Society and Culture
Using the body to make public statements and comment on society.
Start here · Essential guide
How tattoos, piercings and other body art are used as public statements, what makes a message read as intended, and where the limits of the body as a billboard lie.
Can individual tattoos and piercings contribute to wider change? A cautious look at how personal choices add up over time and when they may fall short.
A general explainer on advocacy and allyship around bias against visibly modified people, covering workplaces, services and what supportive allies do. No interview.
A general explainer on the range of views activists hold about body modification as activism, from autonomy to community work and skepticism. No interview.
How symbols and imagery on skin are used to call attention to specific injustices, what makes them work, and what to consider before choosing one.
Imagery about long-standing oppression and the responsibility of wearing symbols tied to real communities, with attention to history, ownership and respect.
How tattoos, piercings and other body art can comment on culture, politics or consumerism, and why audiences often read the same piece in different ways.
Commentary art that targets accepted conventions, including performance and public display, and the reactions it tends to draw from audiences and institutions.
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