The general public may think of painted nails as a feminine thing, but one single father is working to change that. He regularly sports polished nails after his daughter provides him with manicures. He says that it has nothing to do with sexuality or gender, rather it has to do with being comfortable in one’s own skin and he does it to better raise his daughter. He also notes that men and boys are primarily the people who question why he does this. I believe this demonstrates just how uncomfortable men can be when someone exists outside their concrete idea of masculinity. This father understands that traditionally feminine activities such as painting nails are not inherently tied to gender; rather they are unnecessarily socialized to be associated with one gender. Normalizing the breaking of simple gender norms such as this could allow for a more flexible expression and understanding of masculinity.
Monday, September 21, 2015
Why I Paint My Daughter's Nails
The general public may think of painted nails as a feminine thing, but one single father is working to change that. He regularly sports polished nails after his daughter provides him with manicures. He says that it has nothing to do with sexuality or gender, rather it has to do with being comfortable in one’s own skin and he does it to better raise his daughter. He also notes that men and boys are primarily the people who question why he does this. I believe this demonstrates just how uncomfortable men can be when someone exists outside their concrete idea of masculinity. This father understands that traditionally feminine activities such as painting nails are not inherently tied to gender; rather they are unnecessarily socialized to be associated with one gender. Normalizing the breaking of simple gender norms such as this could allow for a more flexible expression and understanding of masculinity.
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