Marina Pecorino, Managing Editor– The Point
The Point started in 1994 as a black and white paper mailer with a rotating cast of producers. The very first iteration1 stated in its introduction that “we intend [for this publication] to serve as a forum for information; all contributions are welcome.” In Issue 22, The Point producers stated that the publication was intended to “make piercing a safe, positive, evolving craft” and cautioned submitting authors to “expect to be variously disagreed with, challenged, or supported by other subscribers. That’s exactly The Point.”
This will be my final issue as a Managing Editor of The Point: Journal of Body Piercing, and the last consolidated issue to be published in a “printable” magazine format. Over the last five years I’ve helped to produce and publish 20 issues containing various tidbits of industry history; I’m sincerely proud of this professional and personal accomplishment. This unexpected opportunity allowed me to know colleagues and our organization in ways I wouldn’t have otherwise experienced. I feel closer and more connected to the piercing community, thanks to the knowledge I have gained as an Editor for this amazing publication. I am eternally grateful to have had this chance, and to have worked so closely with Kendra Jane B. and Jim Ward during my time with this project.
Moving forward, the publication will be exclusively available at thepointjournal.org in a blog style. We continue to encourage and welcome submissions of body modification and piercing related writing and high resolution images to editor@safepiercing.org. Since inception, this publication seeks to provide a reliable and progressive source of industry information, and a public platform for the diverse set of voices in our field.
The overall theme of this issue was originally planned around the interconnection between LGBTQIA+ and body mod culture; I had untold enthusiasm and personal connection to this theme. Unfortunately, due to a lack of author submissions from our community on the topic, and my own mental hurdles about ending this project (I’m not a fan of endings), the publication date was pushed far beyond our normal quarterly schedule.
Ultimately, I made the difficult decision to refocus the enclosed content around the current state of our industries and communities. Alongside many others, recently my attention and energy have been redirected; concentrating on how we can work together to create a community and support others in these uncertain and ever-evolving circumstances. I am proud of the work that my colleagues and organization have accomplished in the face of this crisis; more information about these labors of love can be found on subsequent pages of this issue.
Unfortunately, like many others, I have very different feelings toward the collaboration, guidance, and assistance offered by my state and national governing bodies. This issue offers a selection of perspectives from different industry professionals on the current COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout this difficult experience, I have been feeling much like Leah Sarah Kent describes later in this issue; “defeated, sad, and ultimately helpless” about the “systemic oppression and inequalities this virus so clearly exposes” and the lack of “major collective action as a people to rise up and fight for a new society.”
Personally, I am ready for a social and structural revolution, with the safety, security, and well being of the nation and world as the cornerstone. Until then, I’ll continue doing what I can to use my platforms to share diverse perspectives, reliable information, and available resources with my local and global communities. I hope that you will do the same. As Caitlin McDiarmid has said: “Stay Positive. Stay Generous. Stay Safe.”
1 “The Point—official newsletter of the APP,” File Archive, Association of Professional Piercers, accessed May 20, 2020,
https://www.safepiercing.org/docs/point01.pdf.
2 “The Point—official newsletter of the APP: Volume 1, Issue 2,” File Archive, Association of Professional Piercers, published January 1995,
