Aaron Gouveia, a dad, took an advantage of social media by using Twitter on October 22nd, 2018 to share the terrible experience his 5-year-old son, Sam, had at school.  

Aaron, @DaddyFiles, has a lot to say.  He begins talking about all the things that Sam enjoys.  

“He’s rough and tumble, he’s loud, he’s always dirty, loves trucks, plays sports and knee drops me from the couch,” Aaron states in the beginning of his twitter thread.  

“But he also loves a lot of “girl” things… Sam has a collection of purses… and he also loves to have his nails painted bright because he thinks they ‘look beautiful.’”

Sam wore bright red nails to school one day.  He loved them and thought everyone else would too; but he was wrong.  His classmates called him names and told him to take it off the entire day.  

When he got picked up, he was crying into his mother’s arms because he was so devastated that kids, even his friends, turned on him for just wearing nail polish.

Aaron starts to discuss that the reason why those kids would be so mad about a boy wearing nail polish. It is because parents, or people on tv shows are telling kids that only girls like purses and nail polish, and only boys can like trucks and playing in the mud.  

“I know these kids are only in kindergarten but this toxic masculinity bull**** is LEARNED. Learned most of the time from parents.  So parents, I hope you’re proud. I hope this is what you wanted. I hope you’re satisfied. I hope you sleep well tonight knowing order has been at least partially restored and gender norms solidified for one more little boy whose terrible infraction was having the audacity to like brightly painted fingernails,” Aaron says.

Parents need to start teaching their kids from a young age that they can wear what they want, like what they want, and be whoever they want to be.  They shouldn’t have to be what society sees them to be.

Many parents all over the world agree with what Aaron had to say.  Some also painted their nails to show Sam that they are standing by him.  They also shared pictures of their own kids fighting back against stereotypes.

— Sara Lando (@bruko) October 26, 2018

My husband, a fellow patriot fan, says hi.  He also says that a boy is not defined by what he decides to wear but by how he treats others.

— Ash (@Ashesresist) October 25, 2018

My sons like to have their toes painted.  At the park this summer,a girl told them, “My mom says boys don’t paint their toes.”  My son replied, “Your mom is a liar.”

— Sara Hoback (@HobackSara) October 25, 2018

This was the most beautiful thing I’ve read on this otherwise horrible news day.  Please tell Sam his bright light shines SO bright he made someone’s day all the way in DC.  That’s so incredible. His bravery and your parenting are beyond beautiful and helped ME. Thank you Dad & Sam.  

— Rhys Spencer (@rhyspencer)

Mate…purses are cool.  Carry on fella ur loved.

Although Sam came home sad and upset about how terrible his classmates treated him, that didn’t stop him from keeping on his nail polish.  

— Daddy Files (@DaddyFiles) October 22, 2018

After careful consideration, he’s leaving it on.  Because he likes it and it makes him feel good. Then Sam’s 10-year-old brother painted HIS nails in solidarity with his sibling, at which point I nearly cried… That moved me to paint my nails.  Sam picked out this color called “Main Squeeze” & I think it’s understated but lovely. Sam is sticking to red because “it’s pretty and good luck for the @patriots.” #ItsOnlyWeirdIfItDoesntWork