Self

The Incredible Reason Men Are Painting A Single Fingernail

Photo: Kenruen, pixelshot, czarny_bez  | Canva
painting one nail for awareness

Don't freak out if you see your man sporting a bright shade of nail polish on his finger because as it turns out, he's doing it for a good cause.

Sure, the shade may still look better on you, but you're going to let him shine this time around because it's not about the nail; it's about a conversation.

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The "Polished Man" is a concept that began in 2016 when YGAP's CEO, Elliot Costello, met a young 8-year-old girl on a visit to Cambodia. The girl, Thea, had been recently rescued after two years of sexual and physical abuse in an orphanage.

When Costello met Thea, they ended up talking and becoming fast friends. She drew a heart on his palm and painted his nails blue, and the idea stuck with him for a long time. Long enough, it seemed, to inspire him to create a whole design idea to help her and other children just like her, because no child should have to suffer at the hands of abusive adults.

In 2016, Elliot Costello decided to paint one of his nails to remember Thea when he'd left, and now, other men are getting in their man-icures to show their solidarity with Costello in raising awareness for abused children everywhere.

"The power to stop this is in your hands. It starts with painting a fingernail. That nail leads to a conversation. That conversation inspires donation. That donation allows for prevention and protection," said Costello on the Polished Man website.

Because this is such a good cause, Costello doesn't want anyone excluded. He encourages ladies to help their men learn how to paint their nails and to paint their own. He also says to post photos of your man's hands to social media using trending hashtags like, "I prefer a #PolishedMan."

RELATED: How Using The 'Power And Control Wheel' Can Help Victims Know If They're In An Abusive Relationship

Even celebrities like Zac Efron and brothers Liam and Chris Hemsworth joined in to help raise awareness.

This would be a great way for ladies to help their men help others while pampering them. Really, it's a win-win for everyone, considering how baby-smooth his hands will be when you take him to get those palm calluses taken care of.

Funds from the campaign will be donated to prevention and recovery programs for children who have suffered violence or who are at risk of experiencing it in their lives.

The funds will also be apportioned to groups like Hagar International, The Australian Childhood Foundation, The New York Center for Children, and World Vision Australia to help with future projects for at-risk children.

So go on and paint your one nail, and get your man to paint his, too. Inspire conversation that leads to helping save the lives of children around the globe, so that they don't have to experience the pain of abuse, no matter what their circumstances are.

If you can help a child live a good life just by painting one single nail and getting one single conversation started, then I'd say that's a pretty good start.

RELATED: How Witnessing Domestic Violence Taught Me How Truly Common It Is

Sexual abuse of children and minors is incredibly common.

According to the Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network (RAINN), 1 in 9 girls and 1 in 53 boys under the age of 18 have experienced sexual abuse from an adult. Girls are far more likely to be victims of sexual abuse; the organization reports that 82% of all victims under 18 are female, and those who do suffer from assault and abuse are more likely to also develop mental health issues like depression, PTSD, and drug abuse.

There are ways to help child abuse victims.

Want to get involved to bring an end to child sexual abuse? There are a few things you can do. There are organizations like Prevent Child Abuse America that are good places to start and that are always looking for people to donate their time and money to their efforts. The organization also suggests writing to local elected officials to support policies that bring an end to sexual abuse, and of course, the simplest thing to do is to keep eyes and ears open and to report abuse when you see it — and to always take children seriously when they say they're being abused.

RELATED: 7 Signs You're Being Quietly Abused (And Don't Even Know It)

Merethe Najjar is a professional writer, editor, and award-winning fiction author. Her articles have been featured in The Aviator Magazine, Infinite Press, Yahoo, BRIDES, and more.