Piercings as More Than Fashion
Piercings are beautiful—but they’re never just decoration. They carry meaning. For many people, the jewelry they wear is a subtle (or not-so-subtle) signal of identity, community, and power. From queer-coded ear piercings to femme adornment and punk rebellion, body jewelry has always been more than skin deep.
Piercings as Queer Signals
For decades, piercings have been used as quiet indicators of queerness—especially when being out wasn’t safe.
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The “gay ear” code of the 80s and 90s linked a single earring on one side with queer identity (a code that shifted over time and geography).
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Septum and eyebrow piercings became common among LGBTQ+ subcultures, carrying both style and solidarity.
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Today, curated ears, stacked lobes, and bold septum jewelry often serve as affirmations of queer visibility, identity, and belonging.
Jewelry can be a way of saying: this is who I am, and this is my community.
Piercings and Femininity
Body jewelry has long been tied to femininity. From delicate gemstone studs to bold gold hoops, piercings allow femmes to express softness, glamour, and power all at once.
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Gold hoops have been tied to cultural pride and resilience, especially in Latina, Black, and queer femme communities.
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Dainty stacks and gemstone accents highlight elegance and self-expression.
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Multiple piercings allow for versatility—shifting between subtle and dramatic, playful and commanding.
For many femmes, piercings aren’t just fashion—they’re a way of curating identity through jewelry.
Piercings as Power
There’s something undeniably powerful about metal in the body. Historically, piercings were used as rites of passage, status symbols, and protective talismans. Today, that history still resonates:
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A bold septum ring can feel like armor.
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A constellation of studs can mark autonomy and control.
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High-end jewelry—diamonds, sapphires, solid gold—becomes both a fashion statement and a personal crown.
Power comes not only from how others see the jewelry, but from how it makes you feel.
Mixing Signals, Building Identity
The truth is, most people don’t fit neatly into just one category. A pierced identity can be queer and femme, soft and powerful, minimalist and punk. The beauty of piercing jewelry is its flexibility—you get to design your identity every day, piece by piece.
Claiming Your Pierced Identity
At Body Altar, we believe your piercings are more than accessories. They’re signals of who you are, who you love, and how you move through the world. That’s why we curate jewelry that celebrates queerness, femininity, and power—all with luxury, safety, and style at the core.
