If you are anything like me, then you probably spend a good amount of your spare time gawking at the multitude of good-looking male celebrities on Instagram, and if this is you, then you may have also noticed that some of your favorite hotties have been sporting a fresh manicure. Didn’t strike Zac Efron as the punk rocker, male nail polish type? Well that’s because he’s not (that we know of). The recent manicure trend seen among popular male celebrities including Efron, the Hemsworth brothers and more is actually for an important cause. The campaign is called Polished Man and the cause: ending childhood violence.
According to the cause’s platform, being a Polished Man means, “you don’t turn your back on the vulnerable. You raise your voice – and nail – to say, ‘not on my watch.’ You embrace the smirks and know it doesn’t matter; there are worse things than being embarrassed by a little mani. Because nailing it isn’t about shouting the first round, or how much you lift. Nailing it is saying no to violence against children.”
You might be wondering why the campaign specifically involves men? Well that is because 90% of all sexual violence against children is perpetrated by men. By asking men to raise awareness for this cause, the campaign is asking men to go against the cultural norm. In order to start the conversation, male celebrities have been taking to social media to show off their painted nail and pledge their support for the cause. Similar to the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, participants are also required to nominate their fellow stars. For Efron, this meant Hugh Jackman, James Marsden and Mike and Dave costar, Andy Bovine. The star-studded list of supporters hasn’t stopped there though. Chris and Liam Hemsworth have also taken to their social media accounts to show their support, along with Gabriel Macht, football star James Anderson and many more.
While the idea of men painting one nail may seem odd, the movement all goes back to a little girl named Thea. Forced to live in an orphanage at a young age, Thea was the victim of physical and sexual assault at the hand of a man. It was later on that she met CEO Elliot Costello, bonding with him and you might have guessed it, painting his nails. After hearing Thea’s story, Costello was inspired to learn more childhood violence, painting one nail in honor of her and giving life to the Polished Man campaign.
The Polished Man is not only about painting one nail. Those wishing to get involved should also sign up for an account, set a fundraising goal and kick it off by donating 50 dollars to their own account. Women are also encouraged to join the fight against childhood violence through means of rallying behind their men and urging them to become a Polished Man. For more information on the Polished Man and how to get involved, check out their website here!