May 9, 2023
Tattoos and piercings mean more than cosmetic change to me.
Body modifications have become a decisive way of reclaiming my own body. A claim to what’s always been mine, yet so many thought was theirs.
Every needle point on my skin is a message.
To the boyfriend who felt entitled to my body because we were dating, because I was his. The one who would switch the lights on and off to keep me from sleeping until I surrendered.
To the assholes who grabbed my ass or pushed me against a wall in a loud bar because they assumed I wore that dress for them. Yes, I look hot; yes it’s short; no you’ll never know what I’m like without it.
To the many who think they should get to decide what I do with my own body, because they love me, because they made me, because they’re men.
To them, every tattoo and piercing I get is a fuck you.
This isn’t the body you thought was yours.
This is a new skin.
One I made for myself.