Photo: TikTok
He was commended for his parenting.
By NyRee Ausler — Written on Feb 06, 2023
Lately, many people have started to notice that "male polish" is quickly gaining popularity.
You may have asked yourself “Why are men painting their nails?”
Celebrities like Johnny Depp, Harry Styles, Machine Gun Kelly, ASAP Rocky, and Brad Pitt are just a few of the celebrities that have gotten "man-icures" and rocked nail polish publicly.
But men wearing nail polish is nothing new.
The practice goes back over 5,500 years to ancient Babylon when warriors did it as a way of intimidating their enemies.
That’s why one father was beside himself when his son came home and told him that a teacher said he shouldn’t paint his nails.
Christian Shearhod had the best reaction to a teacher telling his son he couldn’t wear nail polish.
A TikToker by the name of Christian Shearhod recently shared a video detailing his reaction to his son’s teacher’s implication that boys are not allowed to wear nail polish.
In that video, Shearhod starts by telling viewers how upset his son had been when he came home and delivered the message from his teacher.
Instead of getting upset, he explains that he is taking his son on a trip to the nail shop.
Next, Shearhod, his mate, and his son are en route to get manicures and pedicures and they ask the little boy what his teacher said to him.
He shyly says, “not to paint my nails.”
His blue-green hair is a clear indication that his parents support his individuality, and you can tell he is comfortable telling them anything.
Shearhod pretends to be shocked and in the next scene shows his son swinging while holding his parents’ hand as they approach the nail salon.
Once inside, the gleeful boy picks pink and is giddy in anticipation of his upcoming pampering.
In the background, Big Boss Vette’s song, Pretty Girls Walk is playing softly.
When it’s the little man’s turn, he reiterates to the nail technician that he wants a bright pink color on his hands and his feet.
He’s doubly excited when Eden, his dad’s companion, opts for pink as well.
The video ends with a shot of the boys' fresh mani and pedi and a caption by his dad.
“Let little boys like what they like… Trucks, Spiderman, Paw Patrol, and maybe painting his nails.”
People commend the father for the way he supports his son.
One person posted, “This is amazing, but I'd be having a talk with his teacher, too.”
“There was NO need in the teacher saying this to that sweet boy.”
Another woman agreed, stating, “It brings me so much joy looking how good you and Eden are with him you [are] parenting role models for me.”
Other people shared their takes on gender norms.
“As a teacher, I am so sorry. I always tell my students there aren’t boy or girl things. Just things that we like,” an educator shared.
That motion was seconded by a lady who said, “I’m a girl, and work on cars. My brother-in-law loves the color pink. My son loves his nails polished. The earth still turns the right way.”
Shearhod took a viewer's advice and headed over to the school to address the teacher.
But that wasn't the end of it. The first commenter on the original video had implored Shearhod to have a conversation with his child's school about the incident.
He shared a follow-up video where he went to the school to address the matter. The caption read, "Replying to @elainamae So before anyone tries to cancel his school; we have to remember that different cultures have different gender norms."
He went on to say, "His teachers love him and are really so good to him! As a teacher myself I know his teacher probably thought she was helping him and I highly doubt there was any malicious intent. We’re all on the same page now, thank y’all for all the supportive comments."
In that video, Shearhod approaches someone presumed to be an administrator at his son's school. He explains that his son was upset about the incident, but stops short of naming the offending teacher.
He tells the unseen woman that painting their nails is something he and his son enjoy doing together and she empathizes, promising to take action to ensure something like this doesn't happen again.
The world would be a better place if people could address issues in this manner. It seems all is well that ends well.
NyRee Ausler is a writer from Seattle, Washington, and author of seven books. She covers lifestyle and entertainment and news, as well as navigating the workplace and social issues.