Perspectives: Is the Viral U.S. Army Ad Empowering or Emasculating?
Culture,Woke Culture,Perspectives,Liberals,Conservatives,US Army,Masculinity,Toxic Masculinity
A U.S. army ad went viral last weekend after a Twitter user spliced it together with a Russian army ad to show a difference in the tone and messaging. Two AllSides writers, one from the left and one from the right, share opposing perspectives on the ad below.
The Russian ad shows physically fit men waking up at the crack of dawn, doing pushups, shooting guns and jumping out of airplanes. (We don’t speak Russian, so we’re not sure what it says.) Meanwhile, the American ad is a colorful cartoon telling the story of how Cpl. Emma Malonelord decided to join the military. She says she was "raised by two moms” and “marched for equality.” The video shows her at her moms’ wedding and holding signs at a rally before she states that she graduated at the top of her class and found "a way to prove my inner strength" by joining the U.S. Army. (Note that the U.S. ad is shortened in the clip below — full video here.)
