Pack of acrylic press on artificial nails, unsigned, c.2013

Pack of acrylic press on artificial nails, unsigned, c.2013. Donated by a young trans individual to represent an aspect of their gender identity expression.

Artificial nails like these are a way individuals chose to enhance and decorate their fingernails. Press on nails are made of acrylic resin, and are applied to fingernails either by a nail glue or adhesive strip.

This pack of nails was donated by a young trans individual following its display within a temporary exhibition at the Science Museum titled "What makes your gender?" in 2013, curated by a group of fifteen young transgender individuals working in partnership with the charity Gendered Intelligence. It was chosen as an object associated with expressing gender identity - how a person publicly expresses or presents their gender. Gender identity can be expressed through behaviour, clothing, hair, makeup and other aspects of an individual's external appearance.