By Brandon Cortés
Features Editor
Tables lined with bottles of nail polish, brushes and color palettes filled the SAGE Center as students gathered for Nailed It: Queer Expression Through Color, an event hosted by the SAGE Center in celebration of LGBTQ+ History Month.
Graduate Intern for the SAGE center Serginho Walker said the event encouraged participants to use nail art as a form of expression, emphasizing empowerment, visibility and liberation within the queer community.
“What inspired this particular event is that October is Queer History Month,” Walker said.“
Walker said that typically, during Queer History Month, other identities like bisexual and gay are represented.
However, Walker said there is rarely a space specifically for nonbinary or trans individuals.
Painting your nails is a form of self-expression, and for many nonbinary and trans people, that is an important part of who they are.
Walker said the event was designed to give participants a creative outlet to explore their identities while building a sense of community.
The idea of nail art as activism, Walker said, reflects a broader tradition of resistance within queer culture.
“Nail art is a form of resistance,” Walker said. “It’s about exploring yourself without judgment and celebrating liberation. For trans, drag and queer folks, makeup and color are ways of expressing who we are and claiming our space.”
Beyond the artistic element, Nailed It also invited reflection.
Students were encouraged to think about how small acts of self-expression, such as painting one’s nails, can carry deep symbolic meaning, particularly in communities that have historically faced stigma or exclusion.
“My hope for participants is that they leave with a feeling of pride, liberation and confidence,” Walker said. “It’s about understanding another part of your identity.”
Walker said the SAGE Center was founded on exploring and accepting identity, and this event is another way to connect people to the community they’re part of.”
The SAGE Center, short for sexuality and gender equality, frequently hosts programs focused on inclusivity, education and empowerment.
Events like Nailed It aim to create affirming spaces where all students can explore topics related to gender, sexuality and self-acceptance.
“Self-expression, for me, means freedom,” Walker said. “It means self-exploration. Being able to do that without any form of judgment or self-hatred. Feeling confident in who you are is what liberation looks like.”
Walker said that events like this one also help break down stereotypes about self-expression. They explained that something as simple as nail art can carry a powerful message about identity, confidence and visibility.
By creating a space that blends creativity with conversation, the SAGE center allows students to express themselves freely while learning about the deeper cultural meaning behind those choices.
The event also fostered connection among students who might not otherwise cross paths.
Between conversations, laughter and shared design ideas, participants found community in small moments.
The atmosphere was relaxed but meaningful, reflecting the center’s goal of creating spaces where everyone feels seen and valued.
As the afternoon went on, more students stopped by to join in, some painting their nails for the first time, others simply watching and talking. What began as an artistic activity turned into a conversation about identity and acceptance.
Walker said they hope to make Nailed It a recurring event at the university, one that continues to grow each year. Improvements, such as better equipment and expanded participation, are already in discussion for future additions and future nail events.
“I definitely see this becoming a staple program within the SAGE Center,” Walker said. “This year, even students who weren’t part of the space came to get their nails done. It’s something people connect to because at its core, it’s about color, creativity and community.”
