This father’s Twitter rant about his 5-yr-old son being bullied for wearing nail polish is going viral

Sam Gouveia, 5, was bullied at school for painting his nails. Furious over the incident, his big brother, and his dad decided to paint their nails too. Later on, in a poignant Twitter thread, Gouveia’s dad attacked society’s preconceived gender norms. “My rage meter is spiking right now so excuse me if this is a little […]

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To cheer him up, his brother and father too wore nail polish on their fingers. (Source: Daddy Files/ Twitter)

Sam Gouveia, 5, was bullied at school for painting his nails. Furious over the incident, his big brother, and his dad decided to paint their nails too. Later on, in a poignant Twitter thread, Gouveia’s dad attacked society’s preconceived gender norms.

“My rage meter is spiking right now so excuse me if this is a little raw but there are some things I want to say about BS #gender norms,” he wrote on the social media site. “He loves to have his nails painted bright colours because he thinks they ‘look beautiful.’ And he’s right – they are beautiful,” his father Aaron Gouveia wrote.

Sam is my middle child & he’s a terror. A “boy’s boy” as so many (not me) would say. He’s rough and tumble, he’s loud, he’s always dirty, loves trucks, plays sports and knee drops me from the couch. But he also loves a lot of “girl” things.

— Daddy Files (@DaddyFiles) October 23, 2018

Going by the handle, Daddy Files, the father of three added, “Sam is my middle child & he’s a terror. A “boy’s boy” as so many (not me) would say. He’s rough and tumble, he’s loud, he’s always dirty, loves trucks, plays sports and knee drops me from the couch. But he also loves a lot of “girl” things.” He clarified he wore the pain to school as he had no idea it was only reserved for girls.

So he proudly wore his red nail polish to kindergarten this morning because Sam has absolutely no concept of nail polish only being for girls or reason to think anyone would possibly have a problem with beautiful nails. pic.twitter.com/WsHHupgw9H

— Daddy Files (@DaddyFiles) October 23, 2018

Describing the ordeal, he added, “He called me at work, his words barely decipherable through the sobs, and I told him nothing those kids say matters. That his nails are BADASS! And the only thing that matters is whether he likes his nails. And then my heart broke…” He said that the little boy also asked his mother to remove the paint to not face the humiliation again.

When my wife picked him up from school he collapsed into her arms and cried uncontrollably. He was devastated at how other kids turned on him, even his friends. He asked them to stop but that just made it worse. Only 1 kid stood up for him.

— Daddy Files (@DaddyFiles) October 23, 2018

“Daddy, I want mommy to take off the nail polish so they don’t make fun of me.”

— Daddy Files (@DaddyFiles) October 23, 2018

To console his child and to urge him to not give into such norms, Gouveia said that even Thor and Captain Jack Sparrow wear nail polish.

But more importantly I told him it doesn’t matter what anyone else does because what you wear and how you look should make YOU look good. And to hell with everyone else.

— Daddy Files (@DaddyFiles) October 23, 2018

Calling out other parents who supported gender norms, he said, “I know these kids are only in kindergarten but this toxic masculinity bullshit 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 bet they don’t know. I bet their parents don’t even know. But what I do know is Sam is a goddamn fireworks show of a human being and I won’t let that be dulled for a second by this restrictive bullshit that’s been choking boys forever.

— Daddy Files (@DaddyFiles) October 23, 2018

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 with red because “it’s pretty and good luck for the @patriots.” #ItsOnlyWeirdIfItDoesntWork pic.twitter.com/KtuwldiEJw

— Daddy Files (@DaddyFiles) October 23, 2018

Intolerant parents and their offspring scored a minor victory today but they won’t win the war. I know that because the Sams of the world aren’t going to suffer this bullshit anymore. Of that I have no doubt.

— Daddy Files (@DaddyFiles) October 23, 2018

His post went viral, and many fathers and men came out to show love to Sam and his dad, with some posting their photos of painted nails too.

This is an excellent thread. You handled it beautifully and your child has thoughtful loving parents. Labeling and bullying is learned early. They grow up to be mean. We see it everywhere and yes, parents are responsible for perpetuating the behavior. Thank you for posting. ✌🗽

— Angél (@jesuispret_3239) October 25, 2018

YOU ARE AN AWESOME DAD. I say that as a FATHER of 4–3 girls and 1 8-year-old boy who is ALL BOY but loves and adores his sisters so much sometimes he wants to be like them. THAT IS LOVE! THANK YOU!

— Erik Borne (@borne_erik) October 25, 2018

tell your kid i just bought these for my female mad hatter halloween costume. i’m a 40 year old 6’4″ straight male btw. :) pic.twitter.com/0CiR2u9Nu4

— Sascha Von Bornheim (@saschavonb) October 24, 2018

My husband is better at painting nails than me and my daughter loves to paint his! It’s other people’s problems not your child’s! pic.twitter.com/dLaaLN3uAw

— Ceri Moore (@ceri2bigfeet) October 24, 2018

Show him my 5 year old boy pic.twitter.com/aeXxyLnuNn

— Phil G (@PhilipGrainger) October 24, 2018

Let Sam know I’m an engineer on rockets and often go camping and offroading, very “manly” things, and I wear nail polish because it makes me look good. Sam should keep wearing nail polish if he thinks it makes him look good, make others jealous! pic.twitter.com/o8mWoZTzP6

— Voted Aerospace’s 8th Best Haircut 2018 (@jaredhead) October 24, 2018