Category News

2022 Board of Directors Election

Comments Off on 2022 Board of Directors Election read BoD Elections, Membership

Another APP Board of Electors election is happening right now and is going on until December 1st!

Your vote matters! If you are a Business Member or Business Member At Large in good standing then you are eligible to vote. Check your email for more information or view the candidate biographies and vote through your member portal on our website www.safepiercing.org.

It is our duty and responsibility as business members to participate in the APP elections, so make your voice heard and vote today.

Good luck to all of the candidates!

2022 NEHA Review

Comments Off on 2022 NEHA Review read Events, Legislation, Medical, Other Conferences, Public Education

Shortly after the APP’s 2022 conference in Las Vegas, APP member John Johnson traveled to Spokane, Washington to represent the association’s Legislative and Regulatory Affairs Committee (LRAC) at the annual education conference hosted by the National Environmental Health Association (NEHA).

APP members Matt Bavougian, Steve Joyner, and John Johnson each have positions on NEHA’s body art committee which created the Body Art Model Code (BAMC). NEHA represents health inspectors around the United States who visit body art studios and enforce local codes. This NEHA conference in Spokane featured four days of body art inspector training and the APP’s John Johnson was there to speak on behalf of body piercing facilities and discuss the most practical and effective methods for their inspection.

The NEHA conference is similar to our APP conference in many ways, lectures and other presentations take place each day with topics related to environmental health, opportunities to network are everywhere, and of course the exposition hall where vendors display their products and services is a main attraction.

Like piercers who attend the APP’s conference, health inspectors and other environmental health officials attend conferences such as NEHA to stay up-to-date with trends, technology, and information relevant to their profession. Today, these environmental health specialists have great interest in body art like professional piercing.

Body piercing is now considered mainstream by many and regulators are very interested in effective health codes and their enforcement. The APP’s LRAC works closely with organizations like NEHA who have a need for body piercing health and safety information. We appreciate everyone at NEHA who supports the APP’s mission of safe piercing.

At the time of this article NEHA is accepting change requests for the Body Art Model Code.

Point 89: Gentian Violet Concerns & Alternatives

Comments Off on Point 89: Gentian Violet Concerns & Alternatives read Editorial, Features, Issue 89, Medical, News, Questions & Answers, Science & Body Modifications

Piercers in Canada were recently informed by Health Canada that they were not allowed to use products containing gentian violet.1 A recall was put in place due to a link to cancer risk. At least one manufacturer voluntarily discontinued sales of their products and their license was cancelled.

Continue reading →

Point 89: Grupo de Estudos de Piercing (GEP)

Comments Off on Point 89: Grupo de Estudos de Piercing (GEP) read Events, International, Issue 89, News, Other Conferences

Bethrah Szumski

Brazil! That’s all I could think about for months before I went. This would be my first time to the country and that idea is always super exciting to me. I first met André Fernandes in Mexico for LBP and had been hearing news of the organization and event in South America. There was much discussion about the difficulty, financial and practical for South Americans to get to the US and Mexico for education. When I started looking at tickets, that made a lot of sense. The flight to Sao Paulo was nine hours. It’s pricey and requires a lot of extra work to bring in foreign language speakers from the US. It’s a real honor to get that invitation.

Sao Paulo is grimy and amazing. Unlike many places I’ve visited, every place I went to shop took credit cards. Maybe more practical than carrying cash? The petty crime rate is off the hook. I was never worried about my safety at any moment though. The first day was only really about FOOD. Delicious food plus more delicious food. Small groups, big groups, food, food, food. Of course, I had sprained my ankle within ten minutes of arrival  so part  of the day was an exploration of the Brazilian pharmacy. The only thing better than a grocery store in a new country is a pharmacy. SO many strange items I can’t read the labels on. I found some good (non-narcotic) meds that would see me through. I had to repeat this mission homebound for the head cold I got at the end. Travel while you’re young folks: it’ll kick your butt!

Buses gathered to take the whole attendee group to the venue in the afternoon of the next day. The drive was beautiful. Jungles, mountains, and waterfalls the whole way to the beach. The venue is a quaint beach resort during off season. The beach was right across the street. It rained most of the week, but it hardly mattered. The place was lovely. Orchids everywhere and jungle noises really made me feel how different of a place I was in.

The set up felt super relaxed, but the organizers were on top of everything. They did this thing that I found super interesting from an organizational perspective. First let me qualify with the fact that a lot can fall down that will affect whether a speaker can do a good class. This has created a bit of hyper vigilance for me and some other travel educators I know. Things like, will there be a computer? Some events are so loose you never know just what to expect. So, here is the thing I really enjoyed. They managed all things with no sense of urgency. Normally, I would consider this with concern. No need, it was just good planning. There was an AV person available at all times to help with anything. Even with a language barrier everyone was SO amazingly helpful. Meals were set up buffet style and really nice. Vegan options for each, including dessert.

The sentiment that “the people in my town won’t buy gold” is time and again proving to be false. The expo boasted quite a few gold jewelers that work exclusively for the South American market. Importing from the US can be quite problematic. I’m generally impressed by companies that have a clear vision of what they are doing and for whom. It was great to see a lot of support from bigger companies as well.

If you know me, you know I’m a talker. Even so, I find some things quite difficult to express. One of those things about this event was how very impressed I was with the organizers André and his partner, Tati. Everything I could think to say just seemed sappy. Really though, I’m a fan. These guys really put together an amazing event. The things they do to help people come to the event just blew my mind. There is an eye for the big picture of piercing  in South America. It’s the ONLY event I’ve EVER been to where female identified piercers well outnumber the  men. While I was still one of the very few female speakers, I’m confident that will change quickly in Brazil. There was a unity and mindset amongst these women that I    can only describe as FIERCE. Also, a big thank you to Roberta, the event interpreter. It’s one thing to stand a few hours to teach over the week. Another to stand, translating new ideas, in real time all day, every day.

Point 89: UKAPP Review

Comments Off on Point 89: UKAPP Review read Events, International, Issue 89, News, Other Conferences, Sister Organization

W. Barron

W. Barron

As I sit here in the airport waiting to start my nine-hour flight back home, I reflect about how it is still so surreal to me that merely four days ago I traveled 4,000 miles to attend my first UKAPP conference in Manchester, UK. Prior to me making this trek I had never been off the continent before or instructed a class solo. Let me tell you this was one of my most enjoyable experiences at a conference I’ve had. I expect that this is what it must have been like for the early days of the APP Conference.

Held at the Radisson Blu Edwardian in Manchester, England, the hotel was gorgeous and not what it seems from the street. According to the hotel’s website, it is set inside the historic Grade II-listed Free Trade Hall, one of the UK’s oldest and most iconic buildings. The fifth annual conference was on the fourth floor that has one main lobby area and three classrooms total. While the room prices were a little high, the hotel was central to some more affordable options, which is great for attendees that may be on a tighter budget in their travels. Nonetheless, the interior of the hotel and conference were modern and updated to suit the needs for the UKAPP’s fast-growing event for this year and the next.

One of Cale’s classes.
Photo by Cale Difrancesco

The conference was very simplistic in function, with no computers in use. To sign in you just go up to the registration desk and show your identification and proof that you are industry affiliated. They look for you on a printed list, check your name off, hand you a blank conference badge to handwrite your name down, then you move down the line to pick whatever badge ribbons suit you best and then off you go to start your three days of learning. All classes were on a first come first serve basis. At the time of the class, you just jumped in the line that was forming at that specific classroom. When the doors opened, you entered the room and gave the volunteer your name, which was then checked off at the door on a printed list with all the attendees’ names on it again, so you got the credit for attending the class.

“The engagement was refreshing for me and showed that we are all truly teachers and learners in this industry, no matter if you have six months or 20+ years experience.”

Each day started with a morning class at around 10 am 11 am, then afterwards an hour lunch break for the attendees, preceded by an hour lunch for the vendors at the expo. It was definitely a different change of pace to have time built into the day to not have to worry about how you were going to eat without missing any classes. The rest of the class day lasted until about 6 pm. After lunch is when the bulk of the classes were scheduled; it was very difficult to decide what to attend as there were so many phenomenal classes to choose from.

Cale DiFrancesco (APP Board Member), Charlie Remy LeBeau (UKAPP Board Member), and David Osborne (UKAPP Board Member). Photo by Cale DiFrancesco, APP Outreach Liaison

The class that I had the pleasure of teaching for the first time was Versatility of Needle Blanks. The idea for the class was to introduce needle blanks and various ways you can apply them to be an effective disposable tool in your studio. I covered what a needle blank and transfer pin were, and several the ways the attendees are able to use them into disposable clamps. The feedback that I have received from the organizers has told me that my class was well received and really got the gears turning for a lot of piercers that attended the conference. By no means was my class the pinnacle of the conference. Other great classes that were offered include the following, just to name a few.

  • Cannula vs. Needles
  • PA FUNdaments
  • Lumps and Bumps
  • Aseptic Technique
  • Self Care for the Happy Piercer
  • Building your UKAPP studio
  • Introduction to High-End Jewellery
  • Jewellery and Studio Presentation
  • Sexuality and Body Piercing
  • Doubles, Triples and Beyond
  • Ear Complexity

Overall the conference came in at 126 attendees with 12 vendors. It was amazing and  ran very smoothly. The vibes were calm, cool, and collective. The list of educators and instructors were fantastic, every one of them had passion you could see reflecting through each of their presentations. My favorite part about the whole conference was the attendees; everyone was very welcoming, kind, eager to listen and learn about what every instructor—including myself—had to say or teach. The engagement was refreshing for me and showed that we are all truly teach ers and learners in this industry, no matter if you have six months or 20+ years experience. I can’t wait to see what the UKAPP comes up with for this event in 2020. I would highly recommend this conference to any piercer, new or old, looking to experience something new in their career.

Nikki Proctor, Helen Houghton, & Lola Slider
—Source: @boldandgoldpiercingart
on Instagram



Point 89: Membership Committee Update

Comments Off on Point 89: Membership Committee Update read Issue 89, Membership, News
Left to right: Membership Committee and collaborators at the 2019 APP Conference & Exposition — top row: Jef Saunders, Cody Vaughn, W. Barron, Pablo Perelmuter; middle row: Vivi Madero, Johnny Velez, Sabrina Egan, Marina Pecorino; bottom row: Monica Sabin and Aaron Pollack. Photo by Autumn Swisher.

APP Membership Corner—Series 2

Membership Committee

  • Monica Sabin, Membership Liaison
  • Pablo Perelmuter, Membership Coordinator
  • W. Barron
  • Sabrina Egan
  • Johnny Velez
  • Cody Vaughn
  • Cozmo Whitest
  • Kristina Outland
  • Marina Pecorino, Membership Administrator

In Issue 88, we discussed tips to help prospective members through the application process. Since then, we have begun training two new membership committee volunteers Cozmo Whitest and Kristina Outland. In addition to training on application processing, they have been helping us with managing compliance documents for current Members of the APP.

WHAT IS COMPLIANCE?

In order to maintain your membership with the APP, you must provide us with certain information to keep your file current and your membership in good standing. This information includes the following criteria:

  • Spore test results—each autoclave must be spore tested at least monthly
  • Bloodborne Pathogen training*—renewed annually regardless of certificate expiration date
  • CPR—annually or until expiration date on certificate
  • First Aid—every three years or until expiration date on certificate

* If you’ve taken the APP’s Bloodborne Pathogens course through Litmos, you will still need to upload the certificate to your Member Profile. These are two different servers and are not connected

Annual membership certificates are sent to the address on-file when annual dues are paid and membership is in good standing. To participate in elections—by nominating or voting, as well as running for a Board position—requires that your compliance documents are up to date. You can do this by logging into the safepiercing.org Member Area and verifying that your Membership Requirements (BBP, First Aid, CPR, and Spore Tests) are on file and up-to-date and your membership dues have been paid.

KEEP US UPDATED

Remodeled your studio? Relocated to a different studio? If your situation has changed, keep us in the loop. This allows us to keep your membership record accurate and make sure you are displayed properly on our Member Directory.

We currently give you up to sixty days to make us aware of these changes. You can update us of any changes by sending an email to members@safepiercing.org or to our Membership Administrator at mpecorino@safepiercing.org.

TRAVELING & ADVERTISING YOUR MEMBERSHIP

Whether you are a full time traveling piercer or just enjoy the occasional work vacation, many of us have taken to traveling and piercing at different studios around the world. It is awe inspiring to see our industry grow into this network of piercers that can work almost anywhere, serving clients all over. As an APP Member, it is important to know how traveling plays into advertising your membership.

“When the membership logo is used, it must be used in a way that clearly shows the membership belongs to the individual, not the studio. While membership belongs to the individual, APP membership is dependent upon adherence to not only the personal criteria set forth by the Association, but also the current environmental standards in which the Member operates. Therefore, individual membership is only recognized and advertisable when operating in a studio environment that has been reviewed by the APP to meet standards and has current APP Business Members on staff.”

Point 89: From the Body Piercing Archive, 2019

Comments Off on Point 89: From the Body Piercing Archive, 2019 read Body Piercing Archives, Features, In Memorium, Industry History, Issue 89, News

Dustin Allor

This past summer we lost a most iconic and beloved member of the body piercing community. It is hard to imagine what the landscape of the piercing industry would look like without Fakir Musafar. He was part of the group who brought body piercing into mainstream western culture from underground society in the 1970s. Fakir inspired countless people to become piercers, taught the skill to approximately 2,000 attendees of his piercing workshop, moved many to try suspension and urged us to claim our bodies as our own, especially through body modification. He firmly believed that piercing was sacred, magical, and could be a special moment for all involved. His life was spent spreading that message and seeking the spirit through exploring and testing the limits of his body. This year’s Body Piercing Archive exhibit unfolded many of the lives, hobbies, jobs, and performances of the multifaceted Fakir Musafar.

Walking into the exhibit was overwhelming in the best sort of way. There was so much information—so many visuals—that it was hard to know where to look. Each time I went in, there were things I hadn’t noticed previously. It would have taken me a couple of focused hours to take in all the information. The outer walls were lined with banners. The inner walls had four alcoves with various displayed items. Several banners featured large photos of Fakir embodying his different personas. There were other banners that stood out to me: the timeline that shared childhood pictures, some of influential people in his life, covers of his Body Play magazines, and collages of the group photos from nearly every class of the Fakir Intensives.

Visitors enter the exhibit.
Photo by Marina Pecorino

Then there were the alcoves. One held books and images that inspired and guided a young Fakir to try so many unconventional practices. A few items in particular caught my  eye: Fakir’s  yoga  book from the 1950s and National Geographic from Fakir’s childhood where he got the idea to perform his first piercing on himself at age 14. Another area had masks, homemade eyelets for stretching his nipple piercings, some of Fakir’s septum jewelry, and articles he had written. There was a section that had a bed of nails, a bed of blades, a kavadi frame, a suspension frame, and other inventions of Fakir’s that I’m not sure have names. Most of these devices were featured in Fakir’s early self photography. Having been born in a rural area in 1930, out of necessity he developed a resourceful and inventive ability. A large portion of the objects in the exhibit were things he made at home by hand. Rarely disposing of his creations, the BPA was able to acquire or borrow many of them from his wife, Cléo Dubois. It was fabulous to see classic Fakir photos right next to the actual items he made and was wearing in the portrait.

View of the exhibit.
Photo by Marina Pecorino

There was a screen toward the back of the exhibit playing the Mark and Dan Jury film Dances Sacred and Profane starring Fakir, Jim Ward, and Charles Gatewood. Mirroring that was a second screen dedicated to performances he had  done,  featuring video from one of his European performances. Between those was information on RE/Search #12: Modern Primitives, the publication where so many of us discovered Fakir for the first time.

View of the exhibit.
Photo by Marina Pecorino

The last alcove in the exhibit was the most solemn. The exhibit overall celebrated Fakir’s life, but the last alcove honored his death. Fakir felt that altars were important. He would make one at the end of every piercing class, a place to look to for focus, to display images and objects that had meaning to him and to help inspire a particular mindset he was looking for. The last alcove of the exhibit, with bright yellow and red walls, was an altar to Fakir. It displayed a large photo of him, photos of those close to him who had also passed, images of deities he was drawn to, fresh fragrant flowers, candles, and a few personal items like his chest spears. When he announced that he was sick and had limited time left, Fakir asked that instead of emails or phone calls, that people hand write and mail him letters if they had anything they wanted to share with him. Hundreds of letters came in and he read all the words of love and thanks before he left us. A selection of those cards were strung from the center back wall of the alcove, extending to either side of the door, framing the altar and giving the space a sense of depth, layers, and sentiment.

Fakir’s memorial altar at the APP Conference, 2019.
Photo by Marina Pecorino

Fakir was so many people wrapped up in one. It was impossible to know everything and everyone he had been in his life. Depending on how you knew him, you would connect and learn about different aspects of his personality and interests, hearing different stories of his past. In addition to all the visuals in the exhibit, docents who were personally known to Fakir gave tours. Each had unique experiences and insight on who Fakir was, having known him in a variety of circles and points of his life. Several of the instructors from the Fakir Intensives gave tours, as well as friends of Fakir’s including Allen Falkner and Annie Sprinkle. Each offered unique flavors, new insight and things to learn about Fakir. Hearing their stories really brought Fakir’s memory to life in a vivid interactive way and I wish I could have seen all the tours.

Annie Sprinkle conducting a tour of the exhibit.
Photo by Marina Pecorino

Working closely with Fakir’s wife, Cléo, the BPA team put together an amazing and moving exhibit. Fakir was always touched and awed by the gratitude, credit, and honor people extended to him. I think he would be absolutely blown away and speechless by the beautiful display and celebration of his life that portrayed so much of who he was. To Paul King, Becky Dill, Devin Ruiz, and all your behind the scenes helpers, thank you for all your hard work in putting together such a rich and beautiful commemoration of Fakir’s life. It was wonderful to get to celebrate Fakir’s life together with the bulk of the piercing community this year at the APP Conference.

Dustin Allor & Fakir Musafar

Point 89: Creating an Inclusive Studio Environment

Comments Off on Point 89: Creating an Inclusive Studio Environment read Issue 89, Membership, News
Vicky shows off their new pronoun knuckle tattoos done by Gerry at Tattoo Zoo

Vicky Ticky Williams

APP Member, Owner Elemental Body Adornment Victoria, BC Canada

Creating a space that is welcoming is extremely important, and, thankfully, not difficult. There are many simple ways you can make your space more accessible to the many clients that would otherwise feel out of place—even if only slightly—in your studio space.

In the case of making your studio more inviting to the LGBTQIA+ community, I would suggest having an area on your waiver where clients can indicate their pronouns. This is a great way to be visibly inclusive. Our waivers have an area clients can circle “he/him”, “she/her”, “they/ them” or they can fill in the blank space offered for other pronouns; for example, “zie/hir”, “xe/xem”, and many more! This helps normalise the process of asking for pronouns and educates the masses that there are more than two options available as a young non-binary person it would have been huge for me to see this!

I recommend avoiding the term “preferred pronouns” as it can delegitimize a person’s gender identity and pronouns to being a preference rather than wholly authentic.

Having a line for the “name you go by” helps to make sure that clients are referred to correctly, for those that have legal dead names (names they no longer associate with) or those that go by nicknames.

Another simple way to help clients feel seen is by having trans and pride flags or stickers proudly displayed. This helps show you are supportive year-round, not only during Pride months!

Point 89: Covid & the Body Art Industry

Comments Off on Point 89: Covid & the Body Art Industry read Issue 89, Membership

Perspectives

“… when I can finally go back to work, I am hoping that the balance I’ve learned during this time improves who I am at work and who I am as a piercer. I want to be a healthy and happy employee and practitioner who is focused and pleasant to be around.”

Megan Naito

APP Member, Piercer, Memento Mori Studos Inc. Abbotsford, BC Canada

Writing submitted April 26, 2020

Nobody knows exactly what to expect during a pandemic. However, when isolation began, I never imagined many of the outcomes of my industry-work life.

One of the most surprising results of the pandemic has been rediscovering an identity outside of piercing. Before COVID-19, I spent most of my days working and commuting long distances to and from work. I don’t have a partner or children. After work, I would spend time on industry related tasks such as networking, building a social media presence, and editing piercing photos. Sometimes people don’t even realize how hard it is for them to turn off work mode; I didn’t even realize it was happening.

Obviously, I wasn’t always a piercer. I used to pass the time with many activities that I had forgotten I enjoy. It had been a long time since I read   a book, and it has been refreshing to photograph something that is not a piercing. Sometimes it feels like engaging in activities that don’t directly benefit the industry is unproductive. I have been realizing that this is an unfortunate outlook to have. I think that realizing that I flourish better as an introvert, instead of forcing myself to be an extrovert, will allow me to maximize my potential when the pandemic subsides. I now have a better grasp on what is a healthy balance between industry and non-industry activities (for me). I want to be a well-rounded individual who can integrate with many different types of people.

It will be a long time before things return even remotely back to normal. I worry about what it will be like to source PPE, maintain a plausible amount of social distancing, and if there will be sufficient business. However, when I can finally go back to work, I am hoping that the balance I’ve learned during this time improves who I am at work and who I am as a piercer. I want to be a healthy and happy employee and practitioner who is focused and pleasant to be around.

Annie Patrick Buechlein

Tattoo Kaiju/Annie the Impaler Bloomington, Indiana USA Article submitted April 30, 2020

It was tax time in the piercing industry and all was well. Clients were spending lots of money and leaving big tips. Conference registration had opened up; piercers were buying flights and hotel rooms. Then it struck. Right in the middle of the busy season; Coronavirus (COVID-19) punched all body modification artists right in the face. Total knockout. Studios across the country were forced to close.

People waited for stimulus checks from the government and special business loans. The overwhelming amount of relief applications broke the unemployment website, because it couldn’t handle the traffic. A time of uncertainty, confusion, and stress joined the world together in sadness and fear as we tried to find a “new normal”. Everything was upside down.

As a piercer who has been off work for 45 days at the time of writing this article, how has this changed my life? Well let me tell you…

I am thankful that I procrastinated and didn’t register yet for Conference or my other cross country trip to Colorado. It seems that this flaw paid off for  once.

I am at my home with my husband, Neil, and my children, Jax (age 3) and Memphis (age 13). My older son spends time doing his schoolwork online and does conference calls with his class on Zoom. My toddler screams a lot and runs around like a stir crazy maniac. My husband just tries to hold it together, because he can see that I’m going even more crazy. Our three cats and our dog add their own unique energy.

My time of peace and quiet, and adult interaction that I normally have at my shop are over for now, and it’s very hard for me to accept. I am overwhelmed by the sibling bickering and loud noises without my refuge of work. I enjoy the time with my family, don’t get me wrong, but it is also very overwhelming. The stress of this situation has turned up everyone’s crazy level, especially mine. I miss my clients very much. I miss just being able to “shoot the breeze”, as my grandparents would call it, or just stand around and chit chat with people. I miss hugging people and shaking hands.

I am grateful that I have been able to have the internet to connect with people during this unprecedented time. I have taken several webinar classes and done some continuing education in order to be productive, but to be honest, it’s depressing for me because I know I can’t practice what I’m learning about. I have texted with clients and have been able to do some online jewelry sales, which has helped me continue to be able to pay my bills. I know I’m doing better than many, so maybe I shouldn’t complain, but at the same time, this is not a contest. Everyone in the world is affected by this virus and most have been hurting financially and mentally.

As a person who has always had mental health issues, the uncertainty right now has taken my anxiety to a new level. My career was really looking up. I moved studios and had been at my new location for about seven months. Everything was going great and my business was growing. New clients, better jewelry, more education, new skills, guest spots, traveling, finally being able to take care of my family and be successful in business. The sudden shutdown of that hit me hard with a sense of failure, that I had worked so hard for nothing and it was taken away so quickly.

Some states are beginning to open, but to be honest, I don’t feel that it’s a good idea. I don’t think it’s safe for me to put my fingers in another person’s nose or mouth at this time. I just don’t have enough information, or maybe I should saythat I have too much information. The information is all over the place and I don’t know what to believe. I am overwhelmed by it all. I do know that I’m not alone, which helps. Let me be clear: I don’t want anyone else to have to feel as bad and as stressed out as I feel, but having solidarity with other people and knowing we are all in this together does help. I try to make calls and texts a couple times a week and just check in on others. When I’m having a good day, I call and tell them that their bad day will pass, and good days will come; that their upset mood will also swing back and forth and surely tomorrow will be a better day.

I had a quarantine birthday. I turned 41 years old. I felt like an angry child, because I just wanted to have a party and I couldn’t. I wore a tiara with cat ears and fancy makeup to Walmart; it was pretty exciting. My friend who drives an ambulance rolled up in front of my house and ran the sirens, probably scaring the neighbors to death thinking we had “The ‘Rona”. A friend stood six feet away to watch me open my gift she brought over. I got takeout from my favorite restaurants for three days in a row. I went on an online shopping spree to a new, local plant store and fed my plant addiction. My family took me to a hidden spot at the lake and made me a bonfire. It ended up being a beautiful day and a great celebration regardless. I struggle with change and change is unavoidable right now.

I have had clients call with issues that I couldn’t fix because I couldn’t touch them, which broke my heart. I had a client, who is a CNA, with a fresh lip piercing, get kicked in the mouth by her resident. She needed her jewelry lengthened to accommodate the excessive swelling. I couldn’t get to her to help her because of the quarantine. The jewelry began to embed. I talked her through the painful process of removing the jewelry over the phone. She ended up figuring out how to remove it, but lost the piercing. It made me so upset that I couldn’t help more. I had another client who couldn’t get her jewelry back in after surgery. It should’ve been easy for me to taper the piercings open for her, but I couldn’t because of the virus and now three of her piercings are closed.

I am thankful that my family loves camping and the outdoors, so we already have many supplies for social distancing in nature and outdoor activities. Nature has been my savior during these times. When I really get overwhelmed, going for a walk in the woods or just sitting in the yard helps so much. We have spent quite a bit of time hiking and fishing. We are planning a cross country camping road trip in our family van as soon as we are able. We’re also working on the van and doing home improvement projects and crafts to pass the time.

As for the future, time will tell. The governor of Indiana will address our Stay-At-Home order on Friday, and may or may not open things up. I don’t know what will happen to our businesses on the other side. I do know that things will continue to change. New policies and procedures will need to happen for studios to maintain the safest environments possible. More information will continue to come out and opinions may change, and that’s okay. All I can do is try my best to go with the flow and allow for new beginnings. I look forward to a future of touching my clients again, going inside businesses, and gatherings with friends. I’m most looking forward to spending time with my Grandmother again. Until that day comes, I can’t hug people, but I can hug trees.

Shwayze

Piercer, Superfly Tattoos San Diego, California USA

Writing submitted April 29, 2020

The outbreak of COVID-19 has made me face my taxing mental health head on, as opposed to using work as a form of escape—or more so a pause on waves of self doubt. I finally worked up the courage to reach out to set up guest spot positions and heard back from a few beautiful shops. There were so many things to look forward to, but now our industry is slowed to a trickle.

What will our PPE situation look like upon re-opening? Will clients be able to pay for services since they’ve been displaced from work? What will be the new normal in our industry?

Luckily I’ve been able to attend a few zoom piercing courses offered by wonderful instructors. So it’s not entirely bad, but I CANNOT wait to go back to work. I’m hoping that shops with less than ideal standards see this as an eye opener and step up their safety protocols, and as a whole our industry comes out on top after all of this. Stay safe and wash your hands!

Samantha Jones

Piercer, A Thin Line Tattoo Plainfield, IL USA

Writing submitted April 26, 2020

This whole thing has opened my eyes to so much. I’m not sure when I’ll feel safe enough to go back, or when I do, how long PPE will last and how hard it’s going to be to get more.

I miss doing what I love, but I know it’s going to be months until I can pierce comfortably again. I could say so much more. I love our industry so much.

Marina Pecorino

APP Membership Administrator APP Member

Body Piercing by Bink Tallahassee, FL USA

Article submitted May 5, 2020

In February, during China’s original lockdown, I began watching the coronavirus situation evolve. I’m not generally one to be vigilant about news, but I started intentionally monitoring CDC and WHO updates, as well as a selection of reliable news outlets. Watching the progression of the virus, I grew evermore concerned about PPE supply chains, and the safety of my clients, community, and family. On March 2, I reached out to the managers at the studio where I work about setting up a plan for possible coronavirus closure; the idea seemed unlikely and otherworldly, but I figured the general plan could be revised for other closures, like hurricanes which my area experiences often. In hindsight, I think a plan for closures should become a studio standard, much like needlestick and exposure control plans1. That said, my original expectation was closures of two weeks to a month with selfless cooperation from the general public.

Less than two weeks later, the situation in Italy and Iran quickly went from emerging to dire. I live in north Florida, and Spring Break season at the studio was starting to ramp up. Around this time, the first confirmed cases were being reported in the United States. On a daily basis, I had clients visiting from all over; New York, Massachusetts, Washington, California, and even internationally. I watched the news as these places quickly became epicenters of infection. As I huddled over clients (well within six feet), they regularly told me that they were heading on a cruise vacation or had just returned from one. I watched the news as several cruise ships became breeding grounds for the new coronavirus. My fears started mounting.

On March 12, I woke up to a sick toddler and my mind went into overdrive. As a person with moderately controlled asthma, I’m prone to lung distress at the slightest hint of illness. I knew that even if I had not exposed my family to what would become known as COVID-19, I was next in line for whatever illness my toddler was experiencing. Inevitably, bronchitis would follow, putting me firmly in the at-risk category. My fear had come home.

In an act of self preservation and to protect my studio and community, my family unit (partner, toddler, and pets) began sheltering at home and practicing strict social distancing immediately. I’m pretty sure my partner, and most others around me thought I was acting rashly with a healthy dose of paranoia. At this time, only eight people in my county of nearly 300,000 residents had received testing and we had no confirmed cases as of yet; test eligibility was incredibly difficult to receive.

Our regular housemates are sheltering elsewhere; one is still being required to go to work at a daycare center and a country club. We’ve kept in touch with friends and family online only. I shudder to think how the 1918 pandemic must have felt so isolating without technology. Despite housing with others and being a lifelong introvert, I have felt increasingly lonely during this experience.

“… during these unprecedented and difficult times, I’ve found some of the most genuine comfort from my piercing tribe. I often think about how fortunate I am to have access to even my most geographically distant friends and family.”

Over the last two months, I have left the house only to vote early on March 15, drop a present on a doctor friend’s doorstep, and walk the neighborhood. My partner has done only necessary grocery runs. As numerous local grocery stores have reported COVID-positive employees over the last several weeks, I’ve become increasingly concerned that  grocery  shopping  may  become a main means of transmission. This week, we’ll start getting fresh food delivered to our door by  a local farm alliance, reducing our need to leave the house considerably.

The studio moved to online only services a few days after my self-imposed quarantine. I worked with my studio managers to set a plan for online client consultations and to develop an online store, in hopes of providing some amount of income for both the studio and its employees. Unfortunately, response has been sparse as our nation faces massive unemployment without adequate public support.

In many ways I’ve felt unfairly privileged during this experience. I am witnessing those around me struggle; many are drowning in unfrozen debt or facing the possibility of losing their businesses. Some are experiencing the illness and passing of loved ones from a distance, unable to be physically present during their final moments. During this time, I’ve experienced untold amounts of self-reproach for what should make me feel grateful. To counteract my feelings of survivor’s guilt, I have done what I’m able (within my own loss of wages and mental capacity) to be supportive and present to those around me. Sometimes, that comes in the form of a manufactured smile and comforting words. Other times, I’ve used my voice, wallet, or social media presence to support my favorite small businesses, performers, or makers.

Although I’m accustomed to—and have the privilege of—working from home, my home office has changed drastically. We have crammed a second desk for my partner’s workspace (and occasionally a tiny “desk” for my child) into my small office. Our normal schedule of caregivers has ceased, so my partner and I try to balance our independent workloads and full time childcare. This has required immense amounts of patience, understanding, and negotiation; it’s still a work in progress.

Corbin waits (sometimes patiently) for mom to play.

I am missing studio life to my core. Having left the studio for more than three years during an existential crisis, long absences from piercing are not foreign to me. That said, I’ve been back in the studio part-time for more than a year, and the studio environment grants me an escape from my daily mom-dom. I’ve definitely lost the urge to shower as often or change out of my rattiest jeans. An incessant loop of children’s songs runs through my head. As I’m sure is the case for many others, isolation life is taking a toll on my mental health, even with my existing toolbox of medication and coping mechanisms.

That said, during these unprecedented and difficult times, I’ve found some of the most genuine comfort from my piercing tribe. I often think about how fortunate I am to have access to even my most geographically distant friends and family. Checking in regularly through digital means has saved my sanity and encouraged me to take those elusive showers or step outside. I want to take this opportunity to encourage everyone to reach out to personal and professional friends. Possibly more importantly, reach out to trained mental health providers2 without hesitation; even those without a pre-existing mental condition are understandably experiencing some difficult emotions and thoughts.

Graph of Florida CDC data forecast

As of April 29, USAFacts.org3 and the Florida Department of Health reported more than 33,000 confirmed cases and  more  than  1,200  deaths  in Florida alone: showing a steady increase in cases, rather than decline. On the same day, despite evidence showing a lack of testing and containment5, Gov. DeSantis announced beginning “Phase One” of reopening Florida6 starting May 4.

Within this phase, restaurants and retailers are allowed to resume operations at 25% capacity. Many small business owners7 in my area have voiced hesitance and unease about reopening so soon, as confirmed cases and COVID-related deaths continue to climb in the state.

Based on the data I have access to, my family and I plan to continue sheltering at home for the foreseeable future. I don’t feel that our state (or country) has reached adequate benchmarks to ensure the safety of the public and health care professionals. I am eager for the day I feel safe interacting in person with my friends, family, colleagues, and clients, but unfortunately, that day feels farther away now than I could have ever imagined two months ago.

1“Online Courses Library,” Online Courses, Association of Professional Piercers, accessed May 5, 2020,

https://safepiercing.litmos.com/online-courses/.

2 “Stress and Coping,” Daily Life & Coping, Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, accessed May 5, 2020,

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/managing-stress-anxiety.html.

3 “Coronavirus Locations: COVID-19 Map by County and State,” Visualizations, USAFacts, accessed May 5, 2020,

https://usafacts.org/visualizations/coronavirus-covid-19-spread-map/

4 “2019 Novel Coronavirus Response,” COVID-19 Outbreak, Florida Health, Florida Department of Health, accessed May 1, 2020,

https://floridahealthcovid19.gov/.

5 “COVID-19 Forecases,” Cases, Data, & Surveillance, Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, accessed May 5, 2020, https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/covid-data/forecasting-us.html.

6 “Governor Ron DeSantis Presentation – April 29, 2020,” COVID-19 Resources, COVID-19, Ron DeSantis: 46th Governor of Florida,

https://www.flgov.com/wp-content/uploads/covid19/Safe%20Smart%20Step_Templat4.29%20FINAL.pdf.

7 Robbie Gaffney and Ryan Dailey, “Some Tallahassee Businesses Don’t Feel Safe Reopening Monday,” WFSU Public Media, April 30, 2020,

https://news.wfsu.org/2020-04-30/some-tallahassee-businesses-dont-feel-safe-reopening-monday

“We constantly adapt and change. Both growth and leadership are painful, but now is the time to grow and lead!”

Nicole Slavich

APP Member

Ghosts of Grace Tattoo & Piercing Billings, Montana USA

Article submitted April 28, 2020

Experiencing the start of the American response to COVID-19 as a Piercer and fine jewelry purveyor has been awakening  for me. My career has been a consecutive 15 years of learning to navigate  my fellow townspeople, as well as honing my “Piercerly Ways.” The people around me are like the weather here: harsh and slow to warm. I am a liberal sundog on a hot summer day.

During the six weeks of quarantine I have endured thus far, I took a no-contact job delivering food. My fine jewelry stock is small; my concern about the supply chain and the timeline of quarantine were what cemented the decision to shut down my piercing business completely. For a while, I did offer unadvertised no-contact jewelry sales to help those who reached out to me.

Over the last five years I’ve done a ton of personal work. First, separating my identity from my work, and later developing my now rich and dynamic personality and interests outside of body modification. This year, with the help of a LCSW and a traditional SSRI treatment of my lifelong depression, I have been able to build a life I love in a place I have felt that I never fit into properly. A freak shaped peg in a conservative hole, if you will.

When the Association of Professional Piercers recommended studio closure regarding COVID-19, I felt terrified. I have had many side hustles through my piercing career, but my career is my first true love. From Saturday, March 14 at closing time to Monday night on March 16 my whole life changed. Of course, lives around the world have been changed unfathomably over the last several months!

The first week of the shutdown was almost fun. People here were just excited to have time off. I pretended to be a freshly widowed trophy wife, and lived it up alone! The next week, I got to start my delivery job. Learning a new job always presents caveats of difficulty, which serve as a distraction. Nevertheless, my heart broke when I went to the store to drain the autoclaves, unplug the electronics, and rescue the plants. I removed even the three tiny, fairly inexpensive items of jewelry I let live in the jewelry case at the studio, as hope and a calculated risk for loss. I struggled for about two weeks. I was gentle with myself while I struggled. I listened to the healers I adore. These powerful, intuitive, blest, fat, hairy, brown women and femmes reminded me this is not our first time. We constantly adapt and change. Both growth and leadership are painful, but now is the time to grow and lead!

I began to interface more with our piercing community. I remembered to take my own advice: drink the water, video call your support system, cry when you feel like it, exercise your body, find joy in simple hobbies, rejoice for every drop of gratitude that sprinkles your prickled back!

As my brain felt better in my body, my compassion grew for my townspeople. They still acted foolishly: going in public without face coverings, having house parties, and not understanding how far six feet is, thus violating physical distancing. I understood though that their actions are directly fear based. In conservative, religious cultures (my town fits this description), denial is a prominent coping mechanism. Without trying to control others, I have begun to dig my heels in. I wear my mask, stay home before and after shifts, and step away every time someone is within my 6’ radius.

Then, my state chose to allow some non-essential businesses to re-open. I live in Eastern Montana, in the biggest city in the state with a population of 150,000. I am the only APP Member for a minimum of 4 hours travel time in any direction. I work as the only piercer with two tattoo artists. My coworkers continue to be supportive of me and my heavily weighed choices regarding luxury business in pandemic times. They have made great strides in changing their business along state and local guidelines for health and safety.

After having such a low daily stress job for a while, the idea of managing clients safely and all my scary questions that loomed so closely ahead, were daunting. Lucky for me, the Association of Professional Piercers has their work on such tight lock! I received supportive, informational emails and the announcement of the “Reopening, What’s That Going to Look Like?”1 Zoom panel meeting before I could even work myself into feeling overwhelmed.

Now, I’m working both jobs, with the intention to begin limited new piercing services on May 12. I am ramping up advertising, devising simple communications and safety signage, physically preparing the store, making the change to nearly all online jewelry sales and client interactions, switching from “Appointments Preferred” to “Appointment Only,” and taking good care of myself as I look forward to life as a Piercer in new light!

This time has allowed me to learn in so many new ways. I have given myself permission to enact authority based on my deep experience and varied talents. It’s a full rainbow coming for this old Sundog! I genuinely recognize we are all in different boats through the same storm. Your best is enough. HOLD FAST my friends, my community!

1“Reopening: What’s That Going to Look Like?,” Online Educational Series, Association of Professional Piercers, recorded April 24, 2020,

22 degree halo with sundog, supralateral arc, upper tangent arc, and circumzenithal arc seen from the road above Mammoth Terraces in Yellowstone National Park. Photo by Diane Renkin, National Park Service, https://flic.kr/p/Pm39Uh

Leah Sarah Kent

APP Member, Studio Manager & Body Piercer Punctured Professional Body Piercing Boston, Massachusetts USA

Article submitted April 28, 2020

In a certain sense, I have always found that one thing seems to  separate  me  from my  industry peers: time. While the majority of my fellow piercers have been posting on social media during the COVID-19 pandemic that they haven’t been away from piercing for this long within the last 5, 10, 15, even 20 years, I do not share that experience. Around this time two years ago, I was actually re-entering the industry after recovering from a major car accident which kept me away from piercing for just over two months. My studio’s last day open was March 18, 2020, and the state of Massachusetts just extended our closure until at least May 18, officially marking the same two months.

On the night of February 10, 2018 I was driving casually along with a co-worker to Taco Bell in Holyoke, MA, where I was living at the time. As we drove through our green light, we were completely blindsided; hit by a drunk driver, without any headlights on, who ran a red light. I do not remember any of the accident itself, just waking up in a hospital bed screaming in pain. I broke five bones: my left ankle, my right shoulder, two ribs on my right side, and my right pelvis in two places. I had to wear a walking boot cast to support my ankle for three months, and used a walker (complete with grandma tennis balls on the feet) for about a month and a half.

At the time, my piercing career was only just beginning. I had fairly recently started working at a studio near Hartford, CT that made multiple false promises; the first being that they wanted me to assist in bringing the studio to APP standards, and the second being that my job would be waiting for me when I was able to work again. The doctors predicted about a three month full recovery time for me; I was “let go” from my job via text message just over a month after the reassurance. On that day, I threw my walker in the trunk of my (new) car and began the job hunt, with much higher standards this time around.

Flash forward to March of this year: I’m piercing five days a week and the studio manager at an amazing shop that I love, Punctured Professional Body Piercing, in the heart of Boston—my city, my home. I had just renewed my Association of Professional Piercers membership for a second year, and also just registered for my third APP Conference. The studio had seen significant growth over the past nearly two years since I started. In fact, I checked our numbers today and realized that on our last day of being fully open (Tuesday, March 17, 2020), we did more than double the amount in sales as on the corresponding Tuesday in March of 2019.

When we had to close due to COVID-19, I had just gotten to where I wanted to be in life. Though I know I look younger, I just turned 30 this past December. This is another way in which time seems to separate me from my peers; while most piercers around the same age as me (or even younger) are now quite established in their careers, I did not enter the industry until 2015, after spending five years getting my B.A. from Smith College and M.A. from Brandeis University in Women’s and Gender Studies. I proudly hang my diplomas in my piercing room mostly due to the fact that they always impress the parents of my minor clients.

Though I like to joke about being a piercer with a Master’s, the unfortunate truth, which ultimately circles back to COVID-19, is that I stepped away from the world of both academia and activism because I was simply burned out. I realized that, no, I was not going to change the world. So I became a piercer, because that is what I love. As someone who has also struggled with mental illness since my early teenage years, I decided that if I was going to continue on, I was going to do something that made me genuinely happy, not something that made me feel defeated, sad, and ultimately helpless.

COVID-19 makes me feel defeated, sad, and ultimately helpless. It’s not just about piercing and having to remain closed for so long. It’s about the systemic oppression and inequalities this virus so clearly exposes. It’s about the fact that these injustices are now so visible, yet we still have not taken any major collective action as a people to rise up and fight for a new society. I refuse to simply go back to the status quo. Yes, I want to go back to work, of course I do, because I get to be one of those lucky people who loves their job. But I do not want to go back to a society that values the economy over human lives. A society that calls its sacrifices for capitalism “essential workers” despite the fact that most of them get paid an already vastly under-inflated minimum wage. I want a socialist revolution. I want what I wanted when I decided to stop wanting it, stop working for it, and now there may not be anything left to want, for me, in life.

That is how COVID-19 has not only impacted my industry work life, but also my hopes (or now lack thereof) for the future.

Haley Grumbles

Apprentice Piercer Plano, Texas USA

Writing submitted April 27, 2020

I started my apprenticeship in August, so I was about seven months in when our shop had to close. I was finally feeling like I was on the right path and taking steps towards a career I’ve always wanted and felt passionate about. We have been shut down now for over a month and I feel like I have lost most of what I’ve learned.

I’m worried that when I go back I will be almost starting completely over.

As a positive, the online webinars have kept me busy and my mind fresh around piercing. Also, having a break from working 70+ hours a week at two jobs to make the apprenticeship even feasible financially has been a relief. It has also given me a lot to think about in terms of my future and the next steps I want to take for myself to be the best I can be when things open back up. I think I now have a clear five-year plan for my career. Which, in all this uncertainty, does have me feeling pretty good.

Point 89: Covid & APP Events

Comments Off on Point 89: Covid & APP Events read Camp, Conference, Events, Issue 89, News

APP CONFERENCE 2020 COVID-19 UPDATE

APRIL 30, 2020, 2:00PM PDT

25TH ANNUAL APP CONFERENCE (ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED JULY 5-10, 2020)

After a long and complicated process the APP has finally come to an agreement whereby we will not be penalized the $200,000+ for cancelling the 2020 Conference.

We have felt strongly that cancelling this year’s conference is the very best action for our association, our attendees, and for the industry, worldwide. Piercers, studio owners, jewelry/counter specialists, and manufacturers face numerous challenges from the impact of this health crisis. Not only is this in the interest of health and safety, but this will also allow all of us to focus on business and family at home and to make sure we are opening under safe protocols.

We will miss all of you and the positive energy we all get from our Annual Conference and Exposition. We appreciate that you have remained steadfast in face of uncertainty.

ATTENDEES
  • The APP has sent an email to those who have registered for the 2020 Conference. If you need a refund now, or did not receive the email we ask that you complete a very brief form to request a refund (in full or in part).
  • If you did not request a refund by May 15th we will roll over your payment to next year. Attendees who rollover their fees will need to register next year but will use a code to apply their credits at the time they register. If you rollover your registration fees, at any time between now and next year, May 1, 2021, you may request a full refund without penalty.
  • The annual Conference is the primary source of income for the Association. Should you be financially able to contribute any part of your fees towards this year’s APP operating expenses, we would greatly appreciate it. Please use the same form to designate your contribution amount.
VENDORS
  • The APP has sent an email to vendors who have registered for the 2020 Conference. If you need a refund we ask that you respond to the email and request the refund (in full or in part). If you didn’t receive the email, please contact the office at info@safepiercing.org
  • If you did not respond to this email by May 15th we will roll over your payment to nextyear. Vendors who rollover their fees will need to register next year but will use a code to apply their credits at the time they register. If you do a rollover, and at any time between now and next year, May 1st of 2021, decide you need a refund, the APP will honor that.
  • For those companies who contributed to the Al D. Scholarship fund we ask that if you are able, to leave those funds with the APP. The APP has informed the scholars that their scholarships will rollover to next year. These scholars will fill our slots—if all scholars are able to make it next year—we will not take on additional scholars for 2021.
  • The annual Conference is the primary source of income for the association. Should you be financially able to contribute a portion of your fees for this year to the APP, we would greatly appreciate it.

Regardless of your decision know that we are all a part of a really awesome community and we will get through this.

HOTEL ROOM BLOCK

Planet Hollywood will automatically cancel any room reservation booked in the Association’s room block, which will trigger the refund of any deposit/payment. It will usually take 7-10 business days before you see the credit in your account. You will get an email confirmation from Planet Hollywood.

2020 APP MEMBERS’ RETREAT/CAMP APP & IN-PERSON MEETINGS

In addition, we have cancelled the 2020 APP Members’ Retreat / Camp APP and all in-person APP gatherings including board meetings and committee workgroup meetings. For questions regarding Camp cancellation, please contact Marina at mpecorino@safepiercing.org.

Please stay healthy and financially well as the world moves forward through this crisis.

We look forward to seeing you June 6-11, 2021 at Planet Hollywood, Las Vegas for Conference and the APP Members’ Retreat in 2021!

  THE NEXT SCHEDULED APP IN-PERSON EVENTS:                                           

2021

  • Annual Conference & Exposition
  • Planet Hollywood, Las Vegas — June 6 11.
  • APP Members’ Retreat
  • Atlanta, Georgia — Dates to be determined.

2022

  • Annual Conference & Exposition
  • Planet Hollywood, Las Vegas — June 12 17.
  • APP Members’ Retreat
  • Atlanta, Georgia — Dates to be determined.

2023

  • Annual Conference & Exposition
  • Planet Hollywood, Las Vegas — June 11 16.
  • APP Members’ Retreat
  • Atlanta, Georgia — Dates to be determined.