Super Bowl: #LikeABoy Trends as "Meninists" React to #LikeAGirl Ad

The #LikeAGirl commercial created controversy on Twitter.

The Always #LikeAGirl commercial that aired during the Super Bowl was meant to empower young girls by inspiring people to use the phrase "like a girl" positively rather than as an insult.

Some men on the Internet were very offended by the female-empowerment commercial and the subsequent #LikeAGirl hashtag. They said that in order for there to be gender equality, there should also be a "like a boy" commercial, despite the fact that "like a boy" is not traditionally used as an insult. They expressed their outrage on Twitter, and as the #LikeABoy hashtag gained steam, people began using the trend to defend the Always ad and criticize the "meninists" who hated it.

Here's a look at the commercial:

Here are the men that felt like they were being left out:

Can we get a #LikeABoy commercial too please? — Jack Doyle (@JDoyle_6) February 2, 2015

This commercial was made by a girl...#boysarebetterthengirls #likeaboy — Ryan Coope (@Ryan_Coope) February 2, 2015

Every time someone says I did it "like a boy" I get extremely hurt #likeaboy #meninist — Johnny Linsenmeyer (@johnnylinzo) February 2, 2015

Awful commercial, awful advertising #likeaboy — wyatt lewis gaddy (@wy__guy) February 2, 2015

That like a girl commercial just proved their own point #LikeABoy #Meninist — Jared Hoffman (@jaredhoff4) February 2, 2015

Seriously #likeagirl is the most insulting commercial ever and there better be a #likeaboy commercial. — JARRED MOORE (@xJMOORE4Ux) February 2, 2015

Play in the Super Bowl #likeaboy — Garet Blankman (@gdblankman) February 2, 2015

Girls aren't the only ones who have confidence issues get #LikeABoy trending — paul (@Paul_Bog) February 2, 2015

Yo lets get #LikeABoy trending please — Meninist (@MeninistTweet) February 2, 2015

#LikeABoy because equality matters — Thad Castle (@BMS_ThadCastle) February 2, 2015

Bashed upon for stating my views, for hopefully one day us as men can have equality and treated the same #LikeABoy #Meninist — Dalton Jones (@TheJonesD43) February 2, 2015

Here is how people responded to the #LikeABoy hashtag. Some people started using the hashtag as an insult to the men's rights activists:

when women get a commercial dedicated to feminism and empowerment, get annoyed and start making fun of it #LikeABoy — emily (@Emily_Dynamite) February 2, 2015

cat call and make women feel powerless and vulnerable #LikeABoy — emily (@Emily_Dynamite) February 2, 2015

Seconds after #LikeAGirl started trending, someone created #LikeABoy bc masculinity needs constant reassurance & attention. — wonder the psychic (@WondersFantasy) February 2, 2015

I just wish women could have one thing without immature guys trying to take it away from us. #LikeABoy??? Really? — mckenzie :~) (@mckenziepollock) February 2, 2015

Throw a tantrum that there's ONE commercial about girls in 4 hour event centered around masculinity #LikeABoy — Mikayla (@vintagesaturday) February 2, 2015

to everyone mocking the #LikeAGirl commercial or tweeting #LikeABoy you are the reason that commercial was made — ella spicketts (@ellaspicketts) February 2, 2015

Believing empowered women means dis-empowered men #LikeABoy Thinking equality is a threat to your lifestyle #LikeABoy — Charles Clymer (@cmclymer) February 2, 2015

moment of silence for all the moms whose sons are tweeting #LikeABoy or call themselves meninists. — ella spicketts (@ellaspicketts) February 2, 2015

#LikeABoy is proof that a mans ego is so fragile that when we try to encourage young girls to be confident it intensely bothers them — brenny b raps (@corndognugget) February 2, 2015

the difference between like a boy and like a girl is that "#LikeABoy" has never been used as a generalized insult against men. — jae (@idkjae) February 2, 2015

see girls get a nice thing and immediately rip it out of their hands bc how dare girls have nice things #LikeABoy — not hawkguy (@kateshawkeye) February 2, 2015

These are the tweets on the #LikeAGirl hashtag:

#LikeAGirl is the best thing to happen. Ever. — Lilly Singh (@IISuperwomanII) February 2, 2015

#LikeAGirl one of the best tonight — Norah O'Donnell (@NorahODonnell) February 2, 2015

they need to play that #likeagirl commercial ten more times — férina (@ogshayla) February 2, 2015

To boys making fun of the #LikeAGirl commercial: I hope God blesses you with a baby girl and I wanna see you tell her what shes incapable of — Whitney Burns (@whitneyburnss) February 2, 2015

Loved the #LikeAGirl commercial! That should never be an insult. Great awareness for young females! #adbowl — Lauren K. Gray (@laurenkgray) February 2, 2015

Why don't you tell all your #likeagirl jokes to your mother, grandmother, aunts, and sisters. See what they have to tell you. — Morgan (@FroganMeeman) February 2, 2015

Margaret Thatcher, 1978 "And so, to yesterday's men, tomorrow's woman says hello." #LikeAGirl — Louise Mensch (@LouiseMensch) February 2, 2015

The #LikeAGirl commercial means a lot because my dad told me that I always threw like a girl and it really hurt when I was growing up. — Andrea (@LadyKayhak) February 2, 2015