"P&G: #likeagirl"
[Scene: on a film set, filming a stage with a solid blue background. several crew members are present. a single girl, Erin, is in front of the camera.]
Crewmember:
[closes film Clapper Board in front of Erin]
[shown on screen: title: What does it mean to do something "like a girl"?]
Director:
[behind camera] Hi Erin.
Erin:
Hi.
Director:
Okay, so I'm just going to give you some actions to do and just do the first thing that comes to mind. Show me what it looks like to run like a girl.
Erin:
[runs on the spot with arms flailing about]
[Erin is replaced on screen with Girl Teenager 2, who is also running on the spot but not running well.]
Girl Teenager 2:
Aw, my hair!
[Girl Teenager 2 is replaced on screen with Girl Teenager 3, then Young Boy and Teenage Boy, all running awkwardly on the spot]
Director:
Show me what it looks like to fight like a girl.
Teenage Boy:
[opened mouth, eyes closed claws the air with hands]
[Teenage Boy is replaced with Girl Teenager 3]
Girl Teenager 3:
[waves arms about wildly]
[Girl Teenager 3 is replaced with Girl Teenager 4]
Director:
Now throw like a girl.
Girl Teenager 4:
[mimics a weak overhanded toss]
[Girl Teenager 4 is replaced with Girl Teenager 2, who also mimics a weak overhanded toss, and then Young Boy who does the same]
Young Boy:
[after a mimicked bad throw] Aw.
[shown on screen: We asked young girls the same question.]
[Dakota replaces Young Boy on screen]
Dakota:
My name is Dakota and I'm 10 years old.
Director:
Show me what it looks like to run like a girl.
Dakota:
[runs competently on the spot]
[Dakota is replaced on screen by Young Girl 2]
Young Girl 2:
[runs competently on the spot]
[Young Girl 2 is replaced on screen by Young Girl 3]
Young Girl 3:
[runs from one side of the stage to the other]
[Young Girl 3 is replaced on screen by Young Girl 4]
Young Girl 4:
[runs competently on the spot]
Director:
Throw like a girl.
[Young Girl 4 is replaced on screen by Dakota]
Dakota:
[mimics throwing like a baseball pitcher]
[Dakota is replaced onscreen by Young Girl 5, who also mimics throwing competently]
Director:
Fight like a girl.
[Young Girl 5 is replaced onscreen by Young Girl 4]
Young Girl 4:
[throws punches at the air like a boxer]
[Young Girl 4 is replaced onscreen by Dakota]
Dakota:
[also throws punches at the air like a boxer]
Director:
What does it mean to you when I say run like a girl?
[Dakota is replaced onscreen by Young Girl 3]
Young Girl 3:
It means run as fast as you can.
[shown on screen: title: When did doing something "like a girl" become an insult?]
[Young Girl 3 is replaced onscreen by Young Boy]
Director:
So, do you think you just insulted your sister?
Young Boy:
No. I mean, yeah, insulted girls, but not my sister.
Director:
Is like a girl a good thing?
[Young Boy is replaced onscreen by Young Girl 4]
Young Girl 4:
Actually, I don't know what it really means, if it's a bad thing or a good thing. It sounds like a bad thing. Sounds like you're trying to humiliate someone.
[shown on screen: title: A girl's confidence plummets during puberty.]
Director:
So, when they're in that vulnerable time,
[shown on screen: title: Always wants to change that.]
Director:
between 10 and 12, how do you think it affects them when somebody uses "like a girl" as an insult?
[Young Girl 4 is replaced onscreen by Erin]
Erin:
I think it definitely drops their self-confidence, and really puts them down because during that time they're already trying to figure themselves out. And when somebody says, "you hit like a girl," it's like, well, what does that mean? Because they think they're a strong person. It's kind of like telling them that they're weak and they're not as good as them.
[Erin is replaced onscreen by Girl Teenager 5]
Director:
And what advice do you have to young girls who are told they run like a girl, kick like a girl, hit like a girl, swim like a girl...?
Girl Teenager 5:
Keep doing it because it's working. If somebody else says running like a girl or kicking like a girl or shooting
[while Girl Teenager 5 speaks, visuals of the other girls acting competent and athletic are being shown]
Girl Teenager 5:
like a girl is something that you shouldn't be doing, that's their problem because if you're still scoring and you're still getting to the ball on time and you're still being first,
[focus returns to Girl Teenager 5]
Girl Teenager 5:
you're doing it right and it doesn't matter what they say. I mean, yes, I kick like a girl, and I swim like a girl, and I walk like a girl, and I wake up in the morning like a girl because I am a girl and that's not something that I should be ashamed of, so, I'm gonna do it anyway. That's what they should do.
[Girl Teenager 5 is replaced onscreen by Girl Teenager 3]
Director:
If I asked you to run like a girl now, would you do it differently?
Girl Teenager 3:
I would run like myself.
Director:
Would you like a chance to redo it?
Girl Teenager 3:
[nods, then runs in place competently]
[Girl Teenager 3 is replaced onscreen by Girl Teenager 5, who swings a baseball bat]
[shown on screen: title: Let's make #likeagirl mean amazing things.]
[shown on screen: title: Join us to champion girls' confidence at always.com]
[Girl Teenager 5 is replaced onscreen by Girl Teenager 2]
Girl Teenager 2:
Why can't run like a girl also mean win the race?
[Girl Teenager 2 is replaced onscreen by Girl Teenager 3]
Girl Teenager 3:
[runs towards camera]
[shown on screen: title: Rewrite the Rules. Always. Share to inspire girls everywhere. Tweet the amazing things you do #likeagirl. Stand up for girls' confidence at always.com.]
