The fickle thing I’ve learned about nail polish is that its drip is incredibly difficult to account for. No matter the layer, I can always expect the slightest spillover onto my cuticles or fingertips. It doesn’t bother me, but instead it encourages me to keep a steadier hand. Luckily, there’s no second glances or mention of my nail color as more people are accepting of different methods of expression. I’ve run into other masculine-presenting people who wear nail polish, earrings and makeup with eyeshadow and eyeliner. I would dare to say this is not a new trend among LGBTQ+ circles. However, the broadening of gender expression through small things, like nail polish, can still be a big change for others.
I was confronted by my family about how I dress and my choice of accessories, especially in relation to my sexuality. At times, there are dynamics that still don’t make sense to me. For example, my mother would hesitate with pastels and bright neon colors for my clothes and still questions my decision to wear a bright pink T-shirt or a floral backpack. There would often be times while shopping with my mother where she would make me rework my outfit to how she preferred I represent myself in contradiction to my own choices.
The outward expression of our genders and sexualities are still tightly defined in today’s understanding of what it is to be masculine and feminine. While people from all philosophical, critical and political views talk about the overall subjects of sex and gender, there has been a pileup of confusion over the different ways in which people of different sexualities and genders present themselves. I speak coming from a privileged position as a white-passing male Latinx. I would prefer not to define my sexuality, as that is still something I grapple with. However, I do wish to at least share what I’ve learned and hopefully clarify some issues about this expression.
The ways in which men express their manhood and how they live with masculinity can be filled with confusion and fear of social exclusion. In society, anything that does not immediately qualify as “manly” is thought of as a symbol of a man’s possible queerness, especially if that man aligns himself with his assigned gender at birth. This can apply to more nuanced issues of self-hygiene and how a person presents themselves, like laser hair removal, which is marketed toward women. Does that make it too feminine for men to take part in it? Is the practice of getting manicures and pedicures too feminine? In relation to that, if it isn’t considered feminine, what is the reason for men to hesitate with colored nail polish?
My father recently learned I paint my nails and was astonished by my choice in deliberately painting them. “What made you think of that?” he asked, to which my only response was because I wanted to do something with my nails. I don’t wish to make any statement with my presentation of a generally considered feminine practice, and no one should be held accountable for how they wish to express themselves. There is a lot more to this conversation of masculinity and femininity that deals with transgender people, and there is an overlap when it comes to transitioning genders and their relationships with sexualities. I don’t wish to speak for them or their experiences, only my own. No one should comment on how other people choose to express themselves unless someone chooses to speak about or spread awareness of their expression, and even then, remember to be respectful.
Daniel Gamboa is a UF journalism sophomore. His column normally appears on Fridays.
Bad Bunny, a Puerto Rican trap artist, shows off his painted nails on his Instagram.
