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 only mentioned my job because I am washing my hands many times a day and examining patients abdominally, vaginally and rectally and long nails and artificial extensions would interfere with that. The sneering superior tone was something you added and comes from you not me.

”Clearly this is something that people expect only women will do.”

You’re absolutely right, but that isn’t what you were saying before. You were saying women are expected to do this. That’s entirely different from expecting only women to do something.

I would be mildly surprised to see a man with long painted nails, but that doesn’t mean I expect women to have them.

Clothes are great, food is fantastic, sexism and misogyny don't have to exist. Let's fight it

There is a fair amount of misogyny on display on here.

I think we are. I certainly feel the expectation to paint my nails, have manicures. I've had comments about my gardening nails that a man would never get.

There are industries - advertising, marketing, cosmetic - which are all involved in telling women that we need to have beautified nails. Nail bars are bloody everywhere. Celebrities with massive followings e.g. Kim Kardashian set a standard that other women and girls feel bound to follow. It's happening, even if you want to pretend it isn't.

LolaSmiles
The main risks to people that work in the salons are that of the particles of dust from filing and inhaling the fumes of the lacquers and adhesives (have you ever noticed their totally useless 'token' face masks that don't even fit their faces (apparently face masks are modeled for the 'generic male' face shape anyway) let alone have a proper filter system for the particles and fumes).
The chemicals in the varnishes and glues are absorbed through the nail bed into the blood stream - in the same way that hair dye chemicals shows up in blood samples- worth bearing in mind if you're pregnant or feeding.
There's a lot of info on chemicals on line to wade through but here's a good start..
queenofnails.co.uk/blogs/news/10-toxic-ingredients-in-nail-polish-to-avoid
and for those of you seeking 'safe' varnishes.....
time.com/5419483/nail-polish-chemicals/
This doesn't include manufacturing processes (very environmentally polluting) nor the packaging involved.
Quite a high price to pay on all counts for pretty nails.

I already commented on the fact that it's wrong to criticise women and girls for taking part in beauty practices.

Pity about your overreaction to my posts.

The sneering superior tone was something you added and comes from you not me
This thread is absolutely horrible and you started it. You come across as superior and supercilious.

Ionly mentioned my job because I am washing my hands many times a day and examining patients abdominally, vaginally and rectally and long nails and artificial extensions would interfere with that

What point is that supposed to make? Of course long nails would interfere with that.
How fortunate no one is saying you should have them.

Honestly in this day and age why does any woman care what any other woman CHOOSES to do with their body or appearance.
You like short practical nails, cool.
Other women like long impractical bejewelled nails, cool.
A brief google tells me that some women in the world choose to have nail extensions that look exactly like human teeth. Cool.

Literally who cares?

(Check out the teeth nails...)

”I certainly feel the expectation to paint my nails, have manicures.”

I genuinely find that surprising and I wonder where you feel that is coming from. I feel no expectations to have nice nails at all. Thinking about the women I know, I am certainly in the minority having coloured gel nails- most of them don’t.

Mind you, I don’t follow celebrity culture at all, so maybe that’s it. I know who Kim Kardashian is, but most ‘celebrities’ these days I’ve never heard of and certainly wouldn’t feel any expectation to emulate in any way.

OP I am sorry you are getting such a hard time. The whole glam nail thing is a weird trend which I can't help but feel hasn't naturally spring up because women suddenly want it but has been part of the heavy makeup and super enhanced grooming trend that has grown over the last 10 years in parallel with selfie culture. Driven by corporate culture.

Obviously women can do what they like but they should be mindful of where the messaging is coming from.

I honestly feel it would be easier for all if simple clean plain nails were considered appropriate. I have short nails due to years of playing piano - long nails just don't feel right. In the last 2 years I have had more comments about my 'bare' nails than I have in my whole life. Great, I think, it's 2019 and i have to deal with 'nail shaming' because I don't have fancy gel nails? Sigh.

I prefer to do my own, the colours at salons seem a bit limited tbh, also I hate the feel of acrylic on my nails. A lot of make up brands have reduced their range of nail varnish because salons are more popular and young people are obsessed with contouring.

I certainly feel the expectation to paint my nails, have manicures. I've had comments about my gardening nails that a man would never get

Really? I've never. This is the sort of comment that makes me a teeny, weeny bit suspicious of a certain type of feminist.

On the one hand you (general you) are so enlightened about the beauty myth et al and see through all the societal pressures, (unlike those dreadful shallow women Babdoc mentioned) but yet you claim to "feel the expectation to paint your nails etc"

As flowery said plenty of women , even the majority, seem perfectly capable of ignoring this expectation.

This makes me wonder what the real motives are for this type of thread.

There is no law Ery that says women have to paint their nails, it’s a choice, you say clothes are great but by your reckoning nothing that must make the wearer look or feel attractive, so the boiler suit comment is not an overreaction at all.

I genuinely find that surprising and I wonder where you feel that is coming from. I feel no expectations to have nice nails at all. Thinking about the women I know, I am certainly in the minority having coloured gel nails- most of them don’t

I agree. Where is this "expectation" coming from?

The advertising industry cares:

www.prweek.com/article/1307058/agency-nails-campaign-cutex-polish-remover

The cosmetic industry cares:

www.chanel.com/en_GB/fragrance-beauty/makeup/p/nails/nail-colour.html?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI06mU6q7J4gIVFeDtCh1SOAuKEAAYASAAEgLl2vD_BwE

The celebrity PR industry cares:

www.instagram.com/p/YWqt8mOSyB/

The nail bar industry cares:

www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/16952450.the-explosion-of-nail-bars-and-the-beauty-industry-as-big-name-stores-close/

"Across the UK the number of beauty treatment salons has rocketed from nearly 27,000 in 2010 to 43,000 in 2017, according to a register of UK businesses produced by the Office for National Statistics."

Someone up thread was talking about a female surgeon having her nails down. Her sex was specifically mentioned

Yes, that was me. And you have spectacularly missed the point. The whole thread started because the OP said that WOMEN who have immaculate nails couldn't do anything useful. This whole thread is about judging women and what they choose to do with thier nails.

I didn't mention men, because the OP hasn't judged men on how the look, or thier nails. Which in itself is quite interesting.

In the last 2 years I have had more comments about my 'bare' nails than I have in my whole life. Great, I think, it's 2019 and i have to deal with 'nail shaming' because I don't have fancy gel nails?

Really? What kind of people are 'nail shaming' you and in what context? As I say I've never had gel nails and no one has ever commented on my nails good, bad or indifferent.

I'd say clothes have to be comfortable and enjoyable to wear. I don't think you can do my reasoning for me, but thanks for trying.

The advertising industry cares

Right so you do everything the advertising industry tells you?

Surely you and the OP, being proper feminists, can see through all of that and ignore it.

I didn't mention men, because the OP hasn't judged men on how the look, or thier nails. Which in itself is quite interesting.

What would there be to say? Men's nails are overwhelmingly natural. If they're going on a night out, or to a special occasion they don't put on nail varnish. There might be a few vanishing exceptions but you're not going to bring them up are you?

Really? What kind of people are 'nail shaming' you and in what context? As I say I've never had gel nails and no one has ever commented on my nails good, bad or indifferent

Me neither. No one has ever commented on the state of my nails.

Do you understand why advertising exists LassofFyvie? Because people do indeed do what advertising tells them. It works, they buy the product, which is why companies spend vast sums on their marketing budgets.

Why should women be marketed to like this and put under these pressures which are only happening in order to put money in shareholders' pockets.

Sarcasm doesn't suit you BTW.

Erythronium
That last link was pure gold :-)

I'm glad someone is finding reality useful Justnotsureanymore!

Do you understand why advertising exists LassofFyvie? Because people do indeed do what advertising tells them. It works, they buy the product, which is why companies spend vast sums on their marketing budgets

Why should women be marketed to like this and put under these pressures which are only happening in order to put money in shareholders' pockets.

Sarcasm doesn't suit you BTW.

I wasn't trying to be sarcastic. Are you really incapable of seeing an advert for nail polish and just think "nah, not for me"?