The BBC has permanently removed an article from its website that explored the trend of bare nails and linked it to "white supremacist standards of beauty." The corporation concluded that the piece did not meet its editorial standards due to a lack of sufficient context and challenge to the controversial claims.
The article, which first appeared on September 27, examined a supposed "viral craze" for bare nails, noting its presence on social media and fashion runways. It also covered criticisms suggesting the trend could "stigmatise bold manicures," and highlighted that nail art has roots in Black, Latino, and Asian communities.
Beauty journalist Kristina Rodulfo was quoted in the piece stating that the trend promoted "blankness" and an "erasure of culture and identity" important to Black and Brown communities. She added that terms like "elegant" or "tasteful" are often euphemisms perpetuating white supremacist beauty standards, and that such trends are often associated with white women or celebrities.
The BBC initially removed the article on September 29 pending an editorial review after it faced criticism from US media outlets, particularly on the political right. Following the review, the article was permanently removed on the same day. The BBC's corrections and clarifications register stated that the article reported criticism of the bare nails trend without sufficient context or challenge.
Several media outlets, including The Wall Street Journal, New York Post, Fox News, and The Telegraph, published pieces criticizing the BBC article. Celia Walden, a feature writer for The Telegraph, wrote that being told she was a white supremacist before her coffee was a "rude awakening."