BBC Removes Article Linking Manicure Trend to 'White Supremacy'
The British broadcaster permanently deleted a story after it failed to adequately challenge claims that 'bare-looking' nails perpetuate racist beauty standards.
The BBC has permanently removed an article from its website that explored the viral trend of 'bare-looking' manicures and linked it to 'white supremacy,' citing a failure to meet editorial standards. The article, initially published on September 27, featured an interview with a London salon owner who discussed the growing demand for subtle, natural-looking fake nails, attributing it to a 'quiet luxury' trend popularized on social media.
The story also included criticisms of the trend, quoting beauty journalist Kristina Rodulfo who suggested that the promotion of 'blankness' and 'sameness' in this aesthetic could marginalize nail designs popular in Black, Latino, and Asian communities. Rodulfo was quoted saying that terms like 'elegant' or 'tasteful' when applied to bare nails can be euphemisms that uphold white supremacist beauty standards, and that the trend often conflates class and taste with this perceived bareness.
The article sparked immediate backlash, with former Olympic swimmer Sharron Davies calling it 'divisive tosh' and choreographer Rosie Kay deeming it 'beyond utterly insane.' Opera historian Alexandra Wilson criticized the BBC for politicizing everyday trends and stated it demeans the broadcaster to report such content as news.
A Wall Street Journal piece also labeled the BBC article 'embarrassingly retrograde.'
The BBC initially removed the article for editorial review on September 29, citing online backlash. Following the review, the Corporation confirmed the story's permanent removal on the same day. In its corrections and clarifications, the BBC stated that the article reported criticism of the bare nails trend without sufficient context or challenge, thus failing to meet its editorial standards.
This incident is the latest in a series of editorial controversies for the BBC. The broadcaster is currently facing legal action from former US President Donald Trump regarding an edited speech in a Panorama episode. Last year, it faced criticism for not disclosing that the narrator of a documentary about Gaza was the son of a Hamas official.