Can we start an anti "nail" campaign?

[2rebecca]

As a GP who frequently washes her hands, allotment owner and instrument player I really hate the trend for women to have immaculate nails that cost a fortune, scratch people and mean women can't do anything useful. Where t f did this horrible trend come from and how do we give women back the use of their wonderful hands?

I also don’t get the high heels thing. I don’t feel like I have to wear high heels or that it’s expected of me in any way. In fact I spend most of my life in flats and don’t feel any lesser for it - shorter yes
Most of my friends gave up heels ages ago as they no longer enjoyed wearing them.

There’s some really sad attitudes to people with fake nails/ gel nails on this thread - a lot of superiority.

And the pseudomonas?? thallo
(We’ve already established all the things you can’t do when wearing fake nails)

I would've been more than happy to have a discussion about the rise in this trend,similarities with other things like make up and heels for example, societal pressure and the increase of more extreme styles.

However the name calling, shaming and belittling on this thread from some posters are ridiculous and insulting,talons or not.

The only ones reducing women to an ornament (shallow,can't do anything,can't use out hands etc) are you.

I've been told many times I can't do things, it was never because of my nails.

Agree with @Aberforthsgoat

'There’s some really sad attitudes to people with fake nails/ gel nails on this thread - a lot of superiority.'

Totally agree Aberforysgoat why not have done with it all and just make it the law of the land that women must wear boiler suits with flat shoes, shaven heads, no make up and definitely no adornment and definitely no nail polish, maybe that would keep the Goady OP happy.

And the pseudomonas?

Are we not adults with the freedom to make our own choices? Even if those choices might be harmful?

Surely it's up to me if I want to drink, smoke, wear high heels, catch pseudomonas from my false nails...

By the way, I don't do any of the above but I won't judge anyone else who does.

With 2 children under 2 the very chance would be a fine thing!

We’ve already established all the things you can’t do when wearing fake nails

Translation: 'I don't like people with false nails so I've made up a list of things I have declared they're unable to so. People have contradicted me but I'm a bit of a ninny so refuse to engage like an actual grown up'.

Personally I've never had a manicure in my life (although I'm fond of a pedicure) but the nonsense on this thread from people who want to 'campaign' against gel nails is infantilising nonsense.

Gel and acrylic nails don't scratch, they are too thick to scratch. My natural nails are way sharper than when I have gels on.

Unless they are extremely long, they're not restrictive either, I don't have mine long now but when I used to they never stopped me from being able to do anything.

Can't you just let women do what they want with their own fingers in peace?

I'm lucky if I get to 30 minutes without a chip if I do them, and I very rarely bother. Agree re: gardening, instrument and hand-washing. (Also swimming -- chlorine seems to dissolve the polish too!)

Just FYI, if you ever DO fancy painted nails, gel polish over your own short ones is pretty indestructible.

I don't feel superior to people with gel nails. I just think that they must be really restricting. I play a wind instrument which isn't compatible with long nails though and also do wonder how the women who say they garden with gel nails manage it. I'm at my allotment several times a week at the moment. I also like to keep my nails clean for work and can't be scratching my patients when examining them.
I also find if I am examining a patient with long artificial nails and they try and show me which bit is sore they often end up scratching me.
I don't get the long gel nails obsession at all. Fair enough a bit of "hard as nails" if your nails tend to split or similar but all this incessant grooming? For what? for who?

but those hideous coloured talons are a useful marker for “probably shallow non feminist woman with whom I’d have nothing in common”, so quite handy really!

Says the probably shallow woman hater with whom the rest of us feminist would like to avoid like the plague!
Babdoc you like to spout on about how worthier than thou you are, but actually all you're doing is being a nasty woman who's old enough to know better.

I'm absolutely a feminist, but I like to have my nails done, I wear make up when I go to work, and I respect the choices other women make, even if I don't agree with them.

but those hideous coloured talons are a useful marker for “probably shallow non feminist woman with whom I’d have nothing in common”, so quite handy really!

@babdoc I really hope you’re joking and I’ve read that wrong because if not, you really are an unpleasant, narrow-minded individual. And for what it’s worth - it’s outed YOU as a shallow, non-feminist quite clearly. I really hope I’m mistaken there.

I wouldn't wear fake nails, but I do like to paint my (short) nails occasionally and yes, stick on the odd gemstone too. I somehow manage to do everything I need to do including work, cooking and the like. Not gardening, but I hate gardening.

Feminism isn't about telling other women what they should and shouldn't do, you know.

We’ve already established all the things you can’t do when wearing fake nails

You typing out a list of tasks thousands of women with gel or acrylic nails accomplish daily and hitting "post" doesn't establish anything. If you keep your nails short how would you know enough to make an informed comment anyway? I don't have fake nails but sometimes they do grow longer than usual with a coat of gel and I still have no difficulty in doing any of those things without incident.

Women can do what they want with their nails. This is a discussion., Feel free to ignore it.

As a student nurse, I was banned from wearing false nails due to a sting of deaths of babies in SCBU in a hospital in Ireland that was found to have been caused by an infection under them!

How can anyone call themselves a feminist and tear other women down for their choices?

I like long acrylic nails, makeup, fillers, lashes etc. Liking these things doesn't make me less of a feminist, fuck anyone who wants to be judgemental.

those hideous coloured talons are a useful marker for “probably shallow non feminist woman with whom I’d have nothing in common”, so quite handy really!

Klaxon: IRONY ALERT

So why don't men have painted acrylic nails if they are so wonderful?

@2rebecca it’s great that you enjoy those things and choose not to have long nails because they wouldn’t fit with your hobbies and lifestyle. But other women clearly choose to have long, fake, painted nails because they like them, take pride in them etc, not because they feel like they have to. They might have other hobbies that aren’t limited by their nails.
In the same way they might not be able to understand your choices in regards to your nails, you don’t have to understand theirs - but not understanding doesn’t give you the right to try and take the option away or judge their choices with a silly campaign to “take back your hands”.
Take them back from what? What they’ve chosen to do with them?
I can see where your thoughts are coming from but I think it’s quite a narrow minded view.

all this incessant grooming?

I go once a month for about 45 minutes. What's so incessant about it?

Also I’d like to point out that grooming is a big thing with men now too - just different types of grooming! But I’m going to bow out now because this thread is just giving me the rage - and I don’t even have false or gel nails!

Oh, you think now?

Well, I have an allotment... I also have a nail brush.

With gel nails on I don't get hang nails, split skin etc. My hands look neater. If that bothers you, tough shit. I don't care.

It makes me happy when my nails coordinate with my clothes. And unlike make up, i can actually see my own nails. I go to the gym, cook, do diy, work and type all with nails on. If they are dirtier than a nail brush can fix then I remove them.
Wearing false nails is certainly not a feminist choice, but i am happy enough with my other feminist credentials to not feel I'm letting the side down too much with my nails.