Oh, the grand annual sporting event held at the beginning of February.

The Super Bowl.

What’s to look forward to? The intense game? The halftime show? The never-ending snacks?

For me, along with many others, it’s the ads. Companies and organizations spend millions to have their business be advertised during one of the most watched sport events in America. The ‘famous’ commercials are usually full of testosterone, eye-rolling snarky humor, beer, new cars and the exaggerated objectification of women’s bodies.

Yet there was one that stood out this year.

Always, one of the most well known brand for feminine hygiene products, aired a 60 second ad of their groundbreaking video ‘Always #LikeAGirl’ which you can watch here.

The video displayed an ensemble of men, young boys and teenage girls asked to run or fight ‘like a girl’ to which they demonstrate the phrase with offensive mocking gestures. Then the clip followed of the same question asked to young girls, to which they perceived with nothing but all their strength.

This sixty second video not only left me silent after it aired but my whole family as well. My older cousin being the one to break the silence with a stunned “wow.” Nodding and averting my eyes, I was appreciative  an example of the difficulties that women face being shown in front of my stubborn family. It was moving and wonderful to see such young girls believe in themselves.

From the moment people are born, boys are to grow up to be strong masculine men while girls are to grow up to be feminine and nurturing women. Subjecting to gender role stereotypes is harmful for children who are already having difficulty finding out what they aspire to do in life.

When we say things like “you hit like a girl!”, that not only is damaging for young girls but it’s setting a wrong ‘norm’ of how boys are expected to act and behave due to their biological sex.

Women should do whatever they set their mind to, as well goes for men.