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The original was posted on /r/soccer by /u/Sparky-moon on 2026-03-10 12:28:33+00:00.
In mid-January, hundreds of Celta Vigo fans, both men and women, went to the stadium with painted nails so that one of their players could continue to paint his. It was a show of love: a few days earlier, after a match against Sevilla FC, the player in question, Borja Iglesias, had been subjected to yet another wave of homophobic insults, including “go die, you dirty fag***,” as he has been for years.
For Palestine, against toxic masculinity, in favor of women’s soccer. In August 2023, angry that Spanish Federation president Luis Rubiales did not resign after forcibly kissing international player Jennifer Hermoso, the striker announced his retirement from La Roja. Since then, Rubiales has been convicted and left, and Iglesias, who was recalled during the last gathering, could play in the World Cup.
“When did you start painting your nails?”
During lockdown, with my ex-girlfriend, at home, but I wasn’t ready to show it off, I was afraid of what people might say. Shortly after, the Black Lives Matter movement (following the death of African American George Floyd in Minneapolis after being arrested by police in May 2020) had a big impact on me. So I painted my nails black to raise awareness for the cause and combat racist attitudes in Spain. Painting my nails makes me feel like I can express something, in the same way as a haircut or a tattoo. I don’t always do it, it depends on how I feel, sometimes I use colors or designs. This is something very simple, you see (he shows his hands)? A French manicure, is that what you call it? It’s starting to wear off, I’ll go back soon.
How do you deal with the homophobic insults you regularly receive on social media and in stadiums?
The first few times, it affected me, I took it personally. But after thinking about it, I see things differently now. I don’t consider being called a “fag***” to be an insult. When someone says that, I tell myself that I’d be much happier being a “fag***” than being like him, full of hate, with nothing else to do but hurl insults at the end of a game. What bothers me is that gay people are afraid to come out because of reactions like that. Not being able to show who you are and love who you want is unacceptable, which is why the fight against homophobia is essential and why I’m involved in it (in 2023, he was behind a video clip that went viral).