As the list of mortifying things Donald Trump has done as president grows with each day, I never thought I'd add wearing a button to it. Of course, his "I Heart Trucks" accessory is not comparable the laundry list of ways he's stripping people of their basic human rights, but I promise I have a point. Trust.
Yesterday, Trump pinned the button on his suit before meeting with members from the the American Trucking Associations. Everyone on the Internet began to refer to his "pin", saying he officially proved pins are a trend for spring. (There was also plenty of memes of the president behind the wheel of a big rig.) When I read this in several headlines and on Twitter, I started shaking my head until it felt like it was going to fall off. His "pin" is 100 percent a button. I used to make those in high-school student council for campaigns and homecoming. Pins, on the other hand, stand for everything Trump does not.
Over the past year and a half, I've amassed almost 100 food-, pop culture-, and beauty-inspired enamel pins. On any given day, you can catch me with at least three right above my heart. I started off with one of a cup of bubble tea, and it spurred my love of supporting small businesses. Many of them are run by super talented women who make pins just for the thrill of it. They have full-time jobs on top of designing and sending out their little pieces of wearable art.
Many of my pins make veiled political statements, too. All the proceeds from the slice of rainbow cake that I got at a pop up shop in Williamsburg was donated to Rainbow Railroad, a non-profit that helps LGBTQ+ people all around the world, especially in the Middle East and Africa, escape domestic violence. If you squint, you can see it in the Insta below.
I also love wearing the quintessential beauty editor pin: Salad Days Pins's Sephora Hand, which is a hand covered in makeup swatches. Fifty percent of its proceeds go to the National Center for Transgender Equality.
In theory, my pin collection is my own version of rebellion. They resemble what Trump is trying to hold down — women, the LGBTQ+ community, immigrants. So no, Trump is not making pins a trend. His I Heart Trucks button is nothing like some of my favorite pins you'll see below.