WEAR TO SHOW YOU CARE
BY KITTY CRINO PHOTOS BY NAIMA WOLFE
Accessorizing enables individuals to include personal expression and flare to any outfit. An often overlooked accessory is one that has the ability to shine a light on nearly any aspect of being. Pins can capture a person’s entire identity, from displaying an individual’s pronouns or sexual orientation to showing support for the causes and organizations they value. Political pins are timeless accessories and are the simplest and most stylish way one can display their pride.
Dating as far back as 1789 to the first presidential inauguration of George Washington, Americans could be seen sporting small metal pins with the saying, “Long live the President.” It was not until the 1960s that the public took creative matters into their own hands and produced pins that supported or disdained opposing candidates with no boundaries.
Buttons that strayed from those otherwise produced by the presidential campaign members themselves were described as “grassroots buttons,” or buttons of the working class, made by the common people. Pins such as these rose to popularity once again around the time of the 2016 presidential election, and they were just as subversive as they were made out to be in the ‘60s.
Today, pins possess the ability to speak for unspoken matters and can display a sign of safety to others. Charities utilize the production of pins to raise awareness for the cause they support; political parties produce pins pertaining to specific issues, elections, and political figures in an effort to broaden their audience.
For members of the LGBTQ+ community, a pin can be a symbol of visibility and signify a safe space or being. Powerful messages can be expressed within such a small surface area; a pin is an accessory that carries weight while upholding personal values, an accessory that is a sign of the times. Pins open the door for conversations to be had. They encourage connections and they create communities.
