A recent advertisement by Unilever Sunsilk Thailand, won hearts and Cannes Lions 2018 with its heartwarming portrayal of gender fluidity.
Crushed between the pressure from family, school authorities and faced with bullying, this mini story based on true events will tear you up.
The advertisement opens with a question that challenges acceptance of compliance with gender norms. “They say boys should keep their hair short. But what if that boy doesn’t want to be a boy?”
This pressure to adhere to the gender norms, that goes against what you actually want to be, creates split in your worlds. An excellent rendition of this very crucial issue displays this split, where the kid chops their hair short to keep their father happy, but wears a wig when with friends, who truly understand them.
The person is shown constantly vacillating between the two identities – one which they want to be, and another which is imposed on them.
Amidst all this, one thing that matters the most is acceptance from parents. A simple “it’s ok, you are my kid no matter what” could mean the world for someone fighting gender norms all alone.
We are glad that advertisements are talking about gender fluidity, instead of portraying stereotypical content that nothing but multiplies the problem.
Watch the complete advertisement here.