Category Features

Point 86: Building an Empire

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by Georgina Schiavelli

Black Diamond Body Piercing

Above, Melissa Willette, Brooke Bittens, Georgina
Schiavelli, Andie Saunders, & Kat Blair;
opposite page, Georgina Schiavelli

People often ask me what the secret of my success is. In an industry as multifaceted as professional piercing, that’s a very difficult question to answer, but I’m going to do my best to boil it down to some key points. Like everything else in life, hindsight is 20/20. Looking back is when many valuable lessons are learned. Over my 22 years in this industry I’ve learned things that have helped me find success and things that hindered my growth, both professionally and personally. I hope to share some of those lessons.

When I started my apprenticeship in 1997, piercing was barely considered its own industry. We were more of an addition to another industry, and because of this, there were a lot of tattoo artists who offered piercing; my old bosses being two of them. Fortunately for everyone, they got “too busy tattooing to deal with doing piercings” and hired an actual piercer. I became that piercers’ apprentice and that is where my story begins. Planning a career path in piercing wasn’t really on my mind at the time because I didn’t know if piercing would be there as a career down the road. The industry was so young, and we were all so hopeful, but also quite unsure of our futures and basically flying by the seat of our pants. Thankfully, I followed my heart, stuck with it, and built up a great clientele. I became known for my high standards, ethics, and a true passion for the job. I treated every client with respect and professionalism and like every piercing was the most important one I’d ever done. I did outreach at local colleges to promote safe standards and educate my peers. If the shop was open, I was working, and I did everything that I could to further the reputation of the shop that I worked in.

Even though I had always been a team player, and went above and beyond my job description daily, my bosses still had very little respect for me or for piercing. “They come here for us and stay for you, not the other way around, and don’t you forget it” was said to me so many times that I lost count. I knew in my heart that wasn’t true and that I was creating my own success. I could also see that the industry was changing and going amazing places. I knew that I wanted to be a part of that, so after almost 11 years at the same shop, I left. The running mental list of “if this was my place” I had made over the years made me realize immediately that it needed to be a piercing-only studio. I knew it was risky, but it just felt right. So, I cashed out the sad little retirement account that my dad made me start at 20, got a line of credit at the bank, got a small loan from my accountant who is a venture capitalist, and opened a new credit card with the highest limit they’d give me. It was the scariest thing I’ve ever done in my life. I had no idea how much harder it would get before it got better, but it was the right decision, and I knew with all of my heart that this was where I belonged. I found a great location, scraped together enough money for a security deposit, a few month’s rent, the renovations needed to build my shop to APP standards and a small stock of implant grade basics and simple gems to get me through a couple of months of piercing.

Georgina Schiavelli

It took a total of four months to build my shop. On top of my 50 hours a week piercing at the tattoo shop, I worked every morning, every night, and every Sunday doing anything I could do to get my shop ready for the opening. I had planned to open Labor Day weekend, but was found out by my old bosses (who were less than supportive) in early August, so my deadline became as soon as possible. Those last two weeks were an all-day, all-night marathon of painting and finishing touches. I opened my doors on August 19, 2008. I had made it, and thought I had it all figured out. Now I just needed to wait for the money to roll in, right? HA! I hope you laughed at that too.

There’s a saying that if you’d like to make the universe laugh, just tell it your plans. The universe  apparently had some hard lessons for me to learn, because on September 29, 2008, just six weeks after I opened my doors, the stock market crashed. I had originally expected to get back to a decent salary within a couple of years, but between everyone being scared to spend money and worried about the future, and my naivete in the reali ties of owning a business, I really had no money to pay myself, especially if I wanted to still grow the business, so I basically lived on my tips. Fortunately, I was married, and my husband was  supportive  enough to agree to cover the bills while I built back up to real paychecks. I worked at the shop completely by myself for two years, and every cent that came in went right back into Black Diamond. It was the hardest two years of my adult life.   I remember choosing groceries by what coupons I had and ate  meals at friends and families houses whenever  I could. I was 31 years old and living like I was 18 again, except now I was married and previously knew what it was like to not be broke all the time. That was a hard pill to swallow after making fairly-good money for so long, but I would do anything to make the shop succeed and I knew this was the only way to make that happen.

By 2010, I took on an apprentice. Thankfully, the time went by quickly and Brooke Bittens was a natural, so by 2011, I didn’t have to do every single piercing that came in and even got a day off a week! Since I was trying to grow our jewelry selection, I still needed to be very careful, but at that point I was finally able to get a steady, albeit tiny, paycheck! Thanks to living on as little money as possible, I paid off the last of my loans by Christmas 2013, just 5 years and a few months after I opened my doors. Unfortunately, I also ended my marriage during that year due to a few factors, but largely because of how much time I dedicated to my shop. It was always a cause for fights, and ultimately the love I have for my career and my determination to succeed very much overshadowed my relationship, so one of them had to give.

From 2010-2015, I had hired quite a few front-end people with the hopes of turning them into jewelry experts. I always favored having front end jewelry experts and not just “counter people”. It was clear to me that they were both very specific skills and if I wanted the shop to be able to handle more clients, it was a necessity. Thankfully, I found a couple of people that worked out well! Andie Saunders became my second apprentice and Melissa Willette became my shop manager. Around then, the physical reality of full-time, medium to high volume piercing was also starting to really emerge. By the end of 2015, when Andie was finishing up her apprenticeship, I had a full blown non-traumatic labral tear from 18 years of constant piercing. Overuse syndromes are sneaky because you deal with the symptoms for so long that they become normal. Suddenly, my hand started to go numb, I would wake up crying from the shooting pains in my shoulder and chest, and no matter how many massages I got, it never let up. I saw a few Doctors, and the consensus was, either get surgery (which may or may not actually fix the problem; cartilage is a funny thing) or work less, since it mostly was only unbearable when I pierced a lot. That Christmas, I also took my first real vacation of my entire adult life. While I was away, I did a lot of thinking and decided this was it, time to change roles. I had put in my time piercing, and my body was telling me to take a step back from it. I still loved to pierce, I just couldn’t handle the volume anymore, so I started working by appointment and spent the rest of my time either filling in up front showing jewelry when my manager was off or sitting in my office ordering jewelry/supplies and brainstorming my next move.

It was becoming obvious that two full-time piercers and one part time, by appointment, piercer just wasn’t going to be enough. Everyone was getting so burned out, we were getting busier by the day, and I couldn’t physically handle any more piercings than I was doing. Thankfully, I was still accustomed to my inexpensive life, so my paychecks stayed low throughout the years, and largely because of that the business finally had a pretty decent savings. That is when I asked my landlord if I could expand into a part of the other side of the building for an additional piercing room. The expansion only took a few months, and before I knew it, we were hosting guest piercers almost monthly. For a year and a half, we hosted guest piercers during our busiest months, sometimes for weeks at a time. From the guest spots, I was able to hire a great piercer to round out the crew, Rob Gold, who officially joined the team in March 2017. I also recently hired another jewelry expert, Lilly Young, as well as a part time jewelry-expert-in-training to help with front-end overflow. This has allowed us to grow into the potential that was already there and finally catch up to the needs of our clientele. In October 2018, just over 10 years after I opened, I was able to buy the building that my business is in, so now not only can I take over the rest of the first floor to allow for a larger waiting room and a new office for me, I also inherited 3 tenants for more income, thereby starting a whole new business, Black Sapphire Properties.

So, that brings us to 2019: my 22nd year as a piercer, my 11th year as a business owner, and my first year as a landlord. Now that I finally have a full staff that I trust, my main role at the shop is all the background stuff like finances, jewelry orders, and website updates, and I can still take appointments here and there. I now have plans to buy an apartment building down the street, hopefully within the next year, and plan to buy more investment properties over time. When I look back on everything, it now seems so obvious how I got here, but as I said in the beginning, hindsight is a great teacher. My journey has taught me some of the vital components to success:

  • Standards—As a Member of the Professional Piercers whose primary goal is promoting safe piercing, this one should be obvious, but it’s also worth mentioning. It is important to stay on top of what’s happening in the industry as far as jewelry standards, sterility practices, and aftercare. It’s easy to sell yourself to clients when you know you’re doing everything you can to give them the best experience and the safest piercing possible. Do not sell any jewelry you wouldn’t wear yourself and educate yourself on every aspect of the jewelry companies that you carry and their products.
  • Integrity—Be impeccable with your word: with clients, other piercers, other industry people— with absolutely everyone. Honestly, I believe this is true in every part of your life, but it’s essential in business and is the key to building a business that will stand the test of time. On the same note, be wary of people who belittle you and your vision. Walk away from toxic people and those that lack integrity, they will only bring you down.
  • Passion—Your clients can sense if you’re genuine or not and this industry is only truly rewarding if you love it more than anything. If you are in this industry for any other reason than your love of piercing and jewelry, do yourself a favor and don’t open a shop.
  • Image—To put it simply, be professional. Speak with confidence and be able to back it up with knowledge. Be careful who you represent yourself as, in person and especially online. No one wants to give their money to  a jerk, no matter how well you pierce or how nice your jewelry is. Period. There’s a saying in retail that applies well to piercers, “A happy client tells  a  few  friends. An unhappy client tells EVERYONE.” Whether you are opening a shop in a year or ten years, the internet never forgets and neither do salty clients. Also, be sure your shop physically reflects what you’re trying to project to the world. It’s hard to sell a $500 piece of jewelry if you look like you just rolled out of bed or your shop doesn’t look like a fine jewelry store.
  • Consistency—Be sure your staff is all on the same page and your front end is well trained. Have frequent meetings to quickly address problems or inconsistencies that arise. Having an employee handbook is also essential. You want all the things that are important to you in writing so that there’s never a question what should be done in any situation, whether you’re there or not. You want any client to walk in on any given day and have just as good of an experience as any other, no matter who is working. Part of this is also treating your employees well and paying them well to create an environment that encourages long term employment. When you have a staff that you trust, you have a lot of freedom too.
  • Sacrifice—When you own a business, you may be the most important person as far as image and decisions, but you’re the least important person when it comes to paychecks. It will pay off in the end, but building a shop from the ground up is not for the faint-of-heart or the weak-willed. The shop HAS TO come first, and your staff isn’t going to work for free. This will impact your life in every facet, and it may mean you make the least amount out of your whole staff at times, but if you stick to it and go all-in you will be rewarded in every way down the road. As far as start-up capital, however much you think you need to open a shop and make it successful, at least double it. You have no idea what can/will happen during your building years and you should be prepared for anything. Insurance may cover lost wages if your shop collapses or burns down, but it certainly won’t cover things like being slow because the economy tanked. If your plan is to open a shop someday, start putting away money now and don’t be frivolous. Make yourself a budget and stick to it; get used to being frugal. Think in years and decades, not weeks or months.
  • Limits—Remember, you are only human and just one person. You cannot do it all and still be healthy, either mentally or physically. Know when it’s time to take on other/more employees! And know when it’s time to take a step back too. On the same note, do not tolerate employees that do not share your vision. It’s very easy to be held hostage by talent and/or circumstance, but remember that it is your shop in the end and stick to your guns.
  • Preparation—The banks do not just hand out loans. Do your research and know the market in the area you want to open. Write a few practice business plans until you get it right and feel confident enough in your facts for a meeting with a loan officer. There’s plenty of information on the internet to lead you in the right direction. You can also look for a venture capitalist! The loan interest can be a little higher, but if a bank can’t help you, or can’t give you enough money, they are a great option. They are typically more adventurous than banks with what types of businesses they are willing to work with.
  • Confidence—Know your worth! Don’t compromise on pricing your services and/or jewelry thinking lower prices will bring people in, even in the beginning. It will come back to bite you and really limit your buying power when ordering new jewelry and growing your shop. If you do great work and sell great quality jewelry, the right people will happily pay you what you’re worth. Do not lower your prices, have piercing sales, or let people bully you into charging less. I promise, you don’t want those clients anyway; let the lesser shops have them. It will only make you look better in the end and win you more clients overall when those who were at first unwilling to pay your price come back to have you fix things. They’ll learn the difference first hand and you’ll now have a client for life who tells everyone they shouldn’t go anywhere else. Never apologize for having high standards.
  • Autonomy—Taking inspirations from other great shops is wonderful, but don’t concern yourself too much with what the other shops around you are doing. Just do your thing and believe in your vision! If you believe in what you’re doing, and you put the time and effort in, you’ll be amazed at what you can accomplish.

Point 86: Learning to Love the Taste of Fire: Elitism in Body Piercing

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by Jacob Spjut

Chuk, a fire eater, from Piercing Fans International Quarterly,
Issue 49, 1996. Photo by Billy Douglas, courtesy of
Gauntlet Enterprises

“They’re so cold, these scholars! May lightning strike their food so that their mouths learn how to eat fire!”

—Friedrich Nietzsche

There can not be a discussion concerning the contemporary history of the piercing industry without elitism entering into it. Elitism is so ingrained—even when there is growing democratization of information and  sharing of knowledge the world over—that the fear it will reveal its serpentine head has weakened the discussions required for the industry to continue to grow. Likely influenced by a culture crippled by the sentiment that it is reasonable to denounce expertise as superfluous, piercers are embracing the view that “my [anecdotal experience] is just as good as your knowledge.”1 Holding these particular beliefs and thinking they are somehow applicable to the entirety  of the industry makes this wholesale denunciation unsurprising. Elitism, which elicits feelings of otherness and exclusion, should no longer be a term thrown carelessly at an individual or group who strives to establish themselves as experts or as elite piercers. Applying disparaging meaning to any word similar to elitism, elite, or expert, for example, has driven  many piercers to reject taking principled stands or engaging in valuable dialogue concerning essential issues to avoid becoming branded  as  a charlatan or worse. The term elite, unfairly marred by its close association with elitism, can and should be used in the field to denote the positive positioning of individuals based on unique and qualifying attributes that can propel the industry forward. Overcoming the natural desire to reject an expert or elite piercer, as though they are an elitist piercer is paramount to the future of body piercing. Overcoming this desire, though, creates a unique challenge for piercers. Ego and a lack of consensus between piercers creates fissures that make the very idea of a group of experts seem intrinsically counterproductive to a growing and marketable industry. With focus, this problem is shown not to be insurmountable.

The existence of a top rung on this field’s ladder is a somewhat nebulous idea. There is little way to judge how “good” a piercer is or whether their ideas merit consideration. The inability to empirically discern what constitutes a qualified expert is true in almost any human intellectual endeavor, as subjectivity is a strong force against which to contend. This is especially true in fields that can reach the same result, like a well-healed piercing, through different means. This dilemma, however, does not make the act of examining and choosing this upper echelon of piercers superfluous.

Discerning who is qualified for the title is further made difficult by the historical justifications for the rejection of expertise. The Puritan “originators” of the United States upheld the idea that no group can preside over any individual; this was foundational to the oppressive nature of these “New World Settlers.” This rejection has carried forward for centuries, the result being expertise is no longer considered adequate; everyone feels entitled, even required, to have an opinion falsely regarded as equally valid as any other. “To reject the advice of experts is to assert autonomy, a way for Americans to insulate their increasingly fragile egos from ever being told they’re wrong about anything […] All things are knowable, and every opinion on any subject is as good as any other.”2

In the piercing field, this dismissal of expertise appears to have origins in hyperbolic discussions between some piercers attempting to absolve themselves of resentment. They likely felt that these other piercers were upholding “elitist” standards that contradicted policies they, the resentful, had practiced for years “without issue.” Many piercers remember this as a rebuff of the APP; the APP was used as a generalized term by many individuals to denote a piercer that maintained a set of standards deemed “unnecessary.” The myth of a group of elitist piercers likely has legitimate beginnings, but there is little reason to believe that for nearly two decades their existence has been the reality. Contrarily, an outpouring of information by a highly educated group of piercers has shown the benefit of learned leaders, as they have helped cultivate an environment of continuing education and progression. However, one can not overlook that history may have reduced the ability of many piercers to counteract the pressure to reject expertise. Regardless of its justification, this rejection continues to occur, though in smaller instances, leading to a distrust between professionals that hinders growth and can de-legitimize those involved.

The irony of this repudiation, whether of APP Members themselves, the Association as a whole, or of piercers dedicated to the highest standards attainable, is that many considered elitists ten years ago have helped to foster online communities that have seen the improvement of throngs of young piercers. The online communities that formed over the last decade are creating a circle of trusted piercers that are approached for their expertise when previously these experts were considered a pernicious influence over body piercing. When looking at the roster of consistently highly ranked teachers at the APP’s Annual Conference, or the moderators in the most notable active learning forums, it is evident that elite piercers exist within the field. It seems piercers have, with some hesitation, exited the cave of ignorance, from rejecting to elevating the rejected, but it is still imperative not to descend back into that cave of dismissal. Prevailing in the light requires admitting that there are more talented practitioners in the piercing room and that, after spending a great deal of time dedicated to garnering information pertaining to specific areas in the field, these piercers have increased the collective understanding of piercing. This is not necessarily accomplishable by all, but many with devotion can contribute significantly to the discourse. The challenge for the industry, however, is not necessarily how to create elite piercers, as they already exist. It is how they are recognized and used to further the industry.

Recognition begins by taking traits that hold universal appeal as being advantageous to intellectual growth and using these as a basis that will inform practitioners as to what separates expert and elite piercers from strictly experienced piercers. Addressing that this subject can invoke preconceived notions of what is meant when using vernacular that is similar is also necessary. “Elitism” is often suggestive of pedantic sterile field fanatics or of contemptible piercers using bully tactics to shame up-and-coming piercers into “hanging up their needles.” One is reminded of piercers using imaginary titles to denote their level of “mastery” in the craft, or those who have allowed their deeply held convictions on any given subject to give them a feeling of self-importance that makes any other “less than” merely because of a differing opinion. These typical instances of an “elitist” should not poison the well of what an expert or elite piercer is.

In comparison, an elite piercer has a deeper and more full understanding of a given subject or area of focus, and assert that they should not only disseminate that learning, but must expand upon their knowledge indefinitely. Elite piercers should be helpful, while being open to discussion and the pursuit of innovative ideas. They should always work hard to develop themselves as educators and maintain the philosophy that complacency is the death song of a good leader. They use their skill and understanding to advance the field in its totality, and they do not use it to amass “internet cool points.” When discussing ideas, they hold fast to their opinions, yet are accepting of provocation without being inexorable when presented with a valid argument. They are not from any single group, and one can not befriend themselves into their ranks. These are essential semantic distinctions and must be understood.

Piercers who are working towards developing these traits, and the elevation of those individuals who possess them, can be used to benefit everyone; creating opportunities for anyone who wishes to better the industry by instigating positive changes that vivify and encourage the culture that should be fostered. Creating an outlet for positive change will benefit the practitioners who are a part of this group, those who strive to be a part of it, and the clients assisted with the craft. Together, these changes will bring about a better experience for anyone who enters into the orbit of a piercer. This position of earned power requires a great deal of courage and demands a certain level of humility. This humility should not come at the expense of the critical need for depth of conviction, however. This is increasingly more important as a growing crisis of trusted piercers softening their positions rises in learning settings where they avoid conflict with others that may not agree with their ideas. By denying that some piercers are better or more knowledgeable, the bar of competence is deeply lowered, to a point where demonstrably inadequate piercers are  given the same weighted influence as their more educated peers. Weakening informed opinions, coupled with the growing focus towards educating new or struggling piercers, will be catastrophic.

This tendency is seen, more and more, in the classroom at the annual Association of Professional Piercers educational conference. Teachers, selected  because of their expertise concerning a subject, often concede points that may be contentious between practitioners. Sterile gloves, touted as an essential step forward by many, are rejected as just past the line of necessary by others. Surface finish, a subject that does not, at face value, seem like a position open to controversy, brings about inimical arguments where the ethical foundation in opposition is built on nothing more than“having not killed anyone.” Even standards adopted from other industries are cherry-picked to not further complicate established practices in one studio or another. What is an attendee to learn from exchanges that offer nothing more than “this is just how we do it?” It is ascertained that there is no reason to believe that any single idea is authoritative and that any position is equal as long as it falls within one’s “experience.” This should not be tolerable. The teacher, or any attendee with a reasoned argument to make, should not concede to an idea they disagree with unless they have been convinced they are, indeed, wrong. It is easy to say this concession is made only to avoid ostracizing a piercer who practices different standards. After all, there is room for differing approaches to piercing. There is merit to this, but it misses the point of reasoned dialog. One is to come to an opinion based on defensible points of reference. Which one of these positions is correct is debatable, thus refusing to debate is detrimental. Sterile gloves or surface finish may seem like silly and arbitrary examples, but it is analogous of many, more serious disagreements that plague the industry.

Potential problems that can arise when the industry embraces a perceived shadowy network of super piercers dictating what type of piercings will trend or how best to pierce a navel must be considered, as well. Piercers are not above being ego-driven and closed to critical evaluation. The fact that being open to critique is hailed as something special in the aforementioned online communities is telling. Experts on any given subject in the industry can also be wrong, biased, or they may be unable to see the nuance to a given idea.

Some, though not many, may even fall into the classification of “elitist,” making the need to be able to distinguish them even more critical. Regardless, allowing uninformed piercers to postulate ignorant ideas that go unchallenged can influence leadership within the APP or the online communities to implement policy or suggest ideas that hinder growth. This is the antithesis of what is essential to piercing’s future.

Thankfully, the piercing industry benefits from its interconnectedness, and delving into oligarchical ruin is not likely. Not only is it unlikely, but the structures already in place—structures that have led to a trusted network of expert piercers, such as the vetting process in the online forums—will make the problem an improbability. Piercers who, through hard work, rise to high positions will be accountable to every other piercer, at least to those working towards increasing the field’s prestige themselves. There is little room for ego-driven self-importance, especially when piercers looking to leadership for change are relentless in exposing muddied thinking and promoting good ideas. Critical examination of any proposition, regardless of whom it is coming from, is the mechanism by which the industry will flourish, and it must be encouraged.

It can not be denied that elitism has damaged the piercing industry. It has created fear. In this culture of fear, piercers have begun to turn inward, allowing subjectivity to be the essential consideration when ideas are posited. Many are rejecting, consciously or not, that there are those who are presenting more informed positions. They are labeling these other piercers inaccurately, using stigmatized terms to create ad hominem attacks and stifling required debate. This is a failure in need of reform. There are opinions that hold more water than others, and these opinions, though entirely open to challenge, are going to be presented by piercers that have spent the time to hone and expand on them. It is crucial to accept that an elite group of piercers exists, that this group’s roster is in constant flux, and that this is good for the industry. The acceptance of this fact will cause a shift that will make more widely applicable ideas resulting in the highest good for the industry. It must also be accepted that conviction to an opinion and being receptive to those who challenge it are two sides of the same coin of advancement. The industry must not fall for the false narrative that expertise is a prelude to elitism. Instead, the industry and its practitioners should embrace the title of “elite” as a call to responsible action, and work to earn that title every day.

1) Asimov, Isaac, “A Cult of Ignorance.” Newsweek, January 21,1980, 19.

2) Kakutani, Michiko, “‘The Death of Expertise’ Explores How Ignorance Became a Virtue,” The New York Times, March 21, 2017, https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/21/books/the-death-of-expertise-explores-how-ignorance-became-a-virtue.html

Point 86: Communicating Science in the Age of Fake News

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by Chris Beierschmitt

BA Biological Sciences – Columbia University

PhD candidate in Molecular Biology – US San Diego

Although the internet and social media have been boons for the distribution of information and ideas, most will agree that they have served as a double-edged sword. For every fact-based and informative article shared, it seems that there are two more that dabble in pseudoscience or outright lies. As professional piercers, we have a unique opportunity (and maybe an obligation) to utilize our platform to educate our clients and fellow industry people about a wide range of subjects. The problem is: scientific literature is written with language that allows researchers to appreciate the mechanical and technical nuances of a given topic, but it’s nearly indecipherable to the general public (i.e.: the taxpayers funding the research). Tackling this divide between scientific writing and comprehension by the average reader is a rough task, and while this burden should largely fall on the shoulders of the scientific community, there are methods piercing professionals can use to sift out pearls of relevant information from these daunting piles of data.

Consider the Source

In order to stay profitable, news organizations rely on click traffic to their websites so advertisers will buy ad space from them. It’s no mistake that headlines often share similar architecture, a la: “Scientists prove…;” “…you won’t believe what happens next;” or “Doctors are baffled by….” The unifying theme behind a majority of these articles is that, somewhere deep down, they are rooted in some intentional or accidental distortion of a real scientific finding. Like a childhood game of telephone, where an initial message is gradually corrupted as it passes from person to person, so do the relevant findings of a scientific publication as it is interpreted and communicated by people who don’t fully understand it. Before sharing one of these articles, it is our responsibility to find out how the authors came to their conclusion and if it makes sense. This means reading the article with a skeptical eye and finding the root of the author’s claims. Hopefully, the base of their writing can be found in apeer-reviewed scientific journal. The struggle isn’t over here, though, as many journals are behind paywalls and/or so jam-packed with difficult language that they are nearly unreadable. Knowing this, why should we strive to find a peer-reviewed source instead of just taking someone’s word for It?

Why Does Peer-reviewed Matter?

A scientific paper is (in most cases) the result of months to years of hard work and revision. In order to be published, it must be submitted with some novel finding, have published references for any claims about previous research, and must have data for any new claims. After submitting a paper to a scientific journal, it is preliminarily reviewed for novelty and general content. If this is found acceptable, it is given to several scientists unrelated to the journal for review. After weeks to months of review, the journal decides whether the author should be allowed (or is able to) address any concerns that the reviewers had. If the journal decides that the author will be able to revise their paper to address reviewer concerns, they will be given time to perform the necessary experiments and/or gather the appropriate data to do so. This revision process will take anywhere from a few days to a few months, depending on how demanding the revisions are. Finally, the paper is re-submitted with revisions, the journal performs any necessary editing for grammar and format, and in a few weeks to months, the paper is published. Authors must declare where their funding is coming from (e.g.: government, private industry, etc.), as well as any potential conflicts of interest. If an author is found to be lying about these details, they risk ruining their reputation as well as the journal redacting their paper.

Where Do I Find Peer-reviewed Papers?

This is where things get a bit tricky. While open-access journals are steadily becoming more and more common, many papers are stuck behind paywalls. University systems, research institutions, and some libraries pay subscription fees so their members can access these pay-to view journals, but this leaves the average reader with the option to only read the paper’s abstract or buy access to an article. There are some legal grey areas and blatantly illegal ways to circumvent paywalls for science articles. For legal reasons I won’t be naming them in this article—though, if you spend a short bit of time on a search engine, I’m sure you wouldn’t have trouble figuring it out. If we wish to remain within the law, it’s best to first read a paper’s abstract to determine if it might contain information that is interesting or relevant. In a vast majority of cases, an abstract will let you know if it is worth investing your time in decoding a paper in its entirety. A repository of listings for nearly all research articles can be found at PubMed (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih. gov/pubmed/), which is maintained by the National Center for Biotechnology Information at the U.S. National Library of Medicine, located at the National Institutes of Health. While not all listings on PubMed contain links to the full-text of an article, you can at least find an abstract and contact information for the author(s) of a given paper. If you are a taxpayer in the US, you are paying for this archiving service, so don’t be shy about making use of it.

What If I Can’t Find the Full Text?

Since every listing in PubMed should have contact information for the author(s) of a paper, you have a direct way of contacting the researcher and/or physician who knows the most about the article you are interested in. While there is no guarantee, I can say with high confidence that if you send an email to a paper’s author requesting a copy of their work, they are going to be happy to send it to you directly. This might seem a bit weird, but it’s more common a request than you think. To increase your chances for success, try to send an email to the first author listed on the paper. The order in which names are listed for a research paper are (for the most part) organized in such a way that the person who contributed most to a project will be listed first, and the person who runs the lab where they are employed is listed last. As such, by sending a correspondence to the first author, you are directly asking for information from the person who probably knows more about the paper’s contents than anyone else on Earth. After you do your due diligence and carefully read the paper, you could even send an email back to the author to ask them any questions you may have. If you decide to ask questions, be sure to give the researcher an “out,” and ask them if there is someone else you should be contacting with questions (e.g.: a postdoctoral worker or graduate student in their lab). Don’t be surprised if responses take a while; researchers are often inundated with mountains of email and it takes a while to sort through all of them.

Working together with scientists

Reaching out to the scientific community is a step forward in the direction of further legitimizing the piercing industry. If we want to be regarded as professionals who are progressive and interested in the health of our clients (as well as ourselves), we should be using resources outside of the piercing community to prevent our well-intentioned sentiments from becoming an echo chamber. The next time you see a health or science-related news article shared on social media, take a moment to evaluate the source and investigate it yourself. Start a dialog with fellow piercers about what the findings of a publication might mean for client health. Encourage others to engage with this material and ask questions of their own. Together, with a keen set of skeptical eyes and help from scientific literature, we can be sure our industry will continue to improve for years to come.

Point 86: Social Change Within the Industry

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by Victoria Rothman, Graceland Tattoo

Krylon Frye, Photo by Robbie Sweeny

The paradox of education is precisely this—that as one begins to become conscious one begins to examine the society in which he is being educated.”—James Baldwin

I’m a piercer located in the Hudson Valley of New York. I have been piercing professionally for about five and a half years. Though I am not an APP Member, I value the work of the APP and its Members, both in health and safety, and education. It gives me great pleasure to be able to contribute to this organization.

As naive a thought as it may have been, my initial expectation in being part of the visibly modified community was to be relatively free from common prejudice within its walls. We are, after all, the moderately modified and the minority (in factions of power, whether it pertain to race, sex, sexual orientation, etc.): two groups that share the experience of commonly being “othered” by greater society.

Krista Breault, Kirsten Janusewski, & Dominee Sunshine
Photo by Shanna Hutchins

The obvious difference being those who are able to conceal their differences enough to “pass”, and those who cannot. Since it is in no one’s best interest to harbor an environment wherein one feels the need to hide a piece of their identity in order to advance, the matter must be flushed to the surface.

With full recognition that I cannot speak to everyone’s experience, what I aim to do is echo what I’ve learned from the parallel in hardships between myself and my peers of similar background; the more severe hardships ranging from borderline harassment to outright discrimination. There is simply no excuse for denying another the right to a fundamental level of respect, and it is not enough to pay lip service to the problem.

One of the most notable aspects of human bias is that in its most insidious form, it thrives subconsciously, making its existence easy to deny. Regardless, the colonization and oppression of select ethnicities by our most powerful governments still remains evident within centuries of history; this is necessary to acknowledge when weighing factors of racial divide within the United States, and abroad. Let us suppose now that this gap in living standard, education, monetary wealth, and access to necessary resources exists passively—that it is purely by cause and effect of our predecessors that one individual is benefited by the gap, and one is disadvantaged. Our past would dictate that it is imperative those in the minority of power positions have a voice in maintaining a level of acceptance within society or risk becoming an afterthought entirely. This applies as much to the piercing industry as it does any other faction.

Yasuhiro Chiba, 2018 APP Conference
Photo by Shanna Hutchins

Professional piercing has revealed to me some of the most benevolent, hardworking individuals I’ve ever encountered, and I am proud to be part of a community that holds the quality of their craft in such high regard. The APP Conference has been my chosen gathering for a couple of years now, it is the place I feel most accurately reflects the collective face of this industry. I consider conference attendance to have been an integral part of my career and I urge any piercer who has not yet had the opportunity to join us, to work on doing so. That being said, Vegas is sensory overload. The climate is unforgiving, everything is expensive, and classes run consecutively from morning to evening. On top of that, there is virtually no relief from the reality of being packed into a hotel with hundreds of others, many of whom, by the second or third night, newbie or veteran, tend to look more put-together than they actually feel. It is in this climate that the consequences of allowing our culture of discrimination to seep into our community became most apparent to me. To imply that most of the problematic behavior I’ve experienced, or become aware of, was intended to offend would be a misrepresentation of the problem. Often times it is derived from an ignorance of appropriate conduct, and not a will of malice.

If it is our intention to continue to thrive progressively as an industry, it is of vital importance that we acknowledge not only the problem of sexism, but also the issue of race. This industry has a race issue. The first clue being its sheer lack of representation of minorities, which I’d noticed, but have only recently cited as a problem. The apparent irony is, given the global history of modification, its roots, and the peoples who’ve practiced its most ancient rituals, that for decades the face of body piercing largely became the angsty, white male; more recently, the young and wealthy.

We’ve already begun to diversify our community and it’s image. During the 2017 APP Conference “Women in Leadership” panel discussion, Kendra Jane’s plea to the women of this industry to step up and make their voices heard served as a beautiful call to action, and reminder that the need for social change is ever-present. Alicia Cardena’s 2016 speech regarding who is really served by our jewelry companies displayed exactly the vigilance needed to redirect our efforts. In her speech, she outlined the problem of preferential treatment toward wealthy individuals, both inside and outside our studios; and how it contributes to a culture of socioeconomic inequality.

Teresa Ellis, Photo by Robbie Sweeny

Faced with issues that threaten the well-being of our group success we, as a community of professionals, become the sum of our parts. Every single member of the community becomes responsible for their contribution to the solution, or lack thereof. Our jewelry companies, marketing agencies, photographers, aftercare companies, office clerks, volunteers, and studio members have more power than they realize. Let us continue to support those who may not have been born into equal opportunity, remembering that a single decision has the potential to inspire a wave of difference. We can advocate for, sponsor, apprentice, and give platforms to those who aren’t being heard. We can speak out. We can listen. Not every contribution needs to be radical; most of them won’t be, but collectively they’ll amount to a world of difference.

Point 86: 2019 Exhibit Planet Hollywood — Fakir Musafar

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In honor and celebration of the life of Fakir Musafar, the Body Piercing Archive will present the most comprehensive exhibit that’s ever been seen on Fakir’s art and legacy.

Over 2000 square feet staged with his original iconic images and fabricated sculptures made famous over eight decades of accumulated artwork and Body Play.

Exhibited as well will be many items that have never been on public display.

This will be the largest and most ambitious BPA exhibit to date, so come learn, remember, and celebrate!

Register to take your tour today!!

Exhibit Hours:

  • Monday 10 am–6 pm
  • Tuesday 10 am–6 pm
  • Wednesday 10 am–6 pm
  • Thursday 10 am–6 pm

Docent Tours:

MONDAY

  • Paul King 11:30 am–12:30 pm
  • Ian Bishop 1 pm–2 pm
  • Allen Falkner 2:30 pm–3:30 pm
  • Dustin Allor 4 pm–5 pm

TUESDAY

  • Cody Vaughn 10 am–11 am
  • Paul King 11:30 am–12:30 pm
  • Ian Bishop 1 pm–2 pm
  • Betty Ann Peed 2:30 pm–3:30 pm
  • Jef Saunders 4 pm–5 pm

WEDNESDAY

  • Cynthia Wright 10 am–11 am
  • Ken Coyote 11:30 am–12:30 pm
  • Yossi Silverman 1 pm–2 pm
  • Grin 2:30 pm–3:30 pm
  • Annie Sprinkle 4 pm–5 pm

THURSDAY

  • Grin 10 am–11 am
  • Paul King 11:30 am–12:30 pm
  • Allen Falkner 1 pm–2 pm
  • Cynthia Wright 2:30 pm–3:30 pm
  • Ken Coyote 4 pm–5 pm

Point 85: Perfection over Experience

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by John Joyce

While driving to work, listening to NPR and sipping coffee, I heard an interview that drew parallels to some things I see in our industry.

The interview was with a classically trained musician who was releasing new work. She was explaining how her process has changed, and how she has found a new joy and connection to music. It was a connection she hadn’t realized she was even missing.

The woman in the interview explained how her training shaped how she approaches her work. Being classically trained, you are taught to replicate something, look at your work, and look for mistakes. Do this over and over until you can say, “I replicated this; it is perfect with no mistakes.” This type of critique what was done differently, then redo it until you are doing it the same way as whoever posted the original video. What I think is missing here is connecting with the client, and the moment of seeing and feeling what works best for you. The way the person in the video is doing something may not be the most comfortable way for you to do it. Rather than straight replication, what if we paid close attention to what felt uncomfortable about an experience, which will likely lead to a way that works better for you. When you are just looking for mistakes and trying to replicate what the person in the video did, you are missing an opportunity. I believe that one of the defining characteristics of our industry was that it was born of hands on learning.

Your hands might not be the same size as the person in the video. You might have different levels of dexterity. The configuration/height/angle of the equipment in your environment may be different. Trying things the way someone else does them is fine, but pay attention to what works for you and what is comfortable for you, instead of forcing someone else’s technique on yourself. Tools, no tools, 2″ needle, 3″ needle, etc… what connects with you? What clicks?

The woman in the article went on to say how after spending time and playing with musicians in New Orleans, they changed her perspective on performing and appreciating music. After playing and working with them, she was taught that mistakes are part of the process; those mistakes are what make the music feel alive and continues the personal growth of the musician. Don’t be afraid to make the mistake, roll with it, and still come out with something great. Be in the moment, make that connection with your audience, your client. If it didn’t go as well as hoped, ask why and what you could have done differently? Don’t just attempt to do it the same way over and over.

This also hits on the second thing I see in our industry. Make that connection. Don’t forget you are working on a whole person. I see so many videos being posted looking for critiques from peers, that might as well be a demonstration on a silicone body part. Again look to the roots of our industry and see that those personal connections are what made the industry as we see it today. When you are piercing an ear, or a nostril, or whatever, you are also piercing the person sitting in front of you. Include them; this is their experience. I understand that the experience now is a lot different than it was 20 years ago, that the clients are different, but you are still the facilitator of their experience.

When you draped half their upper body for that simple helix piercing, they didn’t disappear. Just because you no longer have eye contact with them, doesn’t mean they can’t feel what is happening, feel your nervous energy, or your excitement. Include them in that. So many of the videos I see focus on the wrong things: “Look at this great jewelry.”“Look at this crazy needle bend.” “Look at my drape level 900.” “Look at my fly freehand technique.” “Look how fast I was.” This all screams, “Look at me, other piercers. Am I worthy yet?”

All that is great: you should absolutely strive to be as aseptic as possible, want to try new techniques that might work better for you, and push yourself to be more technically sound. My current worry is, a lot of piercers seem so focused on the task at hand, so worried about doing the perfect piercing, that they miss out on the perfect experience. It is important not to miss out on the connection with the client, and the bond that can come from that interaction. In that moment, the client should be the piercer’s best friend, the only person that matters. Yes, you should absolutely be giving them the best nostril, helix, navel, or whatever piercing you have ever done, each and every time, but if all they are getting is a perfect piercing and not the perfect experience, you are both missing out. For them, the initial excitement is probably enough to not realize they missed out on anything. For you though, over time, without that connection, just piercing nostrils gets old after a few years. It becomes a job. Each time, you care a little less, and each day becomes a little harder to show up for.

As someone who has been in this industry for just over 20 years, there have been times where I too had lost that connection and many times didn’t even realize it. I used to fall in love about 20 times a day: with the client, with the piercing, with the connection. Granted the experiences were very different when I first started, and it was hard not to feel a great connection when so many of the piercings were very private, personal, and intimate, for a variety of different reasons. Many of those reasons, new piercers won’t understand; it’s a very different industry now. While that doesn’t happen as often anymore, it still happens. I love our clients. I love what we do. I love learning about them. I love that they let me be part of their life experience. That connection and being a part of so many different people’s lives has helped shape who I am, what the industry has been to me. It has filled me with empathy and understanding in a way that I wouldn’t have if I ended up anywhere else. Even though the client/piercer connection has evolved, I still feel it, and I urge you, as you move forward in your career to find it as well.

Point 85: Meet the BPA

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by Paul King

“The mission of the Body Piercing Archive is to select, collect, document, preserve, exhibit, and interpret the personal, social, and material evolving histories of Body Piercing to ensure these artifacts are available to present and successive generations.”

PAUL R. KING—BPA FOUNDER & COMMITTEE CHAIR, APP TREASURER

Let’s start with our founder, Paul King. Paul has been a professional body piercer since 1991 and an enthusiast before that. Paul has a BA in Anthropology from UC Berkeley and has lectured in universities, community groups, and conferences on various aspects of body modification since 1993. In 1999, Paul partnered to create Cold Steel America in San Francisco, CA. He is an active Business Member of the Association of Professional Piercers. In 2005, he successfully completed a three year elected Board position as Treasurer for the APP. In 2007, he received the APP’s President’s Award for contributions to the piercing industry. He has served as a Board-appointed Treasurer and Officer of the APP since 2008. In 2014, with the support of the APP Board, Paul King created the Body Piercing Archive.

BRIAN SKELLIE—BPA COMMITTEE MEMBER, APP MEDICAL LIAISON

Brian founded Piercing Experience in 1992 as a piercer inspired to research and evolve safe body modification and share the results with the community. He is a frequent APP contributor ever since the first Conference, an active Business Member since 1996, an educator who has presented many seminars and workshops at conferences in North and South America and Europe, former Editor of The Point, former chair of the Media Committee, and completed his third term Board Member as President, now serving as Medical Liaison.

BECKY DILL—BPA COMMITTEE MEMBER, INCOMING APP BOARD MEMBER

Becky Dill has been piercing professionally since 2003. She has been a part of the Cold Steel America family since 2009 and the Body Piercing Archive since its inception.

Becky is a Business Member of the Association of Professional Piercers; since becoming a Member she has participated in the APP Mentor Program and led roundtable discussions during the annual Conference & Exposition in Las Vegas. Additionally, she is also a founding member of the Bay Area Piercers Group.

DANNY GREENWOOD—DESIGN GURU, APP ASSOCIATE MEMBER

Danny Greenwood started working counter in 2007, and has been a member of the Cold Steel Piercing family since 2008. Danny is an Associate Member of the Association of Professional Piercers. Danny is the Phantom to our Opera: working behind the scenes on our website and various graphic design needs  (and hiding away from the daylight as much as possible.)

When she isn’t busy handling the ordering and photographing of fancy jewelry for Cold Steel America, you can expect Danny to be watching too much TV with her fat cat and thinking about snacks.

DEVIN RUIZ-ALTAMURA—BPA COMMITTEE MEMBER

Devin began working counter at Cold Steel Piercing in 2014 and is an Associate Member of the Association of Professional Piercers. Devin is the newest addition to the BPA and excited to bring you insights into the inner workings via social media. As  a native San Franciscan, a body piercing enthusiast, and student of the Paul King School of Being a Big ol’ History Nerd, she is honored to be preserving and sharing history that is near and dear to her heart.

When Devin isn’t archiving or obsessing over body jewelry she is probably planting things, reading comics, or telling her dogs how much she loves them. (She is also responsible for the majority of the bios you are currently enjoying originally posted on The Body Piercing Archive Instagram.)

MATTE ERICKSON—BPA COMMITTEE MEMBER, APP BUSINESS MEMBER

Matte began piercing in 1994 in Colorado Springs, Co.and re-located to Fairfield, Ca in 1998 and since then, has become the prevalent piercer in Solano and Napa counties. Since 2002, He has attended the Association of Professional Piercers Conference to continue his education and stay up on the latest advances and techniques.

I am sure there are more for each list, but, I think you get the idea. One of my motto’s is, “just because you can pierce something, doesn’t mean you should”.

Now a committee member for the Body Piercing Archive Committee. History has always been very important to him. He is also a member of the Bay Area and Sacramento piecers groups, The International Suspension Alliance And is also responsible for many of the Photographs The Point uses throughout its publications.

GENE GOWEN—BPA COMMITTEE MEMBER AND FUNDRAISING COORDINATOR

Gene Gowen is owner of and piercer at Cold River Piercing in Albany, NY. He had always wanted to get involved with the APP, but didn’t think he’d be much good at any of the usual ways people volunteer with the organization. Paul started the BPA and needed some help raising funds for the work the archive was doing. So he asked if Gene could be responsible for generating sellable items at Conference, to raise funds for the BPA. Like any other staunch New Englander, Gene has a mother who makes and gives away quilts for everyone’s big life events. So the idea came to him that maybe we could make some quilted projects from old shop shirts, which everyone has in abundance.

That’s really all it came down to. He saw a place where someone needed some help and thought he might be able to be of some use.

OLIVIA THERIAULT—BPA COMMITTEE MEMBER

Olivia began her professional piercing journey in 2012, on the quiet coast of Nova Scotia. She is a permanent fixture at her hometown studio, Skin Decision. When she is home in the woods, you will often find her transcribing audio files for the BPA or outside playing with bugs!

Olivia is a proud Business Member of the Association of Professional Piercers and has attended a variety of seminars, conferences, and retreats to further her understanding of our industry.

Point 85: Longest Standing Currently Active APP Members

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The following is a list of longest standing APP Members who are still currently active. Listed beside their names, you’ll find their original join date. This list reflects consecutive membership; according to current membership policy, original join dates can be reinstated after no more than two years, as long as there has not been a lapse in membership dues.

We’re honored to have these 20 people continuing to support the Association of Professional Piercers and the body piercing industry.

  • Sky Renfro—July 1994
  • David Vidra—October 1995
  • Adam Block—January 1996
  • Allen Falkner—January 1996
  • Patrick McCarthy—February 1996
  • Bink Williams—March 1996
  • Elayne Angel—March 1996
  • Brian Skellie—May 1996
  • Derek Lowe—June 1996
  • Darrin Walters—August 1996
  • Gus Diamond—October 1996
  • Steve Joyner—July 1997
  • Bethrah Szumski—August 1997
  • Marc J. Williams—September 1997
  • Jason King—October 1997
  • David Kelso—January 1999
  • Sarah Wooten—May 1999
  • James Weber—May 1999
  • Luis Garcia—May 1999
  • Shawn Taylor—July 1999

Point 85: APP Board Members & Officers History

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April 13, 1994—The first APP meeting participants (Listed as “founders” in The Point 1): (standing l-r) Irwin Kane (Gauntlet,Inc.), Raelyn Gallina, Vaughn (Body Manipulations), Michaela Grey and Jim Ward (Gauntlet, Inc.), Melisa Kaye (Body Manipulations), Richard White [Carter] (Primeval
Body), Joann Wyman (Body Manipulations), Elizabeth Brassil (Body Manipulations), Drew Ward (Gauntlet, Inc.) -(kneeling l-r) Blake Perlingieri (Nomad), Kristian White (Nomad) at Gauntlet corporate offices in San Francisco

2017–2020

  • Luis Garcia—International Liaison
  • Ryan Ouellette—Outreach
  • Brian Skellie—Medical Liaison
  • Kendra Jane—Vice President
  • Jef Saunders—President

2014–2017

  • Cody Vaughn—Vice President
  • Christopher Glunt—Medical Liaison
  • Steve Joyner—Legislation Liaison
  • Miro Hernandez—Public Relations Director
  • Jef Saunders—Membership Liaison
  • Aaron Pollack—Secretary (Board Appointed)

2013-2016

  • Brian Skellie—Global Media
    • Transitioned to President Q2 2014
  • Ashley Misako—Outreach

2011–2014

  • Elayne Angel—President
  • John Johnson—Vice President
  • Richard Frueh—Medical Liaison
  • Mike Martin—Legislation Liaison
    • Stepped down April 2013
  • Steve Joyner—Legislation Liaison
    • Appointed Legislative Chair June 2013
  • Sarvas Berry—Membership Liaison 2010–2013
  • Brian Skellie—International Liaison
  • Dana Dinius—Outreach Coordinator
    • Stepped down Q1 2012
  • Ashley Misako—Outreach
    • Appointed Q1 2012

2008–2011

  • James Weber—President
  • Didier Suarez—Vice-President
  • Elayne Angel—Medical Liaison
  • Eduardo Chavarria—Membership Liaison
  • Bethrah Szumski—Secretary
    • Stepped down Q2 2010
  • Paul King—Treasurer (Board Appointed Officer)

2007–2010

  • Danny Yerna—International Outreach Coordinator
  • Eric “Sque3z” Anderson—Outreach Coordinator

2005–2008

  • Alicia Cardenas—President
  • April Johnson—Vice President
  • James Weber—Medical Liaison
  • Luis Garcia—International Liaison

2005–2007

  • Christina Shull—Secretary
    • Stepped down Q3 2007

2005–2006

  • Jeffrey “Phish” Goldblatt—Outreach Coordinator
    • Stepped down Q2 2006
  • Schane Gross—Treasurer
    • Stepped down Q1 2006

2002–2005

  • Bethrah Szumski—President
  • Jason King—Vice-President
  • Crystal Sims—Secretary
  • Paul King—Treasurer
  • Elayne Angel—Medical Coordinator
  • Megg Mass—Outreach Coordinator
  • Alicia Cardenas—International Liaison

1999–2002 Second Election [The Point—Issue 15, May]

  • Patrick McCarthy—President
    • Elected to replace Gahdi Elias after he finished his Board term
  • April Williams-Warner—International Liaison
    • Elected to replace Al D. after he finished his Board term
  • Scott Brewer—Treasurer
    • Appointed by Pat McCarthy as interim Treasurer after Brian Skellie finished Board term June 1999. Later duly elected and stepped down Q1 2002

From The Point—Issue 16:

Many changes took place to the APP over the last year; one of the most important things was the election of a new Board. In September a new Vice President, Secretary, and Outreach Coordinator were elected. Then, in April a new President and International Liaison were introduced. During the meeting the new Board members were introduced to the membership.

APP Board Members as of October, 1999

  • Pat McCarthy—President
  • Steve Joyner—Vice President
  • Bethrah Szumski —Secretary
  • Scott Brewer—Treasurer
  • Elayne Angel —Outreach Coordinator
  • April Williams-Warner—International Liaison
  • Dr. Jack Ward—Medical Liaison

1999–2001 First APP Elected Board [The Point—Issue 14, April]

  • Steve Joyner—Vice President 1999
  • Bethrah Szumski—Secretary
  • Elayne Angel—Outreach Coordinator
  • Jeff Martin—Outreach Coordinator
    • Stepped down December 1999

From The Point—Issue 14:

The past year has seen Board member installment go from an appointment to an electoral process.

The first such election installed: Steve Joyner as Vice Chair, Elayne Angel as Outreach Coordinator, Bethrah Szumski as Secretary

As people come so do they go: Dave Vidra served as OSHA Liaison until Nov 1998, Derek Lowe served as Secretary until Nov 1998.

Jeff Martin served as Outreach Coordinator until Dec 1999.

1998 [The Point—Issue 13, Summer]

Stepped down:

  • David Vidra resigned November 1998 after multiple Board terms
  • Derek Lowe resigned November 1998

1998 Board of Directors [The Point—Issue 12, First Quarter]

  • Gahdi Elias (Mastodon)—Chair
    • Brian Skellie appointed to serve the duties of Chair while Gahdi traveled abroad
  • Kent Fazekas—Chair
    • Stepped down
  • Elizabeth Getschal—appointed Board Liaison under Chair

1997 Transitions [The Point—Issue 11, Fall]

  • David Vidra (BodyWork Productions)—OSHA /Legislative Liaison
    • Exchanged positions with Al D. Sowers
  • Al D. Sowers (Playspace Ltd./ Sin)—International Liaison
  • Michaela Grey finished her Board term and continued as a Business Member in good standing
  • Dr. John Ward—Medical Liaison

1997–1999 [The Point—Issue 10, June]

  • Kent Fazekas—Chair
    • Transitioned from Treasurer
  • Brian Skellie—Treasurer
  • Michaela Grey—International Liaison
    • Transitioned from Chair
  • Crystal Cross
    • Stepped down
  • Curt Warren (Koi)—Coordinator
  • Rob Petroff
    • Stepped down
  • Jeff Martin (Obscurities)—Outreach coordinator
  • Tracy Faraca
    • Stepped down
  • Derek Lowe (Steve’s Tattoo and Body Piercing)—Secretary
  • Allen Falkner
    • Stepped down

1996 Two new Board Members [The Point—Issue 8, August]

  • David Vidra (BodyWork Productions)—Medical Liaison
  • Al D. Sowers (Playspace Ltd./ Sin)—OSHA /Legislative Liaison
  • Crystal Cross (Primeval Body)—New Title: International Liaison
  • Blake Perlingieri and Maria Tashjian finish their Board terms and continue as Business Members in good standing
  • Rev. Drew Lewis started APP archives [Not Board Member (Media Committee)]

1995 Initial Appointed Board [The Point—Issue 6, November]

  • Crystal Cross & Richard White (Primeval Body)
  • Ahna Edwards (Attitudes, Inc.)—Outreach Coordinator
  • Position taken over by Tracy Faraca (Attitudes, Inc.)
  • Kent Fazekas (Body Accents)—Treasurer
  • Gahdi (Mastodon)—Vice Chair
  • Michaela Grey (Gauntlet, Inc.)—Chair
  • Blake Perlingieri & Kristian White (Nomad)
  • Rob Petroff (Insane Creations)—Coordinating Board Member
  • Maria Tashjian (Venus Modern Body Arts)
  • Allen Falkner (Obscurities)—Secretary

Point 85: Fakir Musafar (1930-2018)

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by Annie Sprinkle

Reprinted with permission from Artforum, August 2, 2018

A FEW DAYS  AFTER FAKIR’S SPIRIT LEFT HIS BELOVED BODY, I went to a salon in a mall in Syracuse, New York, to get my hair dyed. Every one of the six stylists, all in their twenties and thirties, had multiple facial piercings, visible tattoos, and brightly colored hair. I marveled at how things had changed since the 1970s and 1980s, when the only kind of piercings one saw in the US were in women’s ears— and even those were rare, and tattooing was illegal in many places. I asked each of the colorfully adorned stylists if they knew anything about the history of modern-day body modification. Not one of them did, nor had they heard of Fakir Musafar. I was amazed, as they were obviously living it wholeheartedly. In  the realm of body art, Fakir is legend.

At eleven years old, Roland Loomis had an irresistible urge to mimic things he saw in National Geographic. He stretched his neck with metal coils, bound his feet, reshaped his arms and legs with tight leather straps, painted his body, made and wore masks, and more. As a teen in the 1940s, he began tattooing and piercing himself, documenting his experiments in beautiful black-and-white self-portraits with a camera given to him by his uncle, who had used it in World War I. Roland was a really good photographer right from the start and taught himself to be a master darkroom printer.

As an adult, Roland worked as an advertising executive and lived in Menlo Park, California, with his first wife and stepson, whom he supported. Roland was straight as an arrow, a total nerd before nerds were cool, with thick corduroy pants, suburban-style plaid cotton shirts with ink-stained pockets, and thick, bug-eyed glasses. But beneath his clothes lay a completely different story.

Gradually, Roland started to put some of his self-portraits out into the world for others to see. In 1977, the first magazine dedicated to body piercing, Piercing Fans International Quarterly (PFIQ), trickled into the underground. PFIQ printed some of Roland’s self-portraits, one showing his full-back-and-buttocks tattoo, which he had designed himself, drawn in all-black ink and referencing tribal styles. He was way ahead of the times, as most tattoos at that time were cartoony. People immediately started copying Roland’s ideas.

One day, I wrote Roland a letter of appreciation with photos of my tattoos and invited him to visit me. He accepted. In 1981, I organized a visiting-artist lecture for Fakir in my Manhattan apartment for my friends and colleagues. He narrated an intriguing slideshow, after which the event morphed into a body-piercing party, likely the first mixed-gender piercing party on the East Coast (gay men did it first). We had a ball together and even went ballroom dancing at Roseland. Roland told me he was happy to meet a woman who not only accepted his kinky side but appreciated it and was thrilled by it! He had mostly lived his kinky life in the closet, lest he’d been judged as crazy and sick. He’d had his struggles: He had been shunned by some of his family, his ex-wife didn’t approve of his proclivities, and even some folks in the BDSM world found him way too extreme. Over the years, Fakir and I did what he called“body play” together, sometimes documenting it with each other’s cameras. He pierced my labia, I pierced his foreskin, I tattooed a diamond on his toe.  He took some of the best photos of me ever-in a tight laceup corset he had designed and made for me, and me standing in a pair of black-leather-fetish, six-inch high heels he gave me, from the 1940s. Over the years, he did a lot of photos of many other kinky people, mostly in his home, and everyone loved posing for him. A collection of these and many other photos is beautifully reproduced in his book Spirit & Flesh, by Arena Editions.

Eventually, Roland quit his advertising-executive job and became a full-time freelance Fakir, coming out into the public sphere as “Fakir Musafar,” kind of like Clark Kent becoming and staying Superman. Two projects catapulted Fakir into the spotlight: the publication of the book Modern Primitives by RE/ Search and the documentary film Dances Sacred and Profane, by Mark and Dan Jury, in which Fakir steals the show with his transcendent outdoor flesh-hookpulling scene.

Roland/Fakir finally met his perfect match in 1987, when he got together with Cléo Dubois, a Frenchborn, San Francisco-based professional dominatrix and BDSM-lifestyle goddess. She was also a belly dancer and  performance  artist.  They  married in a redwood forest in 1990 and lived a life filled with creativity and artmaking, cofacilitating many group-piercing rituals in both private and public spaces. Sometimes I would cross paths with Fakir and Cléo at art venues in Europe and the US when we were booked into the same body-based performance-art festivals. Fakir and Cléo gathered a deeply devoted fan base that followed them and their work. The art world welcomed them. Eventually, Fakir and Cléo both moved into mentoring roles: She created the Academy for SM Arts, and he created the first accredited body-piercing school, which has been very successful and will continue, led by his longtime protégées and collaborators.

When word got out that Fakir had terminal lung cancer, he received hundreds of love letters from around the world. He had dedicated his life to helping people explore the boundaries between spirit and flesh, and people adored him for it. Body-art royalty came to pay their respects, such as performance artist Ron Athey, who credits Fakir as an early inspiration. Fakir’s life is a testament to how following one’s creative impulses—even when eXXXtreme, even when other people don’t understand them, and even if people are completely freaked out by them— can still change the culture significantly, manifest one’s unique vision, and leave one in death a really satisfied, happy camper surrounded by love. Roland had a vision of a society where people were free to explore and decorate their bodies without the stigma and limitations he had experienced. Today, in many countries, we have that freedom. Tattooing is now legal almost everywhere in the US, and there are body piercers and lots of body-piercing jewelry to choose from that can be found in most mainstream shopping malls.

I hope the young beauty-salon stylists I encountered at the mall in Syracuse will read one or two of the many obituaries and tributes for Fakir, and that these will pique their interest in his life and work. Perhaps some will want to go and visit Fakir’s bountiful archive and photography collection at the Bancroft Library at UC Berkeley, where they can be studied, enjoyed, and a source of inspiration for generations to come.

Annie Sprinkle is proud to have been an official artist for Documenta 14, where she showed visual art and performed with her partner/collaborator Beth Stephens.