​What Do Nipple Piercings Have To Do With Women’s History Month?
Start writing a post
Politics and Activism

​What Do Nipple Piercings Have To Do With Women’s History Month?

'Tis the season for frivolous feminism

553
​What Do Nipple Piercings Have To Do With Women’s History Month?
makers.com

Three women walk into a piercing parlor. Two out of three want nipple piercings. None of them know each other. They stand around and marvel at their mutual womanhood. How wonderful it is, after all, to be a woman.

It cannot be a coincidence that so many women want their nipples pierced in March, AKA Women’s History Month.

I call bullshit. Women can get their nipples pierced any month of the year and make a feminist statement. Or they can get their nipples pierced because they feel like it, and the act doesn’t need to be a declaration of womanhood at all. The same sentiments apply to the 11 other months in the year, which do not need to be explicitly designated to women in order to have everything to do with women.

Maybe March wasn’t even feeling particularly feminist On March 8, 1911, when International Women’s Day became a thing. Maybe June would have liked to have been considered a month for women, but June is Bicycle Month. Shit happens.

I say all of this to highlight the reasons why it is ridiculous to dedicate 1/12 of the year to women. It’s as if we forget that half of the global population has vaginas. And because we only celebrate womanhood in March, those with vaginas should contemplate such acts as nipple-piercing to celebrate their womanhood. But only in March. To do so April 1 would be absurd.

What would Elizabeth Cady Stanton say?

At the Seneca Falls convention in in 1848, women did not stand together and say, “Let us all collectively pierce our nipples as a feminist statement!” Rather, they voiced the rights of women, examined the collective conditions of the female experience, and ultimately composed the “Declaration of Rights and Grievances.” Interestingly enough, nipple piercings were never discussed.

The way I see it, there are several key issues, here. Firstly, that our society sexualizes and politicizes women’s bodies to the point where something like a nipple piercing is made into a radical statement. Secondly, that we accept the public celebration—read abbreviation—of women’s history as a period of 31 days. And finally, when we consider these points together, we begin to apprehend the problematic assumption that some things are feminist and others are not. This is to say, there is a certain absurdity in our acceptance that March is the most feminist month, and the nipple piercing is the most feminist piercing.

Either everything is feminist, or nothing is.

The fact that women’s history month is a thing proves that we have a long way to go for women’s parity. I learn about white men in my history classes, and I learn about women, people of color, and the LGBTQ community in electives. It would take me an entire month to discuss only Alice Paul, and arguably, that isn’t enough time. The legacy of women’s history should be a continuous and ongoing discussion. Between Eve, Billie Holliday, Betty Grable, Rosa Parks, Ellen Page, Laverne Cox, and my mom, we have no shortage of great women to discuss. And that discussion can never be an afterthought. On behalf of women’s history, I give the middle finger to March, and invite you to celebrate women all of the time. Celebrate the women in your life, and the women who made this world possible. Cheers to them.

To answer my question, “What do nipple piercings have to do with Women’s history month?”

Absolutely nothing.

From Your Site Articles
Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
the beatles
Wikipedia Commons

For as long as I can remember, I have been listening to The Beatles. Every year, my mom would appropriately blast “Birthday” on anyone’s birthday. I knew all of the words to “Back In The U.S.S.R” by the time I was 5 (Even though I had no idea what or where the U.S.S.R was). I grew up with John, Paul, George, and Ringo instead Justin, JC, Joey, Chris and Lance (I had to google N*SYNC to remember their names). The highlight of my short life was Paul McCartney in concert twice. I’m not someone to “fangirl” but those days I fangirled hard. The music of The Beatles has gotten me through everything. Their songs have brought me more joy, peace, and comfort. I can listen to them in any situation and find what I need. Here are the best lyrics from The Beatles for every and any occasion.

Keep Reading...Show less
Being Invisible The Best Super Power

The best superpower ever? Being invisible of course. Imagine just being able to go from seen to unseen on a dime. Who wouldn't want to have the opportunity to be invisible? Superman and Batman have nothing on being invisible with their superhero abilities. Here are some things that you could do while being invisible, because being invisible can benefit your social life too.

Keep Reading...Show less
houses under green sky
Photo by Alev Takil on Unsplash

Small towns certainly have their pros and cons. Many people who grow up in small towns find themselves counting the days until they get to escape their roots and plant new ones in bigger, "better" places. And that's fine. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought those same thoughts before too. We all have, but they say it's important to remember where you came from. When I think about where I come from, I can't help having an overwhelming feeling of gratitude for my roots. Being from a small town has taught me so many important lessons that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

Keep Reading...Show less
​a woman sitting at a table having a coffee
nappy.co

I can't say "thank you" enough to express how grateful I am for you coming into my life. You have made such a huge impact on my life. I would not be the person I am today without you and I know that you will keep inspiring me to become an even better version of myself.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

96458
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments