I'm writing an article on body piercing...wanting some views and opinons...?

Question

I'm a piercer and have been asked by a friend to assist in writing an article on the standpoint of piercings in today's society. So I've decided to bring our research here as opposed to asking people who come in the shop because they're opinons would probably be biased towards piercings being a fantastic thing.

I would like opinions from anyone who is willing to share in an intelligent manner what they think piercings impact on today's society is. Please back up your opinion's with reasons instead of just saying "they're totally cool" ( I hear enough of that from the shop rats (if any of you read this, I mean that in the most loving of ways ::muahs::) or "they're extremely trashy".

Thanks in advance!

To Star: Thank you for your input, and don't worry I do strongly discourage body piercings of any kind other than ears by anyone under the age of 18. I am one of the few piercer's that I know of in my area that will refuse to pierce a minor even with their parents standing before me willing to sign the waivers.

Also I wish that the legal age would be bumped to 21 because I feel that even 18 year olds are still too much of a child at mind to make a decision that will affect their rest of their life, my feeling on this is mainly towards tattoos & scarification, but piercings can also have an adverse affect if done improperly (such as home piercings) and leave disfiguring scars, which is always a possibility, even when done professionally

To everyone else, again thank you too for your input and to anyone hasn't yet left an answer, I look forward to reading yours too!!.

Answer 1

i think having body modifications is like a modern subculture in many ways - it defines itself from the greater population with its own physical differences. often people with body mods have much more open views on things, less conservative.

but on the flip side they've also become associated with 'negative' subcultures - tattoos with prison culture, navel piercings with a certain kind of teenage group.

the perception of piercings depends on (i think) your standing in society. my mum's fairly liberal, and quite likes my piercings - she'd get her nose pierced if her husband didn't hate piercings! but he's very conservative, and didn't speak to me for weeks after i got my tongue pierced. people surprise me with how unbothered or bothered they are about piercings, tatoos etc - acceptance comes in surprising forms, like little old ladies who say they're nice!

i think there's still a lot of stigma about piercings from some areas - your work prospects could be limited if you have visible/facial modifications. like any minority group i guess - except that no-one will get outraged at the tratment of tattooed or pierced people as they would with an 'accepted' group - be it religious, race-related etc. so i guess while some parts of society are accepting of it, there's a way to go

Answer 2

If they are prescribed by a reputable physician and the medication is in line with the game's drug code, then there would be no problem. If this would see a breach of the code then he obviously couldn't use that drug. Personally, I don't think they will take the chance. Play an extra bat to make it harder for us to win. Edit: Julia, if cancelling the tour is what is required, go for it. We could use a break anyway before the South Africans come and it would be great to see these blokes play in the Sheffield Shield. Maybe this is what we need to do. See if CA has any cojones.

Answer 3

Hey!

I think that body piercing has it's place in society, as it is another way for people to express themselves creatively, also a way to add some more bling i guess.

I have several body piercings and have even had surface piercings and I love them...my parents on the other hand...not too keen. I think it totally depends on the person and individual taste.

There are certainly things in society that hinder people in getting piercings. I went to church for the first 19 yrs of my life and piercings/tattoos were looked down upon as self mutilation/not keeping your body as a temple. (i got my tragus pierced while still attending...didn't go down so well!)

So in the end I think it's just an individual thing, it's your body, it's your choice, you have to face any consequence that comes with your chosen actions.

Hope this helps!

Answer 4

I don't think piercings impact today's society perse. I believe people are always trying to find something that sets them apart. Maybe make a person feel more adventureous, daring. The thing is there's a whole lot of people doing and feeling the same thing. I once had a labia ring. It was so daring, so out there. My friends thought so too. It was soo sexy (where is that darn thing anyway)? I grew out of that. I still have my tattoos though. I'm glad they're not too out there. Remember all those folks with their mohaks, and the club kids? You still see them once in a while...

Answer 5

A lot of my friends have there nipple and other area done. I personal couldn't do that myself. Its self expression for them. I just got my nose done 2 months ago. I have always thought it looked cute if it was a small diamond.

I am 24yrs old and being that I feel society does judge us on our looks I did it now. I feared if I waited to long I would be to old and would be judged even more for being an older mother with a nose piercing.

Being we are not born with piercings I feel we do it for a statement or enjoy the extra jewelry we get to wear. I know my husbands side does not like my nose piercing but it makes me feel like I have freedom and not to old to go have something done like this.

I hope this is not a stupid response to your questions

Answer 6

I love piercing, but just too chicken. I have great friends and my first tattoo was done by a great artist. I will have a more work on the same tat. I keep the art work on my back and I can be a bice republican woman and the biker chick under my clothes

Answer 7

My daughter wanted her naval pierced and being 16 I felt she was too young. That night her belly hurt and I went to rub her tummy and saw that she used a carpenter's needle to do a 'self-piercing'. I practically fainted and with my reaction she immediately removed it. It's been 2 years and my friend's daughter, then 17, had major medical complications doing the 'home' version of piercing. I strongly recommend that any piercing be left to a licensed reputable professional. Please strongly encourage this in your article. Thank you.

Answer 8

Piercing...is a subculture of today. It is portrayed as a hip and cool culture, but is in fact a sublimation that portrays the social sexualisation of our changing society. Why sexualisation? Piercing, itself, when used in bodily piercing, connotes and links to sex, albeit a little different from normal, to convery to the masses that they are different.

Piercing...how it impacts on society today. Hmmm...psychologically, on an individual level, it should link to personal preference and deviance culture, but also it links as a fashion accessory. On a commercial and societal level, it does provide extra jobs, both in the fashion and piercing per se, thus improving each state/countries' GDP.