Dove Ad Features Gay Dads, Warms Hearts Everywhere

Oh man, Dove. There you go again, sucker-punching us right in the gut and leaving us all reaching for the tissues. ICYMI, the personal care brand's latest ad has left the entire Internet in a puddle of feels this week, after dropping a new spot for their #RealStrength campaign. The pitch? The brief, 1:03 clip treats us to a mash-up of unsuspecting dudes learning they're going to be dads for the first time on camera. (Yep — it's pretty great.) But here's what I really love about it: the Dove ad celebrates all dads, gay and straight, by including a sweet clip of a gay couple embracing over the news that holy crap, they are going to be fathers — and it's going to be awesome. I also can't help but note how its timing aligns with another important thing happening this month: the SCOTUS ruling on gay marriage. (Thumbs up, Dove. Thumbs. Up.)

In the YouTube description for the video, Dove explains the message behind the #RealStrength campaign, and why it's so important to them:

This Father's Day, our new Dove Men+Care film celebrates men from the very first moment they find out they are going to be a dad. Why? Because we know that showing care is a sign of a man’s real strength. Watch our film to see how care makes dad stronger. Then, share your advice with the #RealStrength

And if you're wondering what a "strong man" looks like... well, he looks a little something like this, times two:

Oh, and also this weeping fellow...

And this guy, who's absolutely STUNNED:

Go ahead, now — go watch for yourself and get all emotional with me.

I'm kind of a sucker for pregnancy announcement videos, so believe me when I say I've watched about a zillion of them over the years, and fallen in love with just about every single one. (Just head here for some of my other favorite pregnancy announcement videos starring dads.) But this one's up there; way up there. And not just because it undeniably tugs at the heartstrings. I also love the fact that it brings gay dads into the Father's Day conversation in a way we don't often see, at a time when many of us are waiting with baited breath for SCOTUS' decision on gay marriage this month.

Right now, the court is reviewing Obergefell v. Hodges, a landmark case that consolidates several different cases from Ohio, Michigan, Tennessee, and Kentucky. In total, 32 plaintiffs are asking either for the right to marry, or for their marriages to be recognized in all 50 states. And while it's taken a long time for us to get here, most legal experts are predicting the court, led by frequent swing voter Justice Anthony Kennedy, will rule in favor of the gay and lesbian couples, according to a report by USA Today.

Needless to say, a pro-gay marriage ruling would be huger than huge, leading gay couples nationwide to have rights to things like spousal benefits and the decision to make medical decisions for their partner. It would also mean that the U.S. would join 20 other major nations that have legalized gay marriage in all of their jurisdictions, according to the Pew Research Center. Considering how swiftly the nation's views have changed on the subject over the several years (jumping from a 37 percent approval rating in 2009 to 57 percent by May of this year), it's safe to say this news would be greeted with more than a little fanfare. We'll all have to wait a few more weeks for the final decision, though — it's expected to come on the term's last day, which means either June 29 or 30.

Whoop whoop! I'm not sure the end of June can get here fast enough.

Images: Dove Men Care Us/YouTube.com (4)