I’d like to start off by saying I love Body Glide. The
product has honestly changed my life for the better. I learned about Body Glide
when I first got into running 4 years ago from a runner friend but I wish I’d
known about it long before then. There is nothing worse than chaffing.
Seriously, nothing. Chub rub can happen to the best of us; I don’t care how
thick or thin or you are. If you’ve never experienced that awful skin on skin
friction then count yourself seriously blessed. The rest of us have been trying
a number of solutions to manage including applying baby powder and deodorant to
the areas where our skin rubs with limited success. For me, this is between my
legs. I’ve never had a thigh gap, though I feel like few women do. I’m not
upset about not having a thigh gap, even though I do think flamingos are pretty
rad and they have thigh gaps. In fact, the other day my boyfriend squeezed my
thigh and commented on my “little legs” to which I scoffed and said no way,
those are not little quads! I work hard on these leg muscles and I’m proud of
them. Bless his heart, he was just trying to be nice because the general rule
of thumb for boys is to never use words like “big, large, fat, thick etc” in
relation to a woman’s body. With all this being said, my life has truly been
changed and not just when I run and my inner thighs rub one another but in my
everyday life. If I am wearing a dress or skirt you can be certain I am also
wearing Body Glide.
For those that aren’t aware of what Body Glide is, it’s a
stick which looks similar to a deodorant that can be applied directly to the
skin creating a non-greasy, non-sticky, non-gross barrier that protects the
skin from chafing all day long.
I live in a somewhat small town with 2 sport stores. Both
sell Body Glide but usually just one option. About a year ago I noticed they
started carrying a second product by Body Glide called, “For Her”. I am in fact
a “her” so I purchased this one. Then I got to thinking, how different can this
one be from the original Body Glide which is not called for him but makes me
now imply that it must be for him if this new, smaller and of course pink
version is called for her. Turns out this new product has vitamins and can
rehydrate your skin which makes it ideal for dry or sensitive skin. So why is
it called “For Her”? Are female bodies drier than male bodies? Do males not
want the benefits of vitamins? Do males not have sensitive skin?
I know it’s marketing but it should be marketed differently.
Call it Body Glide vitamins or Body Glide for sensitive skin or Body Glide
moisturizer or I don’t know. I’m not in marketing. I get frustrated with these
deeply ingrained gender stereotypes and gender norms and how they permeate our
world.
From looking at the website Body Glide has a number of different
products that come in a range of sizes. Interestingly only three of the seven
products are listed as “unisex” (one of which is a t-shirt, oddly enough). So
if the other products aren’t listed as unisex, which sex are they designed for?
The “For Her” is obvious but the others are not.
I can’t say that I have a point to this post exactly other
than a general frustration for the marketing to male and female bodies in an
antiquated viewpoint. We’ve come so far in breaking down gender stereotypes,
especially the hurtful ones. Yet, there seems to be so many more hiding in
plain sight. I’m not saying boycott these products because Body Glide is a
lifesaver. I’m saying use your brain and question these things. Don’t just look
at the pink “For Her” and pick it up because you’re a girl or avoid it because
you’re a boy. Read the packages, look at the product itself and what it has and
make a decision that’s best for you, regardless of your gender.
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