女性の方たちへ: 謝る必要のない場面で、謝るのはやめよう。
パンテーンの広告#ShineStrongシリーズの新しい動画は、謝る必要もないのに女性が「ごめんなさい」を連発するさまざまなシチュエーションを取り上げている。多くの女性に思い当たる節があるのではないだろうか。女性は、男性よりも謝ってしまうことが多いという調査報告もある。全く理にかなった行動、例えば場所をとっていたという場合でも、女性はよく謝ってしまう。質問したい時、他の人が手伝いを求めているのにすぐに気づかなかった時、何か欲しいものや必要なものをお願いする時など、女性が謝っている姿は、不気味なほど見覚えのある光景だ。
2014年3月、ハフィントンポストのブログに寄稿したアニ・ヴラベル氏は、謝る必要がないのに謝ってしまう女性の問題を見事に言い当てている。
いつの間にか、私は「ごめんなさい（Sorry）」を「すみません（Excuse me）」と同義語として使うようになっていた。「ごめんなさい」は、「そこにいるの見えなかった。びっくりしたわ！」とか｢質問があるんだけど｣とか「荷物がたくさんありすぎて、いつもよりも地下鉄の車内の場所を取りすぎてるの｣という意味になり、「自分の判断は間違っていた。何か悪いことをして、あなたに迷惑をかけてしまった。それは分かってる。悪かったと思っている。お互いの関係を正したい」などという意味で使うことはめったになくなった。
そして2013年2月のジェゼベルの記事でカリン・ポレワクゼク氏は、女性が必要以上に謝ってしまうのは、自分に価値がないと感じているからではないかと指摘した。「女性は、ささいなことでも必要以上に感謝してしまう。だから、自分の欲求は差し置いて、『厚かましいことは重々承知しているのですが…』『大変恐縮ですが、できれば…』『つまらないことのように思えるかもしれませんが…』などと言ってへりくだってしまう｣
パンテーンのCMはさらに、謝罪しない形で同じ場面を再現するとどうなるか、というシミュレーションを紹介し、女性に「強く輝く」（Shine Strong）よう呼びかけている。たとえば、掛け布団を独り占めした時などに謝るのは、礼儀というものだ。しかし、CMではほとんどの人が罪の意識を感じているようなことから解放され、これまでの習慣を変えてみてはどうかと勧めている。
［English translation by Gengo］
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Jennie Runk(02 of10)
Runk is the star of a May 2013 H&M swimwear campaign that gained widespread media attention for not relegating the gorgeous size 12 model to the \"plus-size\" pages of their website. In an interview with activist group SPARK, Runk told a young blogger: \"I remember often feeling like I should be unhappy with my body, but it was confusing, because I never thought there was anything wrong with it until people started talking about it.\"\n\nIn a piece for the BBC, Runk wrote of her newfound media attention: \"This is exactly the kind of thing I\'ve always wanted to accomplish, showing women that it\'s OK to be confident even if you\'re not the popular notion of \'perfect.\'... There\'s no need to glamorise one body type and slam another.\"\n (credit:H&M)
Nickolay Lamm(03 of10)
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Trina Hall(04 of10)
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Shailene Woodley(05 of10)
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Elena Raouna (06 of10)
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Kelsey Miller(07 of10)
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Sheila Pree bright(08 of10)
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American concepts of the “perfect female body” are clearly exemplified through commercialism, portraying “image as everything” and introducing trends that many spend hundreds of dollars to imitate. It is more common than ever that women are enlarging breasts with silicone, making short hair longer with synthetic hair weaves, covering natural nails with acrylic fill-ins, or perhaps replacing natural eyes with contacts.\n\nEven on magazine covers, graphic artists are airbrushing and manipulating photographs in software programs, making the image of a small waist and clear skin flawless. As a result, the female body becomes a replica of a doll, and the essence of natural beauty in popular American culture is replaced by fantasy.(credit:Sheila Pree Bright)
Adele(09 of10)
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Rebel Wilson(10 of10)
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