Paint ’em blue for Autism Awareness: This dad is putting the ‘MAN’ into manicure

Louisiana father, Brian Batey, is sporting a style statement to support children with autism and wants us to do the same.

Brian’s campaign started three years ago when a family friend painted her nails and her daughter’s nails blue to show their support for Nathan, Brian’s son, during Autism Awareness month. When Nathan was diagnosed as having Autism, Brian began to realise that he himself was also “on the spectrum”. He describes having a child with Autism as a lonely experience at times and says seeing others showing their support through this small act gives him a huge lift. He told HLN news:

“They don’t get invited to birthday parties or prom. For the first two years (that I did the challenge), I would see blue nails and it was encouraging. It made me feel less alone, less out at sea, maybe that person was like me and facing the same challenges.”

Brian wants his campaign to help change people’s perceptions of autism.

“Me and my son and the next autistic person they meet are complete, well-rounded people, if they can just ignore the missing piece long enough to find out.”

The first year of the campaign Paint ‘Em Blue for Autism, 38 people sent Brian pictures of their blue nails. For the second year, Brian pledged to get his first tattoo if he reached his target of 100 participants. He got 312. He duly got his “ink”; a bass clef made up of puzzle pieces and this year ahead of Autism Awareness month he got a second tattoo of the superman symbol again comprised of puzzle pieces though with one piece missing.

“Autistic people can have some amazing intellectual abilities. The missing piece asks the observer to consider what these people would be if they had all of the abilities and none of the disability that autism has given them. They would be practically superhuman. It also communicates my personal choice to focus more on Nathan’s strengths and giftedness rather than on his struggles and current limitations.”

This year Brian is celebrating as his campaign is growing in its reach.