There’s been a noticeable trend of men sporting a single painted fingernail in public, and the reason behind it is both intriguing and for a noble cause.
Men choose to paint one or more fingernails on their hands, and the color they select can vary from person to person.
While some take it further by adding designs atop the color, the singular message it conveys remains consistent.
This trend originated in Australia but is now gaining popularity among American men.
During his travels with Hagar International, Elliot Costello met a young girl named Thea who inspired him to paint his nail and spread awareness.
Elliot and his team traveled to Cambodia with a mission to make a positive impact on the local communities.
It was there that Thea, a small child, left a lasting impression on Elliot, who learned about a widespread issue affecting children worldwide, including in the United States and not just in Cambodia.
Elliot took the time to connect with Thea on her terms, learning about her life and struggles.
Nail painting was one of her favorite activities. As they talked, she painted one of his nails, and he reciprocated by painting one of hers.
During their conversation, he discovered that she had been a victim of sexual abuse…
“As she painted one of my nails, I promised her that I would keep it that way to remember her and her suffering.”
This heartfelt moment renewed Elliot’s determination to bring about positive change among men to protect children from sexual abuse.
That’s when he conceived the idea for the Polished Man project, encouraging men to paint one fingernail for a week and become a #PolishedMan.
That one painted nail represents the one in five children globally who experience sexual violence.
Polished Man, an organization dedicated to ending child sexual violence, asserts that “being a Polished Man means challenging violent behavior and language, both locally and globally.”
Given that men are responsible for 96% of child sexual violence worldwide, Elliot concluded that men must lead the charge for change if we are to end the abuse of innocent children.
The ultimate goal isn’t just for people to notice a man with a polished nail, but for it to spark conversations about the harsh reality that hundreds of thousands of children face daily, impacting them for life.
Elliot hopes that the painted nail will serve as a catalyst for discussions and ideas on how to eradicate child sexual abuse, possibly leading to donations to support educational programs and resources for young survivors of abuse, as noted by APlus.
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