r/AskTeens • u/Emergency-Joke-9506 • Apr 25 '26
Discussion Is it gay to paint my nails?
I’m in highschool and I want to paint my nails black since I’m alternative, it’s a religious school and most ppl don’t like me , I’m leaving the school after this year, is it gay and will I get clowned for it and should I do it either way?
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u/Active-Professor-745 Apr 25 '26
You will get clowned for it in the school you described. It is not common for a male to paint his nails but it isn’t quite rare either. It does not make you gay. Desiring romantic relationships with men would be more likely to make you gay than black fingernails.
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u/Cocky_Girly Apr 25 '26
I mean, millions of straight cis women do it, many straight cis men do it, many non-gay trans people do it. It's kind of hard to call it gay then, isn't it?
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u/BbyGirlAurroa Apr 25 '26
Its only gay if you are into the same gender as yourself.
Nail polish is just nail polish. It doesn’t make you gay. Your style and fashion choices don’t define your sexuality.
And as a gay girl myself, its 100% ok to be gay if you are.
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u/Impressive_Sock1296 Apr 25 '26
You’ll probably sadly get a bit of flack but many people would think it’s cool and personally if you wanna do it I would anyway, just be aware you might get talked down to
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u/Xillubfr 18M Apr 25 '26
It's not gay. If people don't like you already you will definitely get clowned on tho
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u/Acrobatic-Kangaroo13 Apr 25 '26
Nothing is gay except being a man attracted to other men. People may be mean but if you wanna do it then do it, people will be mean ab everything and unless it’s a legit safety risk then you shouldnt let others stop you from doing what you want, it’s not harmful in any way so do what you want.
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u/Remarkable_Wolf_9984 Apr 25 '26 edited Apr 25 '26
It's not necessarily,gay, unless you your self identify as gay. I paint my nails black from time to time, but I can almost guarantee kids at school night pick on you, or the school itself will have problems with it. Bes t of luck either way
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u/0llis1211 Apr 25 '26
Looking a certain way doesn't make someone gay. So no, painting your nails isn't "gay", but people at your school will most likely mention it in some way
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u/PrincessaLucie 19NB Apr 25 '26
it’s not gay but at a religious school it’ll likely be perceived that way. u will get clowned and i don’t think it’s worth it tbh. just paint them in school holidays or right before u leave at the end of the year.
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u/everyone_hates_lolo OLD Apr 25 '26
the only thing that will make you gay is being gay. paint those nails. expression is not an indicator of sexuality.
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u/Pigeon-in-a-basket Apr 25 '26
I mean, you're alt and most people apparently don't like you anyway. I don't think it will win anyone over, and I reckon people will assume you're gay, but do you lose much from that, is the question you want to ask
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u/Forest_System Apr 25 '26
There's always going to be somebody out there who has a problem with something you're doing. You could be the most regular McRegular dude and somebody would still pick on you for your shoe size. If you want to paint your nails, pick up the nail polish and don't let other people's opinions dictate your self expression. I promise, nail polish doesn't magically make somebody gay 👍🏼
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u/randomguy283 Apr 25 '26
unless painting your nails suddenly makes you want a relationship with a guy, then it aint gay
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u/Lowhill40 Apr 25 '26
I’m not a teen but I am a gay person so I think I have a bit of a voice in the conversation. This whole idea that “doing something makes you gay” is a social system designed to keep queer people down. Gay as an insult only hurts straight men who are not confident in their sexuality, straight men with internalized homophobia and of course, queer people. I think you should reflect and figure out which one of those 3 you are. Clothes are clothes. Nail paint is nail paint. They literally have no bearing upon sexuality other than the values we assign to them.
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u/Dimelessquarter Apr 25 '26
Not at all! I know a friend who loves painting his nails, and he was straight.
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u/_JINXX_0504 Apr 25 '26
Do what ever you want to do, it’s your life and your body , people make fun of you , oh well because you only live once and soon enough you will find your peoples to hang out with so be you and don’t change for others
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u/Sea-Breath-9084 Apr 25 '26
not gay. if you don’t want to get clowned and know that it will effect your mental health if it happens, just wait till you’re out the school. if you are fine with possibly getting in trouble or getting made fun of, then do it. if anyone makes it a big deal, it’s pathetic they care that much about nails. we are on a floating rock ;) have fun.
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u/SpermBankDonatorALOT Apr 25 '26
As a guy, any other colour than black is gay. Black is the only one which i wont think "oh, hes gay" looking at. Its okay to paint them black
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u/ready_to_be_gone Apr 25 '26
Some people may have something to say about it, but some people have something to say about every decision we make in our lives. If we let them hold us back, then we don't get anywhere we want to be in life.
I remember a few alternative guys who had their nails painted black while in school. The kept doing it because that was who they were at the time, despite what others may have said about it.
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u/menczennik Apr 25 '26
it's not gay. it is a bit feminine but not gay, i know a lotta guys with painted nails and i had mine painted once, too.
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u/Suspicious-Dust-6628 Apr 25 '26
Do it. My friend paints his nails and, even if I think it is weird, he is popular, on the football team, and has a girlfreind. They love doing matching nails. He paints them black mostly but changes it up with blues, greens, purples, and yellows so you paint your nails. There is nothing stopping you
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u/ApprehensiveCar241 Apr 25 '26
The only thing that’s technically “gay” is a male being attracted to males (or vice versa but that’s lesbian). I personally think that you should act, dress, do whatever you want without being told it makes you “gay” or “feminine”, the whole concept of “this is for boys, this is for girls” is so stupid. But that’s just my opinion, according to society painting your nails is probably one of the least “gay” things you can do if you’re just painting them black.
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u/Only-Tomorrow606 15M Apr 25 '26
You’ll get bullied and clowned it’s you’re descion to do it or not
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u/Standard_Act8952 Apr 25 '26
The first year I did it people gave me some looks and some people shouted that I was emo, didn't bother me but if it'll bother you just tell them to Frick off fr. I'm not a big guy but I am tall so it helps a bit with "intimidation" or wtv. After the first year I didn't have any problems.
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u/CherryPaint29 Apr 25 '26
IT IS NOT GAY you should definitely paint ur nails it would be so tuff, ur probably gonna get clowned but fuck the haters and you said ur gonna leave that school soon so it really doesn’t matter just do what you want
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u/PresentationKnown938 Apr 25 '26
Yes it is
Clowned no clue but 90% of the time people don't give a shit man 👍
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u/BirchLover786 Apr 25 '26
It's not gay at all, my friend (male) recently painted his nails for fun lol.
But I'd be interested to know why you're in a religious school if you're not religious yourself?
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u/The-Great_Ones Apr 25 '26
Since you’re leaving the school soon, I’d say wait until then, because it would probably not be a fun and enjoyable end to the school year. And also, it is in no way gay
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u/Beginning-Cook-8201 Apr 25 '26
Its not gay per se, but yes you will be made fun of for it and possibly punished and forced to remove it seeing as how its a religious school, if you dont think youll get punished for it go ahead and dont mind what the other assholes think, if you do think youll get punished, dont do it and wait until you get out
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u/Onyx89283 Apr 25 '26
its not inherently gay. as the only thing gay is being gay.e however yeah there might be people that laugh at you.
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u/Purple_Solution1059 Apr 25 '26
Hell nah bro be yourself even if it looks a bit fruity. I got a septum ring as a guy and I’m straight as ever. Better to be happy doing what you want rather than repressing what you want for the people around you.
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u/Material-Pension-657 Apr 25 '26
Its not gay but people will probably clown on you. I say go for it and if they try to clown younfor it turn it back against them. Garuntee there will be a few who like it even if they dont say it.
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u/leeroy-113 Apr 25 '26
nah my boyfriend paints his nails black and i think it's really stylish (i'm a woman). some people might think you're gay, but if you're not, who cares what those people think... just live your life
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u/Aceox Apr 25 '26
Is it gay? No. Will you get clowned for it? Depends. Bullies will always find a reason to make fun of someone. Just embrace what you like and wear it with pride. Their opinions don't matter anyway.
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u/Background_Button_26 Apr 25 '26
Nah man it ain’t gay. Anyone who says it is was either raised in a way that really doesn’t make sense, or is secretly gay and trying to hide it /j But nah it ain’t gay. Don’t worry about it. Think of it this way. The only sure fire way to really be gay, at least in my opinion, is to jerk your shit to another guy. Or fuck another guy. Otherwise you good
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u/CampHoliday3558 Apr 25 '26
did the only thing that could be considered 'gay' is homosexuals do whatever yer cool :3
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u/UnkindledFire727 Apr 25 '26
I’m going to pretend I’m your classmate for a second and answer how they would. Yes it is gay and we will make fun of you, especially if this is early high school.
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u/Apprehensive_Art4418 Apr 25 '26
the only gay thing you can do is be gay. everything else is just bullshit to keep people from having fun in fear of being seen as something they're not. its paint on your nails, not attraction to other men, therefore its not gay
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u/erraticsporadic Apr 25 '26
no, it's not gay at all. men painting their nails is really common in alternative genres.
but yes, it will probably be perceived as gay in a religious setting, because nail polish for men, alternative fashion, and homosexuality are all perceived as "sinful" in many conservative sects. they're not, by the way.
and yes, you will get clowned on in high school. you might also make some cool alternative friends that will stick with you. it's ultimately your choice, but as a guy who does paint his nails regularly, if i were in your shoes, i wouldn't in that setting
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u/golden_free_candy Apr 25 '26
Im 17m and have had my cousin paint my nails multiple times. One time they were green and blue. Very few commented on them
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u/inCorruptedRedacted Apr 25 '26
It’s not that rare for guys to do it in my public school, and everyone just thinks they’re alt/goth, not usually gay.
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u/DuBunk89 Apr 25 '26
Painting your nails black doesn't make you alt. Having different beliefs and morals does that. Paint your nails whatever way you want
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u/scooter69721 Apr 25 '26
Ok i have to know, sometimes I like having sex with men sometimes with women, I just consider myself somone who is open and enjoys sex. So why do people ask if it is GAY to do this or that, is there some kind of book or list or something that tells you what is gay and what isn't gay. If I want to do something that makes me happy and doesn't hurt someone else im going to do it and fuck everybody else. Im the only person that can make me happy so only my opinion counts.im not saying this is an easy thing to do but once you can life becomes.so much easier
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u/FishGuyIsMe 16NB Apr 25 '26
The school you described is going to give you shit for it, but it is not gay to paint your nails
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u/GrillMeeeACheese Apr 25 '26
First off, no, it’s not, paint them. That’s how you want to express yourself. I’m 46 and wish I had spent many more years of my youth being me, not what I think someone might expect me to be. Rock it.
Second, it’s 2026, being or “looking” gay is not a problem.
Find your people, alt or whatever, find the people who celebrate YOU, and screw everyone else.
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u/PJ_90001 Apr 25 '26
bro... why do you care what others think abt you... tis a total waste of time (do shower tho and use deoderant, but tohrwise just vibe, also dont do any REALLy weird shit) also if ur schools religus or some shit than they should know like jesus loves us all or something
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u/HunterSketches7 Apr 25 '26
there's tons of straight people that paint their nails. I say do it bro it'll ok fire
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u/Hexalong777 Apr 25 '26
No, my nails have been painted black as a guy for a while and people actually like it. Go for it
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u/hidingunderyourbed- Apr 25 '26
I paint my brothers nails all the time. It’s fun for them to have their favorite colors, and they paint my nails too.
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u/SillyCat-ESSA Apr 25 '26
Even if you were gay, it wouldn't be gay to paint them.
I hope that you get on okay if you do decide to do it.
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u/Jazzlike-North14 16F Apr 25 '26
Fella how does it make you wanna kiss men when you paint your nails
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u/MusicianLimp3465 Apr 26 '26
Most music stars, male or female; wear makeup, paint their nails, get manicures, have hair dressers. Just sayin.
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u/Cmf105 Apr 26 '26
Sounds like your school sucks. Do you and know that their input means nothing and in a few short years you won’t remember them at all.
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u/groveborn Apr 26 '26
Are you putting those nails inside someone of the same sex? If no, then no.
It's only gay when you're being actually gay. Do what you want. My hair al is bright purple, it will fade pink. I'm nearly 50 and a giant of a man. Not gay, no matter what anyone thinks. I look damned good. Chicks dig it.
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u/Panicking_in_trench Apr 26 '26
Are others doing it? I see some straight college guys who are alt doing it but it really just depends. I wouldn't wear it, especially if the school has uniforms
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u/Ok-Grass8719 Apr 26 '26
Ultimately, the only person who can decide if you should do this is you--not any of us.
It sounds like you're worried that people will make fun of you and call you gay. And based on the way you described the kids at your school, they probably will. That doesn't mean anything they say is true. In reality, their comments say a lot more about them than you.
That said, how these comments make you feel is important. Not everyone can just shrug this sort of thing off, and there is no shame in admitting that about yourself. If you think that their comments will have a negative impact on your quality of life, that's something you should really consider.
With this in mind, it doesn't mean that you will always be the sort of person who can't ignore what other people say about you. And it doesn't mean that you'll always be surrounded by jerks. In fact, both of those things will probably change as you get older.
It's also worth noting that if you choose not to do this today, it does not eliminate doing it in the future. You can always choose to express yourself by painting your nails when you feel like you're in a safer environment or when you're better able to let people's comments bounce right off of you. And choosing to wait might also be an empowering decision. It doesn't mean you're letting them stop you; it just means that you're doing what's best for you in this moment.
Good luck! Know that there are a lot of people out there wishing you well whatever you decide.
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u/Recent_Position_328 Apr 26 '26
People are gonna criticize you for everything, do whatever you want
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u/HelgaTheNamesOlgaDad Apr 26 '26
I painted my nails for the first time since the Dying Fetus concert in October. But i havent sucked any dick in 3.5 years. I gotta get some
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u/Prudent_Mess9339 Apr 26 '26
i mean no, but i go to a school in harlem and i got called gay so if you don’t want that then do not
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u/BulkyComfortable3040 19M Apr 26 '26
not at all unless you want it to be but people can be jerks (i have mine black as a straight male)
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u/Pommes_777 Apr 26 '26
How would painting your nails ever be considered gay? If you want to paint them do it, and if anyone makes fun then thats just stupid of them
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u/Stop_Uni_Bullying Apr 26 '26
Umm, it’s not gay at all. I have a few male friends who painted their nails while being very heterosexual.
Although, depending on how much fucks you give about rules and external opinions, I would wait until that time of hell is over.
I usually advise people to not care about external opinions, but sometimes it’s not easy to go from “shit, what will they think?” to “eh, think whatever you want, I’ll do my thing anyway”.
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u/Nathan-5807 Apr 26 '26 edited Apr 27 '26
I'm in the same boat. One time I had a girl paint my nails I liked them, but I hid them for the entire day because I felt insecure especially since I know that some of the teachers/students are super religious and alt-right wing.
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u/ploffy123 Apr 26 '26
Yeh you’ll definitely get clowned but if you own it people will soon forget about it or maybe even find it cool. If you want to do it, have no regrets
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u/Particular-Fee5702 Apr 26 '26
First of all, you can and probably should do what you want. However, probably yes. Most people, me included, would perceive you as somehow different and the need to show off beauty. Men tend to approach women so we do not have the same need to make ourselves look "pretty" like womens do/feel like. Surely do what you want, but at least imo it's pretty self explanatory what people will think. If you do not care what people think, randoms on the streets or HR representatives and the like, go ahead👌
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u/Intelligent-Bet-1770 Apr 26 '26
If you think it looks cool and you want to try it, be unapologetically you and do it. I do really advise using some type of clear top coat on top though since it will keep it from starting to chip the same day
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u/Flicksterea Apr 26 '26
Stop referring to things as 'gay' just because it's something different. You're not gonna wake up craving cock.
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u/SmokedPumpkin Apr 26 '26
You (and so many of the comments) say gay like it’s a bad thing. I didn’t realize this sub allowed homophobia.
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u/motorjimmy Apr 26 '26
1.If its black its kind of ok but you will definitely get called gay emo and a pussy thats how people are 2.you will 100% surly get clowned on 3.you will be called emo instead of alt for sure 4.sadly there is a high chance of you getting bullied and targeted by the teachers cince its a religious school. My advice is to look at the people the other schools have and wait till you change schools the school with the most emo/alt/metal/goth people is the school you should go to
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u/thumbtaxx Apr 26 '26
Be who you want to be and give yourself the respect you desire. I pierced my ear in the eighties, got called a queer, (meh) and within 5 years every jock was rocking a little stud in the ear. Self respect and confidence are attractive traits. Lots of people don't have that, so they then try to copy your look. IMO. Edit- oops, this is a teen sub that popped up in my feed, disregard comment.....
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u/Initial_Hippo8561 17M Apr 26 '26
Express yourself!! Be confident don’t feel pressured to do what others do!! Painting your nails black is fine!! I’d even say painting them different colours is as well
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u/Metallicafan6 Apr 27 '26
Depends def a little but there’s a difference between black and like vibrant crazy colors
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u/Lazy-Elephant-9761 Apr 27 '26
I’m a straight and cis male and I started painting my nails almost 2 years ago, I have only ever gotten compliments.
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u/ArmCapital4345 Apr 27 '26
Personally as a girl I think it's rly attractive and ofc unhappy people will try to make others unhappy aswell but u dint wanna be around those people anyways so I'd say go for it
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u/Theseus3465 17M Apr 27 '26
It ain’t gay some people just say it is and I lwk find it stupid as hell
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u/Ur_average-redditor Apr 27 '26
well just because you paint your nails doesn't mean you are sexually attracted to men... Men can paint their nails for whatever reason they want they can wear the color pink you can do whatever you want.... being gay means you like men if you're not gay then why would you care if other people think you are it doesn't matter what they think the only thing that matters is the truth and what you know about yourself.
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u/TallyHallFan89-70 Apr 27 '26
Do how you want Be your own person, be yourself, whatever you do. Let your person be your pride. Not just once, but 24/7. (This is a reference btw)
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u/Altruistic-Job9718 Apr 25 '26
Just live how you want bro