For this week's Allyship inspired #CBBxManiMonday, I knew that I wanted to lean in to supporting all of the different wings and facets of the LGBTQ+ community by featuring nail art inspired by several different Pride flags, but initially I struggled pretty hard with how to actually do that in a way that maintained cohesion and.. you know, looked nice. Ultimately, I decided to go with this swoopy abstract dotticure featuring the color patterns of several different Pride flags that live under the LGBTQ+ umbrella.

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Something that really made me want to share specific pride flags in this mani is that I've seen a lot of content online recently focusing on the specific struggles that so many people are facing right now. On my thumb and ring fingers, I featured the classic 6 color Rainbow Pride flag, which is intended as an umbrella to support and celebrate the entirety of the incredibly diverse LGBTQ+ community. Next, because of all of the discourse around gender identity and pronouns I decided to include the Non-Binary Pride flag, featured on my first finger. And because there are still a ton of really problematic ways that bi people are treated and left out of the conversation, I featured the colors of the Bisexual Pride flag on my pinkie.

The most important of the specific flags currently, though, is the Trans Pride flag. As someone who identifies with the gender that aligns with the sex I was assigned at birth, I have absolutely no idea what it's like to be a trans person. That said, I do know without question that the discrimination and discourse surrounding the trans community that is currently happening in our culture and politics is dangerous and toxic to people who are already dealing with some really heavy and hard things. Watching the way lawmakers, particularly in the US but also here in Canada, are using manipulative calls to protect children from trans people to enact harmful, discriminatory legislation that continues to marginalize trans people and put them in even further danger of violence and harm and that is absolutely not okay. 

If you are someone who says that you support the LGBTQ+ community and you don't support trans people and stand in allyship with them - then you don't support the LGBTQ+ community. Period. 

If you've gotten to the end of this post and you wonder why allyship to a community like this one, one of which you are not a member and perhaps one that your faith says isn't okay, I think it's worthwhile to really take time and think about the right and freedom each and every person should have to live their life authentically, safely, and with as much happiness and love as possible. The truth of the matter is that there are so many people out there struggling to find their place, to be able to be exactly who they are, and to overcome the absolutely cruel amount of shame that they are still faced with even when we like to think we've come so far. There's been so much talk about protecting the children, while absolutely ignoring the harm, pain and in a shocking numerous amount of cases death that is coming to LGBTQ+ kids and teens. So, yeah, let us protect the children, but in the right way. The loving way. 

Be sure to head over to Cosmetic Proof and See The World In PINK today to check out their Allyship themed nail art. And also, for video tutorials for all of my work, please head over to @pblnails on Instagram and drop a follow! 

Thanks for reading!