BBC removes article that says women who don't wear nail varnish might be white supremacists.

[ArabellaScott]

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2026/sep/30/bbc-removes-article-linking-bare-nails-trend-white-supremacist-standards-beauty

I think that's the gist.

It's so fucking barking mad I'm not actually sure.

'The article, which first ran on the BBC’s website on 27 September, examined an apparent “viral craze” for bare rather than decorated nails. It said the trend had been flooding social media and fashion catwalks.
It also covered criticisms of the trend, which suggested it could “stigmatise bold manicures”. The article noted that nail art had its roots in black, Latino and Asian communities.
In an early section of the article, it quoted the beauty journalist Kristina Rodulfo as saying: “That trend really promotes blankness and this kind of sameness and erasure of culture and identity that is so important to black and brown communities.
“They are often called elegant or tasteful and these are often usually euphemisms that perpetuate white supremacist standards of beauty.”
Later in the piece, Rodulfo was quoted again as saying: “The examples are almost always white women or celebrities … [and] they’ll often conflate class and taste with that bareness.”'

I mean there's reaching and then there's this. Utter madness

I read that BBC article and was very much in disagreement! I don't get my nails done at a salon - I can't afford it, won't be able to do the washing up and yes, I personally think they look uncomfortable. Conflating bare looking nails with white supremacists or incredibly wealthy people is ridiculous 🤣🤣

I understand the racism in linking black beauty trends with tackiness but linking bare nails with white supremacy seems to be jumping the shark.

WTF
the BBC are utterly bonkers

I read that article and found it so bizarre that I couldn’t even really process what it was trying to say. I am not surprised it got pulled

WTF??!! I've hardly ever worn nail polish in my adult life, mainly because I can't do a semi decent job of it. I guess in the Beebs eyes that must make me a fully paid up member of the KKK!

Yet more proof the world has gone mad!

I was actually reading a couple of days ago about this trend for bare nails. As someone who has always looked after my own nails and who personally finds artificial and painted nails quite repulsive I was really pleased to see that bare nails were being considered normal again!

Who on earth could come up with such a theory about white supremacy in relation to this? Beggars belief.
And the fact the BBC were willing to give credence to such an artical demonstrates how low their standards have sunk.

Define white supremacist 🙄
ive had my nails done for the last 20 years. Some of my views which I believe are basically centre right would have some running for the hills calling racist…

the bbc are just reporting their usual tripe…

edit: whoops - I was so incensed at the ridiculousness I didn’t realise it had been removed.

Tbf - they should’ve kept it up so more people could ridicule them

Utterly bizarre that they would think that. My nails are bare because I bite them. I do paint my toenails though, so maybe I'm only racist on alternate days of the week?

But standards are definitely slipping at the BBC. I noticed early articles about the 'men in vans acting suspiciously near a US airbase, which may or may not be terrorism related' talked about a witness who was a 'female farmer' which were thankfully corrected later on, perhaps when people told them that the appropriate term was 'farmer'.

I type a lot. It means it's pointless varnishing my nails because I have weak nails and the varnish just chips straight off.

I am not typing white supremacy stuff.

'Nuff said! I wonder will we ever get back to a place where everyone isn't looking for a reason to be offended every moment of every day?

Does anyone have a link to the original article?

I don't like my nails done as hate the feeling of anything on them.

The idiot 'journos' slash campaigners may fuck right off.

I miss when the BBC did actual journalism.

Elsewhere on the BBC site are articles linking nail bars to modern day slavery and people tracking.

What about those of us who work in roles where can’t have nails painted?

Im delighted to know my lovely manicure proves Im not a white supremacist. But in reality this is crazy, and totally misses the global human trafficking element which taints the nail industry. Do those non white women not count?

For this type of person, it seems, copying black people is cultural appropriation, and not copying black people is white supremacy.

Some intern/former SM influencer got through the BBC safety net. 😊

Hang on, that's not what it said!

"They (blank nails) are often called elegant or tasteful and these (terms) are often usually euphemisms that perpetuate white supremacist standards of beauty.”

Later in the piece, Rodulfo was quoted again as saying: “The examples are almost always white women or celebrities … [and] they’ll often conflate class and taste with that bareness.”

I think it's quite clear that it's the conflation of white beauty standards with elegance which is being called out!

I honestly don't give other people's nails much thought more than possibly "oooh that's a pretty colour". Mine get done every 3 weeks with acrylic overlays and plain gel polish - just because I'm a reformed nail biter and if they're not kept on top of - I'll chew them to shreds again (and it's sore when I do).

Really ornate or long nails are not for me (like I say - reformed nail biter and fingertip length is my limit) but I do admire the artistry when people have them, and the nail art lady at my local salon is incredibly talented to be able to work that small and neat.

So currently a metallic mocha colour (got them done last night) - am I a white supremacist, brazen hussy or what this week?

I read the article originally. It did irritate me a bit. I’m not white but really dislike painted nails - you can’t see how filthy they are (or not!) underneath. I was also disgusted to find a press on nail in my school dinner a long time ago. So I am wary of them around food and places where hygiene is important. Maybe I have issues, but I don’t think it makes me a white supremacist. And I do also wonder about the working conditions of the legions of non-white women working in a lot of these salons. It is a trend I am happy is heading downwards for many reasons. But I think a lot of it is people “styling out” being less able to afford the time and money for it. Like skirts becoming shorter and less full in times of austerity.

If it is a trend then it’s more likely due to ingredients in the polishes being banned.

With this, and their deranged content on trans the BBC are hurting themselves terribly. They should employ one sane person to catch these bizarre activist articles and save themselves from the international embarrassment.