Is Appropriation Appropriate?

   I've debated writing this blog for a while, as I'm sure it will likely spark some intense feelings within some of its readers. The truth of the matter is that while my opinion may vary from some, what makes our modern progressive time so great is that we have the ability to listen and try to understand each other without seeing different opinions as personal attacks. I hope that those who read this blog and don't agree will consider my points with an open ear and open heart just as I have with the blogs that have come before me of differing opinion. I have decided to include this blog on our business website because traditions, rites of passage and rituals of other cultures are the origins for the body adornment procedures we offer as a professional service at Anomaly on a daily basis. The subject of this blog pertains to every single person who has ever purchased a piece of jewelry, received a body piercing, or attended a suspension event. It is with these clients and friends in mind that I feel I can not keep my opinion quiet any longer. It is time to confront the demon of cultural appropriation and really explore our true feelings on the subject.

   It has come to my attention recently that one of the new big catch-phrase causes for young activists is "cultural appropriation". By definition cultural appropriation means one specific cultural group has adopted elements of another culture. It typically has a negative connotation and usually refers to a more dominant group adopting habits, rituals or other elements of a minority group. Some examples I have heard as of late would include “Westerners” using the term “Namaste” which is historically a salutation and valediction originating in the Indian subcontinent. The term has Sanskrit roots and basically means “bowing to you” or in the Hindu belief it refers to one bowing to the Divine presence within another. Modern activists would have us believe that saying this phrase, which is commonly done at the end of many yoga classes for example, is somehow stealing a piece of something belonging to someone else. Another example of cultural appropriation often mentioned and far more relevant to what I do for a living, is the wearing of ancient jewelry and/or the creation of modern jewelry that mimics ancient or ethnic designs. The idea would be that this might seem like a mockery or an insult to the cultures that originated the designs. Perhaps the ancient civilizations - some of whom are no longer around to express any discontent with the way their adornments are being used in modern society - would prefer that significant pieces of their society are kept sacred within their own communities locally. Another big example might be rituals. Many of us in the body modification community have incorporated flesh rituals into our lives. For some they hold a sacred meaning, and for others they hold more of an entertainment value. Regardless it is something we have chosen to do to ourselves, yet most of these rituals - be it flesh suspension or even just ear piercing - were created by communities and societies long before our modern society existed. The argument might be that modern man has no right to these rites. Perhaps without proper guidance from a shaman or elder well versed in those traditions we can never truly recreate the sanctity of the ritual conditions. Perhaps not.

   In this modern time we do want to approach life with a sensitivity and respect for all those we encounter, so I have a high regard for those who find this issue of cultural appropriation a priority in their lives. To me it shows that they want to be conscious of others around them and aware of the impact they have on the world. A very noble gesture. Unfortunately though I feel it is sometimes a little misguided (at least in my opinion). Let’s take for example the use of the term Namaste. Does one have to be born a practicing Hindu for the presence of the Divine to be seen within them or by them within another? Would performing this greeting be malicious or seem offensive to someone from southern Asia? I find it hard to believe either of those would be the case, in fact being a great fan of religious studies I have heard quite a few Hindu speakers express the opposite. I have spoken with friends from India, Indonesia and other parts where the term Namaste is used frequently and when asked if they were offended by Westerners using the term I have only received laughter and a unanimous “no”. In fact several people cited that they felt comforted and welcomed when strangers attempted to understand or communicate with them in their native terms. There may not have been a complete understanding of the origin language or culture but it was a sign of peace and attempted common ground. We will never know what citizens of ancient civilizations would think of our adoption of their jewelry designs, but those cultures still around seem to be welcoming the interest with open arms, and welcoming the business enterprises available because of sudden popularity in certain jewelry styles. Of course the financial market and trade systems are a completely different subject and one that by no means justifies anything in the eyes of a true activist, but barring the destruction of the systems already in place it is still a relevant consideration. Many see the acceptance and desire for different cultural jewelry designs as a means to help end poverty in their villages or communities - to provide the revenue streams for enhancements in quality of life like water filtration and sanitation relief.  As for flesh rituals, there does seem to be concern stemming from the proper “spiritual” guidance during these ceremonies. The concern is not so much one of insult from untrained persons attempting the rituals, but of worry for their safety and desire for the tradition to be honored to its fullest intended meaning. A medicine man for instance would not be concerned with keeping someone from experiencing a sweat lodge ceremony, but he may have sincere worries for the safety and meaning of such a ritual that were performed without the guidance of a trained holy person. It is a tradition and a heritage passed down, and with ritual ceremonies every gesture is symbolic, every tiny detail has a meaning easily misunderstood or overlooked by someone untrained. In all cases though it is important to note nothing is stolen from any specific culture. Stealing by definition means to take something (usually physical property) belonging to someone else without the intent to return it. None of these things were taken, and the adoption of them by another group does not preclude the originating group from possessing them. If a self help guru decides to hold a sweat lodge ceremony of sorts out in the desert, it does not keep a member of an indigenous tribe from still experiencing his people’s holy ceremony. It may seem silly and frivolous to him, and if people are injured or hurt during the newer version there would be a sadness and worry, but it does not affect his sacred act with his people. Nothing was stolen. Ancient jewelry can be physically stolen, but the only person affected is the owner of the specific piece of jewelry. Being inspired by an ancient design to create something more modern does not create a loss for anyone, financially or otherwise. If anything it creates more interest in learning about the culture that the design came from. I feel like I am beating this point into the ground, so I won’t continue any more with it, but instead direct your attention to something just as important… especially for activists to consider.

   Who benefits from the these separatist ideas of keeping aspects of certain cultures purely for members of those cultures? The Romans had a wise judge Lucius Cassius who reportedly was known for using the phrase “cui bono”, or in other words “with benefit to whom?” This phrase insinuates that sometimes the accuser may have a vested interest in the outcome of any decision achieved from the accusation. By thinking about who benefits most from a situation we may sometimes see through the subtle manipulation or disguised performances behind the stage of seemingly blunt query. When I think of who would benefit from keeping cultures separate, from attempting to make a group of predominantly Caucasian individuals feel guilty for expressing interest in things outside of their familial upbringing, I think of racism. Racism is defined as prejudice against a person or group of people based on their race. Race is defined as a group of people sharing the same culture, history, language or other similar common features. Telling members of one race they cannot partake in something that interests them simply because they are not from the race of people that created that thing, is by definition racist. Many modern activists feel the need to write rules for what the “white race” can and cannot enjoy or partake in, usually under the guise of sensitivity towards other races. This goes far beyond acknowledgement of cultural differences and acceptance, it becomes fascist in the generalized use of the term - meaning extreme authoritarian and intolerant views and practice. I don’t use the term lightly. Does this mean I believe these socially conscious activists to be evil or bad? No. In fact I believe many of them are simply too caught up in attempting to be the best versions of themselves they can be, and attempting to lend a voice for those they deem oppressed or voiceless, that they do not realize they might actually be propagating the agenda of those with the very intolerant mindset they hope to abolish. Without even going too far into the generalization that most of these activists are of the white race themselves, and the vast majority in my experience also having come from backgrounds devoid of immersion into the very cultures they claim to speak for, one has to stop and question what gives anyone the right to proclaim themselves a voice of another cultural group. Doesn’t assuming your intentions speak for the good of another people actually do more to undermine the strength and beauty of said people, objectifying them through your benevolence? White supremacists are the ones who win by keeping cultures separate. White supremacists can continue to believe the idea of a purified bloodline if there is no cultural integration. White supremacists can continue to distort the understanding and feelings of their followers if the followers have no interaction with people of different cultures. If you never met someone from another land, you are more willing to take at face value every bad thing you have heard about that land. Meeting people from other cultural groups and enjoying things inherent to those groups makes them seem more human, makes it easier to find commonality, to dispel fear and insecurities of difference. This would be more harmful to the white supremacy movement than any other single act. White supremacists want white people to live the way they believe white people should live. To do the things they believe white people should do. To eat the foods they believe white people should eat. And to avoid anything that falls outside of those lines. This sounds eerily like the anti-cultural appropriation agenda of late. The first indicator you’ll see is that the subject of most of this activism is typically referred to as those of “white privilege”. I don’t claim that there isn’t a level of privilege inherent to most Caucasian males born in our time period. I by no means am trying to revise history to act like there haven’t been and continue to be gross injustices in civil liberties among different gender and racial groups (as well as others). But what you will notice with this emerging agenda is that the rules of what must be avoided or considered culturally insensitive is primarily focused on those of the “white” cultural group. Which means the rules of what is culturally insensitive for black people, Asians, Native Americans and all “other” cultural groups aren’t important. The excuses mentioned for this have ranged from “it is impossible for the oppressed to become the oppressors” and “the intention is different/lack of malice”. The cowardice to create a system of rules for each cultural group leads to singling out one specific group, which once again is simply racist. Separation leads to misunderstanding, fear and potential hatred between groups. And really the whole thing is fueled by assumption. The assumption that cultural groups feel invalidated or disrespected when their traditions are adopted by others. The assumption that this primarily carried out by white privileged males and often for the sake of financial gains. The assumption that a person or group of persons who are radically minded have the best interest of everyone in mind, and the assumption that the same group of people understand all of the complex issues of each cultural group and have the ability to pass judgement on all of their behalves. Not just ability, but also authority. The assumption that separation of cultural traits will maintain some sort of betterment for the groups involved and the assumption that being vehemently opposed to racism will keep one from participating in racist acts themselves. It is clear to me that many of these assumptions are simply not correct. Many of the same people that believe cultural practices should remain unique to the origin cultures are the first to jump in and try to change those cultures because the ideals of sexuality, individualism, gender roles, property law or animal welfare do not conform to the the beliefs of the well-meaning activist. Many people want to have it both ways. So does this mean it’s totally cool to throw on that super revealing “Pocahontas” costume next Halloween? Cool might be going a bit far. But similarly it’s probably not super cool to throw on that super revealing police costume either. The intention of those costumes are where the mockery lies. I am not offended by white privileged males portraying Croatoans on stage in a historical drama, it’s not the fact that someone is dressing as something they aren’t that is offensive. That is simply just the whole concept of dressing up. If you dressed as what you are on Halloween, it would not be a holiday… it would be just another day. The offensiveness is not so much in the appropriation of the culture, but in the lack of understanding or reverence for the culture. The intention is key. And once again looking at someone’s clothing or haircut or jewelry and deciding that you know their motivations is about as ignorant as telling a black man from the UK he is an African American. In fact, I had a girlfriend that I loved dearly (let’s be honest, I still do despite the demise of our relationship) who is a Canadian citizen. Her father’s family is from Jamaica. On a road trip one time we stopped at a road side vendor selling minerals and rocks, and he referred to her as being African American. This started some debate about whether she was actually African American or not. Being that her dad is of Afro-Carribean descent and she was born on the continent of North America the term is most likely valid, but it was still a very weird thing to process as she had never really been referred to in that way before. It was almost dismissive of who she really feels she is and in some ways insulting, yet the person who said it had all the best of intentions. If you trace it back far enough we all originated in Africa (except maybe those of us from outer space), so at what point does the ancestral definition lose meaning? Conversely some of these so-called free thinkers who are pushing this separatist agenda find themselves attempting to justify their feelings based on the assumption that they have a relation to the groups represented. I have heard some say things along the lines of “my father got a DNA test and he had 19% African heritage so that means I have the right to be the voice of African American concerns” or “my great great grandmother came up from Mexico and settled here, and even though I don’t speak Spanish and have never set foot on the land she grew up in, I feel qualified to be the voice of Latin America”. The assumptions are often just as misleading to the person about themselves as they are about the ideals they hold for others.

   In the end I think what is most important to take from this is that cultures have borrowed elements from each other since the dawn of time. Early Christianity borrowed many rites and rituals from the pagans before them. Many civilizations borrowed DNA from the other cultures they encountered through mixed marriages and offspring. Languages have borrowed ideas and roots from other languages. It is the way of intellectual evolution. We add the sum of our parts and increase our knowledge. Wear dreadlocks if you want to, you don’t have to be Rastafarian. Sport that crucifix you think is so beautiful despite being an atheist. I will continue to wear my Maasai mindo ear weights and beaded cuffs despite having never spent a single day in a Maasai village. As long as it is done with reverence and respect for the culture, love for the original meaning or appreciation for the aesthetic, and without malicious intention, then I have the utmost pride in your decision. To respectfully partake in a little cultural appropriation of my own, I leave you with the great Sioux saying "mitakuye oyasin", we are all each others' relations. Instead of finding reasons to separate more, let us nurture our relationships and find beauty in our differences. So much beauty that we want to sing to the heavens and adorn ourselves like an homage to each other. Thank you for your time and consideration of my thoughts, it means the world to me.

Wado (Thank You)
-Brett Perkins

It's not the Comic Con of Body Piercing...

"You don't wanna go over there buddy."
"Why, what's happening over there?"
"Boring stuff."

   Most professional industries have trade conferences. Body piercing is no different. The purpose of a trade conference is usually to pass on information, get the majority of those within a given industry close to some standard for quality and safety, debut new items that may revolutionize said industry, and of course to help establish a network of professionals. The body piercing industry has a few different options for educational advancement from one-on-one training to advanced seminars or intensive classes. There are internationally even several trade conferences. However, here in the United States we have what is arguably the largest piercing specific trade conference in the world. Due to the hard work of the volunteers and staff of the Association of Professional Piercers (APP), every summer for a little shy of a week body piercers can get many of their educational and some of their recreational needs met. The APP Conference strives to accomplish the mission of the organization by disseminating relevant piercing health and safety information to professional practitioners. It is probably the single most important event a piercer can attend, at least in my eyes. Body piercers have been trying to achieve certain levels of legitimacy for years, some falling within areas where legislation requires continuing education that is specific to their trade. The APP conference affords attendees the opportunities to get much of the training that may be required by law for them to stay in business. As the industry grows and gains more popularity, and is taken more seriously by the general public, there is an important need for trade conferences to be more serious as well. In the early days of testing the water, it's not too hard to imagine that a body piercing conference may have looked somewhat like a cross between a sleep-over and the bar at a tattoo convention. In fact many people still seem to think that the APP Conference is a place to get procedures done, confusing it with the likes of a convention. That's not to say that important information wasn't exchanged or that the people who attended did not absolutely take it serious and put their heart and soul into it all. But as we progress now closer to twenty years later for this specific conference, it should resemble something more like a small business marketing seminar or a medical industry conference. Something where people try to represent the best of themselves in public and attempt to gain the most knowledge possible.

   For some of my friends, this conference is the only vacation they can justify every year. It brings together some of their favorite people, and it's an easy tax write off. Few piercers attend the APP Conference without exchanging knowledge, but I have noticed a trend arising where many who are not directly employed within this industry have taken it upon themselves to attend as well. I have no problem with information being shared, my clients are some of the most educated when it comes to piercing because they have sought out avenues to research their ideas. We also have no problem consulting for hours if need be to really explore everything behind their wants. The problem I do have with many non-industry professionals attending this industry specific conference is that many of them seem to think it is just a huge excuse to party. Many of them see this as their chance to hang out with like-minded individuals who will not judge them for choosing to look the way they do. It's also a way for those heavily modified individuals to experience something like Las Vegas, while in the safety of numbers who are similar in appearance. Some of the presenters at the conference have some minor celebrity from reality TV shows and cult followings. Some people try their hardest to figure out a way to get into the industry-only exposition where new products are released and some companies have incredible blow-out deals on past season inventory. I understand the draw and appeal, in fact the real shame to me is that more piercers aren't so heavily motivated to attend. Considering the amount of studios in this country alone I'm shocked how small the attendance really is, but that's another issue for another time. I will say that I must metaphorically take off my hat and bow to any international attendees who come to Las Vegas for this conference, your dedication to your trade is highly commendable.

   So you may be asking yourself, just what is the big deal then? Who cares? To which I say, I do. Some problems I have witnessed in the past that have been attributable to people "crashing" the conference include unnecessary violence, extreme inebriation, inappropriate public behavior, and the like. Trust me, there are enough piercers who do this on their own, the last thing we need is more numbers adding to the tainted view some outsiders might have of our trade. We also don't really need an audience of yes men encouraging these poor decisions. If someone happens to get access to an industry-specific class they are potentially filling a seat that could have been better used by a piercer whose livelihood relies on the information. Some attendees who are not in the industry don't realize what a balancing act it can be for the staff to keep everything running smoothly and often have very little respect for how it can all be affected by their actions. Whether it is someone causing a scene at registration or the expo door, whether it is someone creating a ruckus at the bar where we congregate afterwards, or someone who just decides to take a dip in the pool after hours and gets security called on them. It all reflects back on the conference. The host hotel doesn't care if they are an industry insider or not. People who come for the express intent of doing anything other than learning are often people who are expecting it to be an event of memorable proportions. Enough so that they may be willing to go a little farther with their actions and demeanor to make those expectations reality.

   If you take this conference away from Las Vegas and throw it in the middle of the country, certain truths will prevail: it would still offer some of the best piercing-specific education for professional practitioners; It would still be organized and staffed by caring individuals who want to see the industry succeed; and it would still be a meeting of some of the greatest minds in body modification. These are the fundamental characteristics that should prevail in your mind when thinking about attending this conference. It's rather boring if you don't do it for a living. I'd love to attend a trade conference on nuclear power, for about fifteen to thirty minutes until I'm so lost in the jargon my brain hurts or until I'm so bored that my mind wanders for other stimulation. I could see me unintentionally leaving a black mark on the reputation of that conference in a similar fashion as some who attend the APP Conference may do for us. 

   Over ten years ago there used to be a huge underground of meetings for people who wanted to celebrate their body art. For me, there was barbecues and get-togethers often promoted through a website called BMEzine.com. I made some of my best friends upon moving to Southern California by attending these events. They were fun, there were often games and stimulating conversations. It was no professional industry trade conference. In fact only a handful of the attendees were even in the body modification trade, most were enthusiasts. These meet-ups were an homage to the very types of private events and parties that sprang life into body piercing as an industry. Trust me, I totally get how they go so hand-in-hand. But things have evolved for us. We continue to move in a direction where our focus is ever more professional, and how we are perceived by other industries is ever more scrutinized. We want to be taken seriously when lobbying legislation, when fighting to maintain some semblance of relevance in the wording of the bills that govern us. We want to be taken seriously when trying to advance the sciences of our industry by partnering with those who have much better resources in the medical field. We want to be taken seriously when presenting lectures for academia. And a lot of that revolves around a week in Las Vegas. Agendas that vary greatly from these seem to become distractions more and more as the years go by. You can see your favorite piercer by visiting his studio. You can catch several of them together in a party atmosphere at the host bar after the tattoo convention closes. But there is a huge difference between tattoo conventions which are marketed to the public, where procedures are supposed to happen, where the vast majority of attendees are not trying to figure out which class they have to miss out on because the educational opportunities are so abundant that some overlap. Save your party for the local tattoo convention, get a hotel room in the host hotel there if you want to feel like you've gone somewhere exotic. I urge you though to consider whether attending the "shower curtain ring salesman's conference" of body piercing is really the right place for you to be. If you're not employed within this industry the answer is probably not. Of course there are legitimate exceptions like spouses, partners and nannies; but if you're part of an official entourage you already know it. There's no need to make up your own.

   I'm not trying to dissuade any professional piercers at all. If you push the needle for a living, even if you feel like you're a little too new to fit in, that's all the more reason why you should attend. This conference is about helping you succeed. It is about helping all professionals understand the standards for practice and even inspiring some new more advanced schools of thought. It is a completely accepting environment and that's even one more reason why it's important to have industry professionals only in attendance. We know what it feels like to have been there in our first few days. We know what it feels like to have made mistakes along the way. We share a common bond, a brotherhood of sorts that some of those outside of this profession just simply will not get. At least not in the same way. I'm sure I'll catch a lot of flack for this, especially considering my studio was one of the ones that was big on bringing a huge entourage in the earlier days. But I can't honestly think of a single experience in Vegas that was made better by having my friends there. I can't think of a single thing that was helped by their presence, except for the friends that were actually employed at the studio. The focus is learning, the rest is the icing on the cake. Nobody likes the person that just shows up for the icing.    

Wado (Thank You)
-Brett Perkins

I have a confession to make...

I have not always been concerned with quality body jewelry. As a new piercer in the 1990s, I was interested in being a part of someone's transformative experience, but also being able to support myself with my new occupation. I had sacrificed a much better paying job and it cost me a good deal of money for my apprenticeship to learn to be a piercer. I needed to be able to focus on my new life without having to make ends meet in other industries. As a relatively unknown piercer I thought my pricing needed to be competitive to help build my clientele. And to be honest I simply did not have the knowledge or experience to know why jewelry quality was so important. Times were different and it simply was not a part of my apprenticeship training. In fact, I did not start using quality jewelry until about six years into my piercing career. It took that long for me to actually seek out the education that could explain the chemistry and molecular importance of proper metal standards. Many of the world's best piercers would probably have a similar story to tell. The most unfortunate part about it is that most piercers worldwide are stuck in that same mentality to this day.

There seems to be a plethora of reasons those piercers predominantly use crummy novelty pieces instead of what I refer to as quality jewelry. Let's be honest, what I'm calling quality jewelry should really be the "standard". We should be viewing internally threaded, implant grade, hand polished jewelry as the norm. Instead so many piercers use jewelry that is sub-par, that the average consumer has come to expect novelty pieces. They believe the junk is the standard, and is safe and acceptable (despite there being quite a bit of scientific evidence otherwise), and it is hard for them to tell the difference with the naked eye unless someone has taken the time to educate them. And of course unless they have been receptive to that education. This is why I view my role in life as that of an "ambassador" for the modification community to the more vanilla members of society. Not only do I want them to have good interactions with modified people so they feel comfortable accepting us in work places and other areas of life, but I want them to feel receptive to any outreach or educational possibilities. Even if someone seems to never have a desire to get pierced themselves, you can bet someone close to them does. Education carries on even if indirectly. I sincerely thank every piercer, client, friend, and family member who welcome those seemingly annoying interactions as a chance to carry the torch of ambassadorship. It is not always at the most convenient time that someone asks you if your piercings hurt, but it can sometimes be the most transforming for that person depending on how you approach the interaction.

The way I see it, piercers get stuck in a rut of using crap jewelry for several reasons (often completely oblivious): Fear of change, poor mentoring, low self opinion, blind subservience, and lack of education. I can say this without casting judgement, because I lived it myself for six whole years. And quite honestly I choose to believe these are the reasons because anything else seems to point to gross negligence. Honestly, I don't want to believe anyone in this beloved industry has knowingly chosen poor quality jewelry for their clients, to put profit before safety and ignore science. So let's take a moment to explore these slightly more acceptable reasons together.

Many of us are creatures of habit. We don't often welcome changes in our accepted routines. The same can be said for some piercers. In some cases using quality jewelry may require new skill sets or purchase of specialized tools in order to get similar results when switching to a new style of jewelry. Internally threaded jewelry for instance, sometimes requires more finesse to insert into the piercing or to thread small beads on. Without a full commitment to change and time for adaptation, the piercer may find the new jewelry frustrating and just abandon it altogether. The important thing to keep in mind is that proper internally threaded jewelry forms a water tight seal and is less traumatic to tissue on entrance and exit. It is well worth the investment to learn and overcome the differences in practical use as they are minimal anyway.

Sometimes the fear of change can lead to or exist simultaneously with a low self opinion. If a piercer is already unsure of some of their abilities, trying to better themselves can be a challenge that ends up making them feel out of their league. As with many things, a lot of obstacles are simply overcome with training and practice. It is hard to swallow your pride and seek this help when your very essence of survival as a piercer relies on the confidence you portray to your client. Many piercers avoid interactions with more skilled who they could learn from simply because they are worried they will be judged by their peers or worse, walk away feeling even more enlightened than when they arrived. There's an old saying that has stuck with me most of my life, "the smarter you are; the dumber you are." In other words enlightenment often exposes just how out of touch we are. Introspection at these times is crucial for self growth.

Apprenticeships are the foundation of a piercer's career. Habits are formed and learned that can be hard to break. If they are good habits this is for the better. If they are poor habits it can really set a future piercer up for potential failure. It can specifically set them up for the failure to evolve or grow within their chosen career path. Everybody wants to be good at what they do. Most people strive to constantly excel. Whether it is the junior associate at a law firm, or the Junior Piercer at a studio, whether for job security and a raise, or to offer the cleanest, safest and most gentle procedure possible; I would venture to say none of us want to perform poorly or become stagnant. This is why obtaining the best apprenticeship with the best guidance is absolutely crucial. It is also why those like myself - who feel there is more to learn than what their apprenticeship held - need to constantly pursue avenues of continuing education. Having a poor mentor, whether they are otherwise too occupied to give you much guidance or whether they themselves are not fully educated on the important issues, is no excuse to keep you from being the phenomenal piercer you know you can be. Blindly following one leader whose ego keeps you from progressing is a sure red flag to find better avenues of learning. The education is available these days at trade shows like the Association of Professional Piercers Annual Conference in Las Vegas, through focused classes like Fakir Intensives workshops, and in a much smaller form through social media formats like industry forums on Facebook and the like. But what is even more overwhelmingly awesome, is the generosity and caring of reputable piercers the world over who would gladly volunteer their time to meet up and help other piercers understand the difference in jewelry quality. Jewelry is just one small component in what we do but you better believe, ignoring jewelry quality as a piercer is ignoring the safety and comfort of your clients and their piercing experience. If you are a piercer or a piercing enthusiast who would like more information on safe body jewelry standards, please feel free to email me at anomalyart@gmail.com. And also, check out the APP website at safepiercing.org.

Wado (Thank You)
-Brett Perkins

With a New Year comes new change...

Here it is January of 2014. The last time I wrote a blog on here, it was published in the first half of 2011. I keep telling myself I am going to continue blogging and make it a regular thing. But the truth of the matter is, I now doubt it will happy very often. I find myself much more willing to post movie reviews on Facebook, or write things about my personal life on other forms of social media. For some reason I have the hardest time actually updating this blog at all. Perhaps if I was intelligent enough to figure out how to get it to post automatically into our studio website I might be more motivated to try to make it work. Note to self: find someone to teach you how to make this happen.

We have moved locations, right at the beginning of November (2013) we relocated the studio to 1842 East Walnut Street in Pasadena. It's near the corner of Allen and Walnut. This is a great move for us, both in terms of geography and in terms of financial standing, as we now save over a thousand dollars per month on our rent. Which means we should be able to re-invest that savings into having a greater stock of jewelry, or getting some more precise specialized tooling for our jewelry manufacturing department. We can also afford even more continuing education for our piercers and support staff. It is an exciting time, indeed. Geographically we are now within walking distance of Pasadena City College. This should be pretty helpful for those students hoping to stop in before or after a class, or needing a break from their hard studies. We have board games for playing and WiFi, just saying. The street parking here is much more lenient, two hours free parking on the side street and one hour free parking directly in front of the building. The beauty is, there is almost always a spot or two free right in front of our door just about any day of the week.

Another thing that has changed is our hours of operation. We are now opening a couple of hours earlier, but also closing a couple of hours earlier as well. This gives our piercers the opportunity to still have personal time after working their shifts. We are always willing to consider staying late or coming in on Sunday (the only day we are closed each week) on a case by case basis, so feel free to ask - the more advanced notice, the more likely we can oblige. Another benefit of this move, is a change in our pricing. All standard piercings will have the exact same piercing fee regardless of who the piercer is (with the exception of Apprentice Piercers - if we ever have one of those ready to pierce, the price will be $10 plus jewelry to cover materials). All standard piercings are now $50 for the service, no matter who the piercer is. The $50 service fee is good for up to 3 piercings on the same person. That's right, if you get one, two or three piercings in the same sitting you only pay a flat $50 fee for the service portion no matter who the piercer is. This value bundle has been brought to you as our way of saying thanks for the patronage and continued support over the years. We are hoping our new lower rent will help make this change something we can continue to facilitate from here on out. So if you like the idea of new lower pricing on piercings, make sure you tell everyone you know to come get pierced. We can only afford to offer this deal every day if people are actually taking advantage of it. The same deal applies for more advanced piercings like surface and genital work, but the service fee is $100 for up to three piercings on the same person in the same visit. That means single point surface projects that used to cost sometimes upwards of $480 for three of them would go for $280 now. That's a savings of $200 off our old prices. Surface and genital projects are definitely much more affordable now. If you have some piercings you would like to get done but you're a little confused by the new pricing, just give us a call and we will help get you the best deal we can while maintaining our stringent quality and safety guidelines. Our number is still the same, (626) 793-8930.

Thanks to everyone who takes the time to read this little blog, I will try to update a new pricing guide page to link to our studio website within the next few days. If you have any questions or suggestions, call us or write us at anomalyart@gmail.com. Thank you very much!

Wado (Thank You)
-Brett Perkins

The Evolution of Understanding...

Are there any fans out there of the TV Show Dexter? It wasn't until somewhat recently that I finally broke down and put the series in my cue. Now several seasons into the show, I've got to say I do often find myself not only empathizing with the lead character - a serial killer who works as a blood analyst for the Miami Metro Police during the day, and strikes with deadly force against those who slip through the cracks of the law by night - but I actually sometimes find myself trying to justify parts of my life by comparing my reality to Dexter's fictional existence. I catch myself almost performing a certain self diagnosis while watching the show thinking "Well I don't see the big deal here, so does that mean I'm a sociopath too. Does that mean I'm incapable of having genuine emotions. Does that mean I play by the rules in life simply because I feel the need to not stand out and be noticed for what I really am?" Of course the real answer is no.

I feel genuine true emotions, I feel empathy for those around me. I feel the need to reach out and try to make a positive change in whatever capacity possible in this world. The writers of the television show have done an excellent job (in no small part thanks to the actor that plays Dexter) of making this conflicted "good" bad guy seem understandable, approachable, worthy of our empathy. This is the power that the entertainment industry has over us.

It wasn't so long ago that people who chose to pierce or tattoo themselves were thought of as dirty sailors, outlaw bikers, whores, convicts, gang members, etc. We had a pretty bad rap for a while, and there was not just one single cause for this. Part of it was because the unsavory characters in society were quite often the ones that were getting visible tattoos and piercings. Part of it was because various religious beliefs viewed body adornment as body desecration. Part of it was because there were not many positive role models coming out to speak on behalf of the tattooed and pierced people of the world. Why should they, afterall it is your right to keep your body adornments private. Isn't that the beauty, you can choose who you share that special part of your life with, whether it is everyone or no one.

As time passes and our society sways towards a more liberal viewpoint, it became somewhat more acceptable for some figures to emerge and publicly display their accentuated skin. Sports figures and rock stars especially took a great lead in this movement. As our idols revealed themselves and their modifications, it not only made them more human and understandable to their audiences but it made those with more conservative views feel ok about relaxing some of their ideas. Movies like Dee Snyder's Strangeland, A Man Called Horse, The Cell, Ichi The Killer, and many others usually depicted body modifications as a form of torture and those choosing to get them as being deranged. These movies were important though to breaking through the barrier of disbelief and introducing the public to acts they may have never consciously acknowledged. Sure there were publications (National Geographic being one of the most well known) but movies seemed to appeal to the American mass at such a greater rate. There of course is also the burden of misinformation, realizing fictional movies cannot be taken completely at face value. Nevertheless our minds and perceptions are expanded, and we are free to ponder what such a thing would be like, and perhaps come to terms with some instinctual ancestral calling we couldn't quite pinpoint before.

Enter reality TV, now the freaks and the deranged become human to the viewer. We see their back stories, interviews with their family. We understand they aren't so different from us. We learn about all the good they are contributing to this world and we learn about how hard their lives have been. We feel a sympathy for them that we never thought we would have for someone so... unique. Movies begin depicting tattoos as a humorous right of passage (Dude, Where's My Car, etc.) and we start accepting those with piercings and tattoos into our lives. Shows like Inked, Miami Ink, LA Ink, and the like teach us that every tattoo has to have a back story. It has to have some deep meaning that is personal for the individual receiving it. And perhaps now we think we are ready to try it ourselves. Movies like Apocalyptica cast heavily modified characters (whether real or prosthetic doesn't matter) into the role of hero and lead. Everyone wants a tattoo or piercing....

Granted these are generalizations and opinions, but the thing we keep overlooking by viewing everything as a society of spectators instead of a society of participants, is that we are still adding a level of novelty to these acts. These modernized forms of ancient medicine, these important rites of passage. We fail to see the beauty in the inspiration and instead try to impose our own limited beliefs onto the bearer. We don't feel the years of anguish the victim of sexual assault/abuse went through before finally becoming comfortable enough with their genitalia to reclaim ownership and adorn it the way they felt inside that they needed to. We don't understand the heartache and confusion one may try to break through when those hooks are inserted into their back and they defy gravity for their first suspension. We don't completely see the beauty they might capture in that portrait tattoo, perhaps it is a lost relative or an important influential person in their life. We don't always realize that sometimes a cartoon of a penis with wings tattooed on someone chest has exactly the effect it should. It makes us laugh, it makes us relax, it makes us contemplate our lot in life and juxtapose it against all those others - brothers and sisters indeed - around the world. We need these acts, these adornments, these accents to get us through life. We need them to reaffirm who we are and what we believe, not because without them we are nothing... but because they have always been a part of us.

Cultures have lived for generations with supposedly little to no contact between them, yet some piercings and tattoos are found in indigenous people all over the world. What is it that drives us to do these things to our bodies, it is indeed different for each modification enthusiast, but one constant is for sure: "It Cannot Be Explained, It Must Be Experienced."

-Brett Perkins

ANOMALY

Differences in Initial Jewelry Materials and Design

Most body piercing studios worth mentioning use similar materials for initial piercings, some are more exclusive than others limiting their initial use to titanium rather than steel, or only materials with implantation standards excluding niobium and glass. We will attempt to explain the differences in these materials and some ways consumers can make sure they are buying only the best quality and safest jewelry.

Implantation Standards vs. "Surgical" Steel

The most common jewelry material for body piercing is a steel alloy. You may be familiar with phrases like "surgical steel" or even possibly "316L" or "316LVM", none of these catchy little phrases mean the jewelry is safe for your body. Surgical steel in fact is not even a technical classification. The steel used for surgical implements and implants varies greatly and covers many different "recipes" for the steel alloy. The alloy we use in the body jewelry industry is 316LVM (the LVM means the mixture has a low carbon content and has been vacuum melted to form a consistent molecular grain pattern). The important thing to know as a consumer is that the recipe for 316 steel does not mean the alloy itself is safe for your body. In order to make sure the metal mixture is safe for piercing needs, we look for a scientific basis to compare it to for consistency and safety. Enter the American Society for Testing and Materials (astm.org). The ASTM is a volunteer organization that establishes standards and practices for all types of products. If you have a child safety seat or a bucket of house paint, they will more than likely have a tag somewhere that reads "Conforms to ASTM...", this is also true for metal alloys used for surgical implantation. We of course are not trying to suggest body piercing is on the same level as a surgical implant, but we want to use material that meet similar bio-compatibility standards to ensure their safety in the human body. The ASTM standard for implantation grade steel is F-138. If body jewelry conforms to the implantation standard, the manufacturer will be able to gladly provide a mill certificate that states on it ASTM F-138. Implantation grade steel may still be 316LVM, but the standard F-138 will be more specific as to the amount of each ingredient in the alloy. Similarly, Implant Grade Titanium has an ASTM standard it conforms to. Titanium's implantation standard is F-136 for the alloy (which contains low levels of aluminum and vanadium), and F-67 for commercially pure titanium (which is over 99% solely titanium). Many shops prefer titanium jewelry because it is strong and light, it does not contain any nickel and it has the ability to represent colored metal via a process known as anodizing. ANOMALY primarily stocks Titanium over Steel whenever possible, at no additional cost to the client despite the higher wholesale cost of the material, all of these materials meet implantation standards and we have the mill certificates to prove it.

The Importance of a Pretty Polish

Another important thing to look for as a jewelry consumer besides an implantation standard on a mill certificate is a mirror finish on the actual jewelry you plan to purchase. The mirror finish will be a good indicator that the jewelry has a sufficient oxide layer (Chromium Oxide for Steel and Titanium Oxide for Titanium) to help protect you from any possible impurities within the jewelry. A very simple test is to compare a cheap piece of jewelry purchased at a mall kiosk or beach boardwalk shop (not to suggest all of these places carry inferior jewelry, but most of them do) to a finely polished piece from a respected shop in your area. The quality jewelry should be significantly more shiny and reflective, while the cheaper piece will be a dull gray color. The dull gray is a significant indicator that the jewelry should not be worn in a fresh piercing. It means the oxide layer may be lacking or depleted and your body will be exposed to any impurities within the jewelry's metal composition. Gray dull finishes also often suggest inconsistent grain patterns on a molecular level, the boundaries where two different grain patterns meet are often the site of corrosion and impurities within the alloy. ANOMALY only carries jewelry by the finest companies on the market who use the best manufacturing and polishing practices to create the most consistently great jewelry on the planet.

Precious Metals

Gold and Platinum are both materials that have a long history of use as body jewelry. Gold also has bio-compatibility requirements. While we don't necessarily have ASTM standards to follow for these materials there are other bio-compatibility related precedents. Gold must be 14 to 18 karat solid yellow gold or white gold based in palladium (rather than nickel). Gold higher in karat is usually too soft to be used as body jewelry, and lower in karat it has too many other ingredients in the alloy. Gold plating is never appropriate for initial jewelry as it can wear or chip off easily. Platinum is extremely inert, but is rarely used due to its high cost and difficulty to work with. ANOMALY carries an excellent selection of appropriate white and yellow gold jewelry, we also offer the option to custom order specific pieces and platinum as you desire. We highly recommend making the investment in gold or platinum and commit to helping you find the perfect piece of jewelry for your piercing.

Glass

Although it has been used for generations as jewelry in indigenous peoples, glass has only more recently been accepted as initial piercing jewelry by the body piercing community. Soda Lime and Borosilicate Glasses are excellent for jewelry due to their ability to be autoclave sterilized and due to the fact that they are nonporous. Clear glasses make excellent retainers to keep your piercings from being a distraction during work or school, and colored glasses can be used to manufacture unique patterns of beauty within the jewelry. It is important to purchase glass from reputable manufacturers and to make sure the jewelry is made with consistency as a test of the manufacturer's understanding of the material and commitment to quality. Glass is handmade and may vary slightly from piece to piece, but typically the quality is pretty self-evident. Glass plugs are also an affordable alternative to stretching with substandard jewelry like plastics or natural materials. ANOMALY carries glass jewelry from the finest manufacturers the world over and we have the ability to custom order many exciting and different pieces as well.

Plastics

Many plastics are not suitable for initial jewelry use. Some of them start to deteriorate at temperatures lower than the body's own normal temperature, potentially leaching toxins into the body. They are also often unable to be sterilized in an autoclave. For these reasons it is suggested to avoid plastics as initial jewelry unless they meet some form of bio-compatibility testing. A prime example would be PTFE, a white bio-compatible polymer that meets the ASTM implantation standard F-754. While ANOMALY rarely uses these materials, PTFE can be effective for use as a somewhat flexible navel retainer during pregnancy, or for those who seem to display extreme sensitivities to other more traditional bio-compatible materials.

Niobium

The final material we would like to discuss is Niobium. Niobium is a reactive metal that can be anodized, similar to Titanium. Niobium does not have an implantation standard but it does have a long track record of being used in the body. One advantage Niobium has over Titanium is the ability to be anodized black (more like a dark charcoal color than true black). Titanium and Niobium both may lose their coloring depending on body chemistry and amount of friction in the area the jewelry is worn, but this is not harmful to the wearer and often can be remedied by re-anodizing every so often. ANOMALY carries a large selection of Titanium and Niobium for your jewelry needs, and we offer anodizing services for a mild fee.

Design Considerations

It is also important to recognize that appropriate materials are not enough, the design of the jewelry must also be appropriate so as to not hinder proper healing. Threaded barbells should be internally threaded having the male end of the screw protruding from the ball and the female end tapped into the actual shaft of the barbell post. This internal design helps to eliminate possible trauma to the healing tissue during insertion and removal of jewelry. Other benefits of properly made internally threaded jewelry include the ability to easily find replacement ends across the country, and it also helps the customer identify the possibility of quality jewelry as most externally threaded pieces are not manufactured or polished properly. A newer design in body jewelry is the threadless barbell, using a press fit design to eliminate the need for the barbell pieces to be screwed together. They literally attached like a push-pin. This also creates the possibility for much smaller gauge barbells and opens multiple possibilities for ear lobes, nostrils, cartilage and other piercings that typically benefit from small gauge sizes. Rings or hoops should be annealed, a heat process during manufacturing that keeps the metal pliable. Properly annealed rings are often opened or closed by a trained piercer without the use of pliers, thus limiting the potential damage sometimes caused by these tools. All gemstones should be set into the metal in a traditional method like a prong or bezel setting. Gemstones should not require the use of adhesives to keep them in place.

We hope this information is useful to you as a consumer, should you have questions feel free to email us at anomalyart@gmail.com or stop by and visit us in person.

-ANOMALY-

Year Of Change

Only we can affect the environment and society in which we live. Many near me of late have probably heard several references or jokes coming from my mouth about "my reality" and how nothing can exist in my reality without my recognition and approval of its existence. To some extent I do actually believe in this mindset. The dispute here lies within the understanding of the subconscious and the power and hold the mind has over us despite our level of consciousness. But all of that aside, and despite whatever personal beliefs you have, it seems to me that dominion and shepherdhood of our social and conscious existence depends greatly upon our level of participation within that existence.

In other words, there can be no change without those who are willing to make change happen. There can be no leaps without those willing to take the first step. In order to reach great heights man must often stand on the shoulders of the giants before him. And further, we must become directly involved in being the change we wish to see around us individually.

On more than one occasion I have been told by friends how anxious they are to relocate. How life will be better in a new town, a new state, a new country... maybe simply just a new neighborhood or job. I try to humbly express my personal motto learned many years ago by virtue of punk rock and veganism (and the relatively difficult task of finding either in late 1990's rural Midwest America - another story for another time). Put simply, "a place is only as good as you make it." No matter where you go, there you are. The thing that differentiates between most locations for me is the people located in each, their morals, ethics, values... the lengths they are willing to go to in order to progress their local communities. Even today I have to take inventory and look around, I ask myself what are WE doing to better ourselves, our environment, our community. What battles are we willing to fight what efforts are we willing to support.

Of late I have taken to catching an episode of the television series The Tudors in my spare time. Some may say that quoting or referencing a popular television show over the history it represents is juvenile and ignorant but I feel the medium has become for better or worse a relevant part of our culture. In the third season of the show, the commoners from the North of England start a rebellion of sorts in an effort to save their holy houses of worship from desecration and to maintain the right to honor ceremony, rite and ritual of a belief system that was under the threat of complete reformation, in this case Roman Catholicism (If you don't know the show is essentially about Henry VIII and how his insatiable lust changed politics and religion forever). The thing that really stood out most to me was the reoccurring theme that these men were not only willing to fight for their beliefs, but willing to die for them as well. And die they did, most without any recanting of their forthright beliefs.

I do not ask any of you to die for your causes, quite the opposite. I ask you to live for them. I ask that in this coming year we ALL do what we can to execute a change for the better in our lives, our communities, our cities and states and countries, and our world. If we all apply ourselves in this coming year of 2011, the effect will be monumental. Here at ANOMALY we have already taken a head start, and are looking forward to continuing with pride.

I personally have made a change for myself and my health to a macrobiotic diet, one that requires abstinence from refined sugars and processed ingredients along with a healthy intake of balance in all things in life. We as a shop just had our annual Jeff Edgarian Bowl-A-Rama which raised $500 for the Glendale Humane no-kill animal shelter. We have plans in the works to do fundraisers for the Pasadena Bad Weather Shelter (a high tolerance homeless shelter here locally), The Pasadena Ronald McDonald House, a charity that houses families with children hospitalized far from their homes, a holiday portrait event for the low income families of the Pasadena Area, and we also plan to host an art show and donate a percentage of our daily sales in January to help raise funds for relief in Haiti (it's been a year and things are still ridiculous there). We will update and announce more information for each of these events as they progress on our website at www.anomaly2.com, you can also find information on our facebook fan page at www.facebook.com/anomalypiercing. We are very interested in what you are doing, how you are making change, and if you need our help... what we can do to assist you. Please feel free to tell us by commenting on this blog or by emailing us at anomalyart@gmail.com. I apologize for any typos, this netbook loves to drop letters and add extras when I'm hunting and pecking.

Happy New Year to you all, let's make 2011 the best yet of our lifetimes. Remember, according to some it may be the last full calendar year we have. :)

Sincerely,

Brett Perkins