This Girl Can helps women smash through barriers preventing them from exercise by sticking two fingers up at judgment. And in 2020, this means celebrating real women defying some of society’s most entrenched judgements about periods, menopause, LGBTQ+ and disability inclusion and more, all with our ‘don’t give a damn’ spirit. Our film highlights many unspoken truths about what being active really looks like for women, featuring a mother breastfeeding before heading to netball, a transgender climber scaling a wall with friends, and a woman pulling up leggings over a visible tampon string before stretching out in yoga – a first for an ad not selling sanitary products.
The ad immediately scored international attention, with major press coverage not only in the UK but also in France, Australia, and the USA. It showed that “blood, sweat, and tears are no longer taboo,” according to the Metro, and was called “ground breaking” by BBC Sport and “bloody brilliant” by Huffpost. It took off on Twitter too, being shared by the likes of the UN Women’s account as well as celebrities ranging from Dina Asher-Smith to Jameela Jamila. We’ve galvanised even more women world wide by continuing to defy judgement and make one thing crystal clear: when it comes to how you choose to get moving, it’s your body, and your call – and it’s always worth celebrating.