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?

”Couldn’t do open heart surgery though? Or cliff hanging, or farming, or building work...”

You’re right I couldn’t do those things. As soon as I have a career change to become a cliff-hanging heart surgeon living on a farm and constructing my own house, I’ll remove my nails. Until then, I’m not restricted at all.

Acrylic nails can really fuck your own nails so I can't see why they are so popular.

Just grow your own nails, mine really grow far too fast anyway.

Where have I said I disliked people? I dislike long, scratchy impractical nails. Why so many women choose to have them interests me. If most women love their nail extensions fine. I'm a democrat, happy to accept most women here love their nail extensions.
I love having useful hands and do see nail extensions and immaculate nail polish as part of the "trappings of femininity" that I resent though.

If anyone decides they don’t like me because they don’t like my nails, then that’s a useful marker that they judge people on appearances and therefore aren’t likely to be someone I would get on with...

Putting women down for doing feminine things isn't being a feminist, it's you joining the patriarchy. Oh the irony!

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?

Incessant? Gel nails take less than an hour and last more than a month. I was put on to them by an GP about a decade ago and honestly I like her a whole lot more than the sound of you.

Am I going to have long nails with diamanté sparkles? No. Am I going to tell another woman what to do with her own hands? No.

and do see nail extensions and immaculate nail polish as part of the "trappings of femininity" that I resent though.

Great, no ones forcing you to have nail extensions.

But if you're judging women who do have them, you don't really understand what being a feminist is. Can't we just support women being true to themselves rather than judging for being too feminine / not feminine enough??

The length of my nails does not inform my feminist outlook.

I have long nails because they're super strong and unless I remember to cut them, they grow and get long. I manage just fine cooking and gardening and doing whatever. It's not a style choice. I actually prefer them a bit shorter aesthetically.

Anyway. It's irrelevant. I'd no more judge someone for having long painted nails as a vain impractical useless person as I would someone with short plain nails as being an unattractive curmudgeon who secretly hates other women. Personalities are the best way to gauge that. Not fingernails.

I have manicured nails (gel) because my natural ones crumble but I keep them quite short 2-3mm beyond my finger because I need to use a computer. Yabu though, it's personal choice

I've always thought the increase in nails popularity coincided with the online porn.

I'd love to see some data about their popularity and growth.

And they are considered to be essential part of grooming now by many.

And as a nearing middle aged woman I do feel the pressure as I can't afford many of the other anti aging treatments. Pressure to look more groomed as I'm older and can't fall back on fresh faced carefree youthful looks, which I what I did... Never ever thought of bothering with nails!

I haven't bothered yet as I'm a little lazy but I will in the future I think.

To me it’s like hobbling your hands. I’m very creative and like having natural nails that I can use to help me do my work. I won’t even paint my nails as I know it will chip so quickly as I use my hands so much.

Interesting to see people conflating criticism of beauty standards and practices with judging the people who use them.

I'm very grateful that I go for practical grooming - I have a dark shadow under one nail which is being investigated. Its been caught early and shouldn't cause too many problems.

Couldn't do open heart surgery though? Or Cliff hanging, or farming, or building work...

Oh, my mistake. I missed the law that was passed that says you cannot harvest a crop or build a house while wearing Chanel Rough Puissant on your nails.

Performing surgeries have different rules because of infections. But there is nothing stopping a female surgeon wearing whatever the hell she wants on her nails at other times.

Like you say OP, men don't have to do this, so the practice is sexist. Men aren't expected to have long, beautiful, decorative, coloured nails. That privilege is reserved for women and girls and wannabe women and girls.

I can't stand the feeling of nail varnish on my fingertips so can't imagine how horrible false nails must feel. That alone was always enough to put me off wearing nail varnish, let alone any feminist considerations.

Ps a can garden just fine, I wear gloves!

I haven't bothered with nail varnish since I was a teenager and I've never had a manicure or fake nails but bore off with this.

@Aberforthsgoat I suppose I mean that being a feminist doesn’t mean every choice you makes supports your viewpoint. When I chose not to change my name, that was a feminist choice. When I have my dc their dad’s name, that wasn’t. I think leaving my nether regions au natural is a feminist choice and wearing make up and nail polish isn’t.
Some choices are supportive of the belief I have in equality, some are neutral and have no impact on it, and others count against it.
Never trying to be perfect

I work in an office.

Occassionally get my nails done. But not false ones.

I also kick box, do DIY, cook, decorate with my nails done.

I have never had an interest in doing the gardening. So not even vaguely bothered about that.

This thread reminds me that some feminists simply feel that all women should do as they want. Rather than let women decide for themseleves.

If a woman would rather have her nails done and not garden, that's up to her. If a woman doesnt want to work with her hands, so what?

Stop telling women what they should and shouldnt do.

Interesting to see people conflating criticism of beauty standards and practices with judging the people who use them

Well here's a perfect example of judging the people who use them.

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!

I don't believe there is any expectation but there is a choice. Same as I choose to not wear high heels & no one expects me to!

I have very long natural nails, I choose to have them long and there is nothing I can not do in my professional or personal life due to them. I do all aspects of my job, house work, cook, change nappies, wash my child, look after my pets, pick up dog mess, even go camping regularly and fully participate in all aspects of putting the tent up .... so what exactly am I prevented from doing by choosing to have long nails??

Men aren't expected to have long, beautiful, decorative, coloured nails.

Neither are women. Isn't it wonderful when you can please yourself?

”Like you say OP, men don't have to do this, so the practice is sexist. Men aren't expected to have long, beautiful, decorative, coloured nails.”

Women don’t “have to” and aren’t “expected to” either.

This thread reminds me that some feminists simply feel that all women should do as they want. Rather than let women decide for themseleves

That sort of feminist doesn't want all women to do what feminists want. There need to be some shallow women doing things they don't approve of so they can sneer at and prop up their egos about how clever and not shallow they are.

I haven't worn even nail varnish since I was about sixteen. Never been inside a nail salon in my life, let alone stuck things on them. It all seems like a lot of effort to bugger about decorating your hands, of all things.

Can't say I object to people who enjoy a bit of nail bling through.