To think you can’t take a man with painted nails seriously?

[ThisSunnyBiscuit]

I know people say “it’s just nail polish” but I can’t help feeling like a man with painted nails instantly loses credibility. Whether it’s in a corporate setting or just in everyday life, it gives off a certain vibe that makes it hard to take him seriously.

It’s not about being closed-minded, it’s just that some things don’t translate well across genders. Am I being unreasonable or do others feel the same?

it’s OUR bullshit and men coming in and just doing it it feels disrespectful to the horrifying cage that hair and skin and nails and frocks is

This is just utterly bizarre thinking to me.
Hair, skin, nails and frocks are a horrifying cage?!
Why not try just doing the things you like instead of feeling like you're forced to do or wear something you don't?!
I love wearing dresses sometimes, but never wear any make up, or do my nails.
At the risk of getting jumped on, I swear some people are just looking to feel oppressed and see it everywhere and in everything.
Men can wear eyeliner and nail varnish, and women can not wear make up or do their nails.
If you (general you) has a problem with that, it's a you issue no-one else's.

Oh I’m sorry, I forget not everyone can see the absolute state of me. What I mean is even though I am not personally a huge adherant to the classically feminine aesthetic, I’ve been aware of what it is all my conscious life and I do do some of it, without even thinking. I’m aware that opting out is opting ‘out’ of something.

And yes I was being a bit exaggeratey for comic effect but fuck me, performing femininity IS a fucking burden, both financial and physical. I don’t know many women that haven’t had a bitter thought about their arsehole husband who has never moisturised in his life and somehow still has skin on his face

oops I’m doing slight comic exaggeration again - you know what I mean though I think.

TLDR if you don’t think woman are/have been subject to oppression and that rigid beauty standards are a part of that I guess we disagree fundamentally but that’s OK

The fact make up, high heels, "skirts", pink etc all used to be Male and are now Female shows how bullshit all this "gender must do this" i

I'd love to see MNs reaction if a website of mostly men were going "women wearing X are so unattractive"

There are lots of male forums like that. Saying much worse things about women that are ever said about men on here.

I think people who think the way OP does are idiots.

I mean Reddit and the manosphere are basically that.

And MN is fine with those 😒

What I'm basically taking from this Howard, is that you're a bit of an incel.

Sorry for you! 💔

I don’t see many posts created here about any of those spaces.

A lot of people don’t think about masculinity among the broader male population as long as it is not expressed harmfully. I can honestly I have never given one thought to masculinity among male family members.

Seriously though I cannot imagine ever being so pathetic that I make other people’s bodies and their chosen attire my business.

None of my nail places divide services by gender. It’s not common but we do get men in from time to time for pedicures. Most get the pedicure without nail polish though.

I think the 'vibe that's hard to take seriously' is that it's unusual enough to be 'making a statement'. A grown man feeling the need to perform his difference from other men would have me considering his maturity in a professional context.

May not be direct threads but there are posts on threads

Not seen any and not seen any where the posters commenting on men’s looks have criticised men doing the same to women.

So you judge negatively anybody you view as non-confirming?

I paint DPs toes sometimes (his request). He's a metalhead so usually black. The other surfers always comment 😁

I'm abroad so I never see this. But on a recent trip to the UK I was a bit surprised to see a male Tesco staff member had super long pointy fake nails. Mostly because when I worked in retail a decade ago we (female.employees) wouldn't have been allowed them as it looks unprofessional.and gets in the way. IMO they look terrible on anyone though.

Agree. It’s comes across as a bit studenty, angsty teen, try hard to look rebellious to me personally. I wouldn’t find it professional. But we’re all allowed an opinion.

Why do you think men don’t have painted nails “abroad”?

No. I judge performative non conformity, because typically it tends to mean conforming to something perceieved as cooler than the boring old conformity most people conform to. Having obviously painted nails while wearing your corporate uniform would suggest that man wanted everyone to notice how cool and non conforming he was.

Why is a man choosing to wear nail polish “performative”?

It just seems like you view anybody non-conforming as performative.

In what environment could you forsee a man wearing nail polish and being non-conforming but also not performative?

Or maybe he just likes wearing nail varnish? 🤷‍♀️

Hear hear
Same

Because in a (traditional) professional setting he would know it would stand out, get him noticed, and that people would read something into his decision to do so. I have no desire whatsoever to know that Joe from accounts smashes 'gender stereotypes' or has a 'feminine side' and I don't need him to 'bring his whole self to work' or 'see him for who is is'.

You are quite wrong. I don't see non conforming as performative. True non conforming is personal and cares nothing for the reactions of an audience, as its not done for their benefit. I've mentioned on another thread a colleague of mine who never stopped wearing 1980s fashion and hair styles and make up. She didn't care thst it was 'dated' she dressed against the grain because she liked the look. That to me is non conforming.

A man wearing nail varnish in his personal and social life would be less likely to be performative than in an environment where he knew it would be highly unusual and noticed.