This Mom Defended Her Son's Love of Wearing Nail Polish and Tutus In Powerful Open Letter

Ask Facebook user Devon Berryann why she allows her 6-year-old son to wear nail polish and a tutu and she'll tell it to you straight: "Because it makes him happy."

In a Facebook post uploaded on Thursday, that has since been shared more than 9,400 times, Berryann defended her decision to allow her son to dress exactly as he'd like. 

"My six year old son likes to wear nail polish," she started the post. "He likes to wear girls' clothes and tutus. He tells me about the boys he likes at school. He says he will marry them and adopt babies."

She thought that her unconditional love would shield him from bullies or naysayers. But a couple days before her post, she learned the brutal truth about how horrible humanity can be to those who do not adhere to gender norms after her son told her he was bullied for his decision to wear nail polish. Instead of immediately telling him to ignore those people, she first considered asking him to remove it. 

"I considered talking him into taking it off... into hiding that part of himself," she wrote. After realizing the damaging message this could send, she decided against. She listed off the exact reasons why she chose to let him do what he wants:

"Because it makes him happy."

"Because nothing hurts more than seeing your child truly sad."

"Because pretending to be someone you're not to please other people only leads to self-loathing." 

Berryann doesn't understand why she has to fear for her child based on the way he chooses to present himself. "Aren't we past all this yet?" she asked. "I want this world to change."

And users seem to agree. "He should be able to be the beautiful person he is! No matter what," one person commented. "You're right this world needs to change immediately. We should love each other for our differences not condemn each other because we are different," said another. 

As Mic reported in March, times are a-changing — at least within the fashion, beauty and media industry. Back in January, Jaden Smith posed for Vogue Korea wearing blue nail polish. And, well, it wasn't that big of a deal. He was just joining a long list of male celebrities that had been seen doing the same in addition to a growing emergence of male beauty bloggers, many of whom paint their nails, and wear gender fluid outfits on runways. 

Hopefully, the inclusivity will eventually become the pervasive mindset throughout society, allowing Berryann's son to wear all the tutus and nail polish that he chooses. 

"See my boy for the amazing person he is," she wrote. "Show him love. Show him acceptance. Help us change the world into one that deserves him." 

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