Fuck.
I considered each nail polish commercial I’ve ever seen and the way the fashions’ fingers normally look in them. They’re at all times small-palmed with slender fingers and normally lengthy, rounded nails. The fashions’ faces and our bodies aren’t normally seen, however that doesn’t matter; my mind at all times fills within the gaps with photos of white women with flat stomachs and thighs that don’t contact and just about zero buccal fats. I routinely, subconsciously want a physique like theirs.
Fuck. It was the internalized fatphobia once more, wasn’t it?
Positive, rounded shapes and lengthy, slender strains are naturally interesting to the attention. Desirous to have lengthy nails or just fingers that look good doesn’t routinely imply you’re internally fatphobic (although you would possibly need to suppose on it for a second to make certain). However for me, personally, that’s been the kicker all alongside. I can venture my worry of being perceived as fats onto each final element of my being with out even realizing it. I knew this to be true concerning the free pores and skin below my chin that the web desires me to Gua Sha away, or my lifelong worry of brief haircuts that may spotlight the roundness of my face—however I used to be shocked to understand I had been making use of that to my fingers and nails, too.
Nevertheless it all is sensible. My highschool promenade was the primary and final time I experimented with a sq. nail form as a result of I made a decision lengthy, rounded nails make my fingers look thinner. And I don’t need to draw consideration to my fingers with rings if I don’t suppose they look skinny. As a result of regardless of all of the self-acceptance I’ve achieved, there’s nonetheless an inkling of longing deep inside me to be skinny. As a result of I’ve been skilled to worry fatness in methods I want I didn’t. And worry of any type, particularly the worry of being judged for who you’re and what you seem like, is the world’s simplest motivator.
Since coming to this realization a couple of weeks earlier than penning this story, that motivation to do metaphoric again bends for the maintenance of lengthy nails has already began waning. I haven’t sworn off lengthy nails completely (I might by no means totally hand over the pleasant clacking sound they make) however I haven’t had the will to treatment on a set of soppy gel nail extensions in any respect—for occasions, date nights, and many others., I’ve been utilizing extra momentary alternate options like brief press-ons. My skill to assuage the anxieties that trigger me to fuss over my nails within the first place has been rising.
It really turns out to be useful (ha) to have large, sturdy palms and fingers. There’s a motive I used to be actually good at mainly each sport I ever tried in my teenagers. I can carry my telephone, keys, pockets, sun shades, and water bottle in a single hand, no downside. I’ve a very enjoyable social gathering trick that immediately emasculates over-confident bros at bars (making bets to see whose hand span is wider). And when my boyfriend and I maintain fingers, it feels balanced and seamless as a result of they’re the identical measurement. I don’t want my fingers to be small, skinny, or dainty in any respect. Once I take into consideration all these issues I simply mentioned, I understand I do not need them to be.