Ads surround us. We see them while we walk, drive, text, type, and read. Growing up, ads told us who we should be, what we need to do to look better, feel better, be better. It’s exhausting keeping up with trends while still making sure to stand out. Ads have also been a way for companies to also voice where they stand on the political scale and over the last couple of years, they are louder than ever.
Pantene’s new commercial featuring a young, trans girl and her moms is loud and proud while evoking tears. As home videos dance in the background, the family explains the importance of hair in the young girl’s gender affirmation
“Sawer is an old soul,” narrates the mom, Ashley, as she gently brushes her daughter’s long, pink hair. “She is our spunky and creative kiddo. Sawer also happens to be a transgender girl.”
Mothers Ashley and Ellie recall when Sawer first came out to them, and how important it was to Sawer to grow out her hair.
“It made me feel good and confident,” states Sawyer. “It made my insides match my outsides.”
“This is a kid who knew who she was from such a young age,” exclaims mother Ashley, “and as a mom, you always worry about your kids being loved and accepted. So, I am always telling Sawyer to never hide who she is. Always be herself. Never be afraid to step out and exist as the person that she is.”
Pantene has been supportive of the trans community for some time now, using its platform to share trans stories around the world. The powerhouse hair company aired holiday ads that featured trans and nonbinary folks when they partnered with GLAAD for the “Coming Home Should Be BeautifuLGBTQ” ad campaign which also featured the Trans Chorus of Los Angeles.
This comes at a very important time, as the topic of trans youth has been a focus of controversy. Pantene is clearly stating where they stand, and it’s refreshing. It’s time for more companies to stop worrying about the customers they’ll be losing and start worrying about supporting ALL of their beautiful customers.
