Putting the Heat on the NFL During Super Bowl 50
This week, against the backdrop of Super Bowl 50 in our hometown of San Francisco, we teamed up with filmmaker Jennifer Siebel Newsom’s organization The Representation Project and world-renowned Obscura Digital to launch our new #BeAModelMan campaign.
Check out this video to see what we’ve been up to:
Our goal is to raise awareness about the critical role men must play in limiting stereotypes―and ending violence against women. #BeAModelMan is challenging the definition of what it means to ‘be a man,’ and championing men in the community who are standing up and speaking out.
There’s no question that the NFL has a domestic violence issue. According to a USA Today database, there have been 19 domestic violence or sexual battery arrests of NFL players in the past three years.
(And that doesn’t even account for victims who choose not to report the abuse out of fear of backlash from football fans and the harsh eye of the media.)
Amid the flashing lights and swanky Super Bowl parties this week in San Francisco, we made our voice heard. Using a one-of-a-kind Tesla equipped with a mobile projector, we projected powerful images across San Francisco’s most recognizable landmarks—from Grace Cathedral and the Palace of Fine Arts to AT&T Park and the Moscone Center, official headquarters of SuperBowl50.
So, what does it actually mean to be a model man?
It means questioning traditional, and often harmful assumptions about masculinity.
It means leading by example, as a father, brother, mentor, or coach. It means standing up to injustices in the community. It means being part of the solution to end violence against women.
#BeAModelMan leverages the incredibly powerful role that men play in the prevention of violence against women and embracing healthy masculinity. Standing up to violence when they see it, promoting a culture of respect in their communities, and modeling healthy relationships for the young people in their lives.
And we’re not stopping with the Super Bowl. We’re asking the country to rise up and demand change.
To teach our young people, especially boys, to reject violence. Model healthy relationships in your own life and set an example for those around you. Stand up bad behavior when you see or hear it—whether it’s a lewd remark aimed at women in the locker room, or actual physical violence.
Most importantly, let’s celebrate the men in our lives who are role models for the future.
