Last night, I got my septum pierced by Scott Jania at Progressive Piercing. The place doesn't really look like much - it's one room in the corner of The Alley, which is this expensive punk megastore at Belmont and Clark in Chicago. The piercing room is now surrounded by jewelry cases, and there are a few signs in the window advertising the piercing shop. Scott's face is also on billboards and benches all over the city, with the tagline "Get pierced, not screwed".
Both of the piercers are masters of their craft, and they are surprisingly easy to talk to. Every time I've been there for more than a few minutes, I've learned something new. This time, I got a primer on septum piercings dating back to 1990, when only two places in Chicago would consider doing one - for the hefty price of $100. Mine cost around $50 total, and that includes the hypoallergenic titanium retainer and piercing fee. The stories and information were free, of course. I learned that most shops will pierce septums far too low, and the technique leaves something to be desired. Mine is level on both the vertical and horizontal planes of my face, which is wonderful, since I hate crooked facial piercings. I recommend Progressive to everyone. All of the other "professional" piercers I've gone to can't hold a candle to these guys.
One of the reasons I love tattoos and piercings so much is that they're both relatively affordable body modification. If done well, they can be long-lasting and beautiful changes. While I do plan on starting testosterone and getting top surgery done soon, they're definitely not accessible to a lot of people. I'm not saying everyone can afford a $50 hole in their nose, either. But for me, it feels good to have that kind of control over my body, my appearance, and the way I present myself to the world.
As I've slowly started getting tattoos in more visible places, supposedly "dooming myself" in the business world, I've realized how little of an impact it makes on my life. My boss asked me for tattoo advice, and my coworker wants me to do some sketches for her next design. Everyone at my office is queer and (I think) trans friendly. So I don't think I'm doomed just yet. I'm still planning all my coming out letter writing for this month and next month. Camp Trans is coming up in early August, and it's looking like I might be able to make it. Hopefully everything will be out in the open before the Fall. I'm still in therapy, but I'm cutting it down to twice a month instead of once each week. Everything seems to be going according to plan, and it feels great. Now I have a little stubborn Taurus-y septum piercing to celebrate. Not that I'm an astrology nerd, or anything. But it seems to fit just fine.
