How I'm Tackling Transphobia, One Manicure At A Time

I began my campaign as I began my transition, about four years now, and I basically travel around the UK to galleries, museums, festivals, universities and colleges (whoever will have me) and offer the public free manicures for the chance to sit and have a chat with a trans person. They can ask me any questions they have about trans stuff and I can teach them how to be an ally and that, but the most important part of the interaction for me is just having a chat, because what I'm really trying to do is humanise the issue a bit and break down people's misconceptions by showing that trans people are pretty normal (and pretty nice too to be honest).


Hiya guys, so as you already know if you've watched my profile video, I'm Charlie Craggs, I'm 25, and I'm an activist from London.

I run a campaign called Nail Transphobia, which is all about tackling transphobia fabulously, because in case you couldn't tell from my voice in the first episode - I'm trans.

I began my campaign as I began my transition, about four years now, and I basically travel around the UK to galleries, museums, festivals, universities and colleges (whoever will have me) and offer the public free manicures for the chance to sit and have a chat with a trans person.

They can ask me any questions they have about trans stuff and I can teach them how to be an ally and that, but the most important part of the interaction for me is just having a chat, because what I'm really trying to do is humanise the issue a bit and break down people's misconceptions by showing that trans people are pretty normal (and pretty nice too to be honest).

So, really, my campaign is all about conversation, the nails are just my way of engaging people in that conversation who wouldn't normally be engaged.

The aim of my campaign is that people go away with more than just a manicure - they go away an ally.

It's gonna be an exciting few months for me and the campaign.

Nail Transphobia is turning four, the campaign's just gone global too - I was invited to bring my pop up salon stateside for New York Pride, and my first book To My Trans Sisters (available for preorder now *ding*) is out in October!

The show will be following me during this exciting time on my journey with my campaign and on my journey with my transition too.

Come on this journey with me!

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