“salute” at first. I also remember seeing the first
ever steel captive ring in 8 gauge 3/8” and again, I
just had to wear it. Foolishly, I forced my septum to
stretch from 12 to 8 gauge to accommodate it. Ouch.
Actual jewelry standards came much later than all
that, with the Association of Professional Piercers
(APP), which leads us to your next question.
SD: What has being a part of the APP done for you
and can you share a memorable moment with us?
EA: Being involved with the APP has been
extraordinary. To have come from the somewhat
dubious start I just described, to helping set
standards and legitimize piercing as a bona
fide profession is phenomenal! I’m thrilled that
the organization exists and that I’ve been able
to participate. I’m so proud of my colleagues
who are members of the association because it
does take hard work and dedication to meet the
requirements—but it is so worth it.
I’ve served four different three-year terms of
voluntary service on the Board of Directors, (once
as Outreach Coordinator, twice as Medical Liaison,
and also as President) and learned so much in
each position. I’ve also volunteered as editor, and
co-editor, of the APP’s publication, The Point. I’ve
attended and taught yearly at conferences in the
US and also abroad, and I am a recipient of the
President’s Award. Yet I feel like I’ve gotten so
much more out of it than I put in. The satisfaction of
participating, being involved, and helping to shape
the industry is indescribable. The camaraderie,
networking, and support are nothing short of
amazing. This is especially critical since, as I did,
many piercers work in fairly solitary situations in
which the only other piercers around (if any) are
coworkers. It is hard to grow and develop when
that’s the case.
Without the organization, I know that piercing
would not have achieved the level of legitimacy it
now enjoys. At least not in the same timeframe. I’m
always kind of baffled when I hear about people
who are negative about the APP. We’re a health and
safety organization. What piercer could be “against”
health and safety? For any piercers out there who
feel unhappy with the APP, my best advice is to get
involved and work to effect the change you want to
see. I did!
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