — angel (@thenerdangeI) February 2, 2015
#LikeABoy is orobably one of the dumbest trends this year so far — David (@davidusn_) February 2, 2015
What’s the deal with the #LikeAGirl and #LikeABoy stuff, cant we all just get along? What are you people ten years old arguing over gender — Rick (@KeepItNashty) February 2, 2015
Anyone using #LikeABoy unironically is part of the problem. Ppl, listen and pay attention b/c that #LikeAGirl commercial is so so important — Michael Moccio (@MiMoccio) February 2, 2015
“men are more mature than women” yeah that’s why they have to ruin every chance we have at equality by overpowering #LikeAGirl w/ #LikeABoy — HAPPY BIRTHDAY HARRY (@calumandhoran) February 2, 2015
Dim, sexist dudes continue to prove why #likeagirl is necessary by missing the point entirely #likeaboy
— Daniel Kahan (@Kahandensation) February 2, 2015
Why is #LikeABoy trending? Is it possible for girls to have something without boys trying to make it about themselves? — Fal (@Falllynnn) February 2, 2015
The same people who are trying to make #likeaboy trend are the ones who have half naked girls as their header. How ironic
— Gabrielle (@GeezKingBro) February 2, 2015
The #LikeABoy hashtag is ALMOST as bad as people asking “When is White history month?” — ✖ (@JerWaldorf) February 2, 2015
I’m pretty sure they started the #LikeABoy thing as a joke not because we have fragile egos that can not handle female empowerment
— Dentler Loschen (@Trojans_21) February 2, 2015
having my masculinity threatened by a tampon commercial that empowers girls #likeaboy — denny duquette (@BLACKHlLL) February 2, 2015
the difference between like a boy and like a girl is that “#LikeABoy” has never been used as a generalized insult against men.
— jae (@idkjae) February 2, 2015
It is so #LikeABoy to ruin #LikeAGirl — Katie Galbo (@k_galbs) February 2, 2015
Watch the original Super Bowl “Like a Girl” ad from Always here.