A man is asking women for answers. "What do you signal with a nose piercing?"
We used to think piercings were unprofessional. Now, they’re silent signals of rebellion, safety, solidarity, or simply style. They say, 'I’m not performing for your comfort, I know who my people are.'
A political and business-focused TikTok creator named @bennyboybiz, with thirty thousand followers, recently sparked controversy with a video that many found mocking in tone. While not being outright rude, he would say, "I have never seen a woman who looks good with a nose piercing", but would quickly cover it up with "not that anything is wrong with not wanting to be attractive to me". The comment section was filled with comments that matched the phrasing of the video, seeming passive-aggressive. Commenters responded with lines like, “It means we like the nose piercing — hope this helps,” mimicking the creator’s sarcastic tone while flipping it back at him.
Is he a bad person, or did "cancel culture strike again"?
Looking at other content produced by this man, I have reached the conclusion that he meant this video to be lighthearted, as he appears to be a Canadian liberal trying to educate young people on business and politics. I didn't get the feeling he wanted to create a provocative video, but he managed to with the phrasing of his short-form content. While being genuinely curious, he didn't seem like he took the time to educate himself on topics that were connected to his question. To be fair, he’s not entirely wrong, but we’re living in a time where people online are more guarded and hyper-aware than ever.
Looking at the last few years, people became more and more cautious, not giving anyone fame that could potentially be dangerous. Today, women are quicker than ever to call out even subtle forms of sexism — and for good reason. From what I see, the internet is not tolerant of backhanded compliments, ignorant questions, and runs out of patience faster than ever. In this day and age, sexism as we know it is getting drowned out soon in first-world countries, and people are leaning towards radical choices on both sides. Maybe this is why men on the internet are not able to hide it anymore, and if they dislike women, they have to be loud about it. Men like Andrew Tate, and similar young adults with podcasts, have to be open about any form of opinions they have, creating an even bigger gap between the two groups. The Z generation treats ignorance as the threat it should be recognized as. This will become more important as AI advances and as America starts using more and more propaganda. When people are suffering, they treat small things as a threat, using their influence to erase smaller problems. Maybe that's how they calm themselves, knowing they are unable to change the bigger picture. Being a small rock in the emperor's shoes feels better than not doing anything about it.
While I understand the comment section, my brain started racing. What do we signal with our piercings?
Somewhere along the lines, we gained a meaning, without ever wanting one. The people who got the piercings, back when they first became popular in modern times, were not afraid to express themselves in ways society deemed unfit for work environments. These people were brave, as they put their self-expression to a higher level of importance than being fit to society's standards. Maybe half of these people were already considered weird and chose the embrace it. Perhaps some of them didn't care what people thought. But regardless, people who fit into the box didn't partake in these activities, and people with religious values often did ignore these types of fashion choices; some still think they come from the devil.
So, people who fit into the ideal image were wary of piercings, and outcasts were more likely to choose a form of provocative self-image.
So, finally, the answer you've been waiting for - what do we signal with piercings? That we are a part of this group. I do not have face piercings, as I always valued my safety in a conservative country more than a fashion choice I liked, but I can see why it would be someone's cup of tea. A piercing quietly says, “We don’t care what you think of us,” while also signaling to fellow alternative people: “Hey, I’m safe.” It naturally scares off people, punk/alt people don't want to talk to anyway, while engaging similar groups. We can see this type of thing happen in the animal kingdom as well, invisible signals of safety and threats. The man was accidentally close to the truth when he asked, "Does it mean you are gay or trans?" as LGBTQ+ people are often in these circles, with people who are likely to understand, listen, and stand up for them. He took a stereotype and ran with it, not thinking about the past and the reasons why it would occur. Unsurprisingly, many women are done entertaining ignorance or acting as educators for grown men who should know better. They want you to be able to think for yourself.
What do we consider normal? How does the world around us shape us?
Not long ago, piercings were considered vulgar, but why? We see evidence of piercings in Egypt around 1500 BC. So why did it take so long to rise again? I always mention to everyone how Christianity is the standard to every moral decision and fashion trend, even if you are not Christian, as a long time ago in history, their influence became the norm everywhere. That's how Europe got rid of a type of jewelry that was not from us, shaping what we consider normal and pure.
So why didn't we see this "trend" sooner? Some days ago, I saw the opinion about purity culture that just stayed with me. When everyone suddenly thinks the world is not safe anymore, skirts become longer, and dresses become modest. As soon as politics start to become radical, people are scared to express themselves. Of course, we have to place this into the corresponding time, but we see this happening after the world wars ended, and people started to dress more freely. Are our fashion choices truly our own, or are they quiet reflections of a world shaping us in ways we barely notice? In this day and age, even Christian people have tattoos and body modifications, colored hair, and we see the full contrast from a few years ago.
When COVID hit, something interesting happened. When faced with sickness, when no one was allowed outside, and the internet was our escape, but leading countries were taking a liberal stance, somehow, people acted out. Some did what they always wanted, and now are ashamed of the way they acted. Back then, outfits, makeup, and trends became the strangest we have ever seen before. But now, many think we are about to unleash World War 3, and in the last year, more and more people have chosen sides. Almost like the scene in Matrix, when you have to choose between the pills, people either choose a modest look, which goes along with purity culture, or paint their hair, get those piercings, tattoos, and are currently protesting on the streets. We are seeing our countries separating from the inside, at the same time class consciousness is stronger than ever before. I think we are close to changing entire political systems, while simultaneously scared of losing capitalism, as we can barely imagine a world without its base.
In the end, a piercing may just be a piece of metal, but what it represents is something much deeper: the quiet rebellion of being seen, heard, and unbothered in a world still trying to define us.
Whether we wear piercings, tattoos, or silence, we’re all sending signals, and perhaps the real question is: who’s really listening?
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