Looking for a tattoo shop that blends top-tier artistry with a safe, inclusive environment?
Pittsburgh is home to a number of incredible women-owned and queer-led tattoo studios—places where creativity, consent, and community come first. Whether you're getting your first piece or adding to your collection, these shops provide spaces where you can express yourself without judgment.
Here’s a curated guide to some of the city’s best women-owned tattoo studios, with working links to their websites and Instagrams so you can explore portfolios and book confidently. Additionally you might wanna check out some women owned brands while you’re at it!
Female Trouble Tattoo is the home studio of Cara Cable, a seasoned artist who brings a fearless edge to classic tattooing styles. Known for strong lines, vintage-inspired designs, and a commitment to client comfort, this shop offers a peaceful, one-on-one experience.
Lady Moon is a cozy, welcoming studio in the heart of Lawrenceville. With a reputation for both precision and warmth, this women-owned shop is a favorite for people seeking thoughtful, detailed pieces in a relaxing environment. Bookings are done via email, and the artists emphasize communication and consent in every part of the process.
This stunning Garfield studio isn’t just aesthetically beautiful—it’s radically inclusive. The Kindred Spirit Tattoo Co. is known for its affirming environment, collaborative approach, and commitment to accessibility. Each artist brings a unique visual style, ranging from surreal linework to colorful illustrative pieces.
Whether you’re nonbinary, queer, disabled, or just looking for a space that respects your identity—Kindred Spirit welcomes you.
Newly opened in 2024, Queen of Swords is a queer, femme-led collective that feels more like a community than a studio. The artists here specialize in highly personalized, emotionally resonant work—everything from ornamental florals to intricate fine-line storytelling.
Booking details and artist portfolios are easily accessible on the shop's website and Instagram.
Rogue Tattoo is a women-run space focused on custom designs and expressive tattoo work. With an emphasis on personal connection and body autonomy, Rogue offers an empowering atmosphere where creativity and care come first. If you're looking for delicate detail work, conceptual art, or pieces with strong narrative elements, it's worth checking out their artists.
“Really liked Jessie at Lady Moon in Lawrenceville… She usually does a more traditional style but … fine lines and it looks great!” and list Jessi & Hannah as top picks.
“I absolutely love … Michelle at Gypsy Tattoo. I’ve been getting tattooed regularly by her for almost a decade … She’s so comforting, kind, and really puts you at ease.”
Three Fates Tattoo – A queer, collectively-owned private studio known for being supportive, safe, and high in quality.
Tattooing is intimate, vulnerable, and powerful. It’s not just ink on skin—it’s a reclamation of your body, a visual expression of memory, identity, resilience, or transformation. For many people—especially queer folks, femmes, people of color, and those in fat, disabled, or otherwise marginalized bodies—traditional tattoo spaces can feel intimidating, unwelcoming, or even unsafe. These environments often carry an undercurrent of hypermasculinity, gatekeeping, or unspoken expectations about how you should look, behave, or present yourself.
That’s why women-owned and queer-owned tattoo shops matter so deeply. They are more than businesses—they are spaces of safety, softness, and sovereignty. In these studios, artists aren’t just creating tattoos—they’re holding space for stories, trauma, and celebration. Clients don’t need to shrink themselves to fit into someone else’s idea of what “tattooed” should look like. You’re not required to justify your design, explain your pronouns, or brace yourself for judgment. You get to show up in your full truth.
These spaces often center consent-based practices, clear communication, and a trauma-informed approach. You’ll find artists who ask before touching your body, who check in about your comfort, and who recognize the emotional weight that tattooing can carry. Whether you're memorializing a loved one, marking a transition, or simply claiming your beauty, queer- and femme-led studios make it clear: your body is not a problem to be fixed. It’s a canvas to be honored.
In a world that often polices bodies, these studios become sanctuaries—where skin becomes story, and where art becomes affirmation.
Getting a tattoo is more than a design—it’s an experience. And where you get it can shape how that experience feels in your body and memory.
Whether you’re walking into a shop for the first time or returning to add another piece of your story, Pittsburgh has spaces that honor your autonomy, your aesthetics, and your whole self.
These women-owned studios are proof that tattooing can be as transformative as it is artistic.
If you’re looking to really change up or add even more to your style check out some tips to get your dream haircut!
