If you see a man with one painted fingernail about town, it could be because he’s participating in a movement to stand against the physical and sexual abuse of children.
From Oct. 1 to 15, the #PolishedMan global campaign is aiming to get men to talk more about the problem of child abuse. And it’s raising money to benefit a variety of organizations around the world. (It also happens that October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month in Maine.)
Elliot Costello, CEO of an Australian organization that connects entrepreneurs in developing countries to networks and funding, created the #PolishedMan campaign after visiting Cambodia.
There, he met a young girl named Thea at Hagar International, which helps victims of trafficking, domestic violence and exploitation. They didn’t speak the same language, so they played games together. At the end of the evening, Thea drew a heart on his hand and painted all of Costello’s nails blue.
“I left that night so moved by Thea that I made a decision to paint one nail to represent the one in five children that suffer physical and sexual violence at the hands of men,” he said.
Learn more about how the campaign started here:
And check out some of the reaction on Twitter and Instagram:
Even the OIC got got his nail painted for the END VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN campaign. #POLISHEDMAN pic.twitter.com/oeCxRF18NA
— Warwick Police (@WarwickPol) September 28, 2015
Amazing to wake up with @GMA & see #PolishedMan reps @Mariobatali & @49TRich !!! #NFL #NYJETS pic.twitter.com/Rtr6pQUQeA
— YGAP (@ygap_official) September 28, 2015
Men are painting their fingernails for a very worthy cause http://t.co/ReBlbyjojL #PolishedMan pic.twitter.com/wz4iqtZQi0
— HuffPostUK Lifestyle (@HuffPoLifestyle) October 6, 2015
Hey @AlecBaldwin, we hear we have a new #PolishedMan in #NYC. Show us your nail! pic.twitter.com/LWBfZcNf5z — YGAP (@ygap_official) October 3, 2015
Real men do the right things: Way to go Dustin! @ygap_official #Polishedman campaign. https://t.co/kCxALCDqPv pic.twitter.com/OehDpy7M4a
— Izabela Lusinska (@newglobalelite) September 24, 2015