Like others, Lawson considers visibility key to destigmatizing both body art and LGBTQ identity. Having begun his body-art journey with a home-made tattoo at age 15, Lawson’s lived years with his body art and gay identity paralleling one another. “I have to actively choose to show how queer I am,” he notes.
Tattoos can often be hidden, as can these identities. A frequent visitor of the studio, Charlie Lawson, illustrates the concept by rolling up a sleeve and turning around to show the back of his leg. “I can be comfortable with who I am without putting labels on it,” he says.Ī level of decisiveness and self-determination presents itself among the LGBTQ and body art communities, through historical context and personal exploration. As piercer John Pendergrass points out, the modern American piercing community has its roots in more “behind-the-scenes” LGBTQ subgroups.Īs he rubs an amber-colored scrub over a client’s earlobe, he clarifies the acceptance he has found in the body art community, even without naming his identity. The parallels manifest themselves in other forms of body art, too. Face-to-face experiences such as these, however, create a platform for open communication. With bobbleheads and other trinkets around her booth, Blalock hopes to display, in her words, “The whole gay agenda.” The studio attracts people of all kinds, and some may not be as accepting as others. “I enjoy it because it allows me to get to know a lot of different people as well as them getting to know people who are different to them,” she explains. The individuality of the artform draws Mallory Blalock to this work. Tattoos and body art have often been used as a physical manifestation of personality.
“I got it, in a kinda subtle, not in-your-face way, to remind myself and have it present in other people’s minds that pride is important to me,” she says. The shape has been a strong icon for LGBTQ groups and presents a manner for Fonseca to wear her heart on her sleeve. The equality symbol is bold on the side of her wrist, stark black lines standing out against pale skin. Fonseca’s has a somewhat similar message. Her design centers self-love and compassion.