Gillette praised as they make history with shaving advert featuring transgender man

29 May 2019, 13:25

By Alice Dear

The new advert sees a transgender man shaving for the first time, and it’s leaving viewers in tears.

Shaving brand Gillette have made history with their latest advert.

Instead of the generic shaving adverts we have seen on our screens for years now, the company have just dropped an advertisement featuring a transgender man shaving for the first time.

The advert sees activist Samson Bonkeabantu Brown talking about his transition, before his dad teaches him how to shave for the first time.

In the emotional scenes, Samson yelled the camera: “Growing up I was always trying to figure out what kind of man I wanted to become, and I’m still trying to figure out what kind of man I want to become.

“I always knew I was different, I didn’t know that there was a term for the type of person I was.”

He went on: “I went into my transition just wanting to be happy. I’m glad that I’m at the point where I am able to shave.

Samson’s father then guides him through the steps of shaving, telling his son: “Now, don’t be scared, shaving is about being confident.”

“I’m at the point with my manhood that I am actually happy”, Samson said after shaving.

He added: “It’s not just myself transitioning, it’s everyone around me transitioning”, before sharing a heartfelt hug with his father.

The advert ends with the caption: “Whenever, wherever, however it happens, your first shave it special.”

People have been quick to congratulate the brand for featuring a transgender man in the “brave” and inclusive” ad.

One person commented on Twitter: "Bravo to brave companies like Gillette that are paving the way for a more inclusive world!”

Responding to a comment on Twitter, the Gillette brand said: “We're taking steps to be more inclusive with how gender is represented in our marketing. Thanks for the support.”

Another person added: “Gillette is doing some very important work with their ads.”