akito

Ok, it's recently been brought to my attention (yet again) by family members and random friends of mine that they either have problems or concerns with one of my piercings in particular. Keep in mind I have taken the majority of them out, but the one they're referring to is my labret spike, as shown in this picture:



I'm sorry for the size of the picture, but it's the best I have to show the piercing for those of you that aren't 100% sure what a labret is. It's the spike right beneath my lower lip.

Now, I for one have no issues with piercings, it's an artform to me quite honestly. I love them, as well as tattoo's (of which i currently have 2).

My question for you all is: What are your views on piercings? In all honesty, does it make you look down on someone that has them? Are you instantly intimidated by the person or feel threatened? Do you find yourself ensuring your wallet is held securely or gripping your purse tighter?

Piercings have been in social debate for quite some time now, and I am just curious as to why people view them how they do.

Discuss.

skier

I would really like to hear some opinions on this subject as well- i'm considering getting a visible piercing and I'd like to hear some independant opinions about more unconventional piercings.

I am very open towards piercing in general. I do have a gut reaction to a person with "extreme" piercings and their sometimes related clothing (by which I mean a punk/goth/rocker/anarchist look) but it does not give me undue worry.

__________________
"Asking a bomb squad if an old bomb is still "real" is not the best thing to do if you want to save it." - denim

streak_56

It's your body, or someone elses body. What authority do I have that I would restrict why you have piercings? They do not bother me at all. Its something a person does for a reason and that reason to them is their own.

Lockjaw

Guess since I came of age in the mid late 90s when all the piercing was becoming main stream I just view anybody with anything other than their ears pierced(not sure exactly why I don't view the earrings as the same) "me too" wanna be trendy types. And those types are not at all threatening at all to me in the least. I know guys that are tons scarier(and validly so) that don't have anything stuck in them than the guys that have eyebrow and nose piercings who are some of the biggest metros I've ever met.

Don't look down on them but merely suspect they'd be more prone jump on whatever trendy bandwagon is around at the moment. Same thing with tattoos. Some folks consider it art. I consider it glomming on. Maybe if I didn't walk down the street and see every other person with something stuck in them or drawn on them(exageration of course) then I'd feel differently but it's just...eh...are you going to start wearing Live Strong bracelets next week and drinking Red Bull mixed drinks?

I will say this though it's not nearly as potentially damaging in the long run as you might grow out of your trendiness(as most folks tend to do) you at least won't have a sagging Pooh bear on your butt or a stretched out tribal tat on your arm that you have to explain to your kids you are trying to talk out of doing the same stuff later in life. You'll just have a scar and that's it.

Squishor

Well, my honest opinion of them is that they are very trendy and everybody and her sister has decided at some point in the last ten years that they have to have one. This seems to have created a culture where more people than not have holes in their tongue and various parts of their face. I think it's kind of weird when something that changes your body permanently becomes so popular...I mean it's one thing to wear a certain style of clothes or dye your hair - you can always change that later. Tattoos and piercings are more lasting. As for socially, I'm pretty much indifferent to them, and they certainly don't cause me to become fearful in any way. Of course, keep in mind that 80 or 90% of my friends and neighbors have one though. Personally I'm grateful that I never succumbed to the trend and got a tattoo or stretched my earlobes or whatever. I value my capability to change at will without a permanent label of some kind on my body.

That has nothing to do with you or your motives personally, that's just my overall opinion.

Bacchanal

Evidently I "succumbed to the trend" , as I have 8 including my stretched ears. Oh well.

My mom gave me alot of shit about my labret too when she first saw it. I was 21 or 22 at the time, and she would not let it go for weeks. "It looks terrible. Why would you do that to yourself? Etc..."

Eventually she decided that I was old enough to do it, not living with her, paid for it myself, and (most importantly) it is my body, so she finally let it go.

Obviously I'm not scared of anyone with piercings. It is actually a conversation starter sometimes.

catback

I have no problem with piercings. They are a form of art in my opinion as well as tattoos. As with all art, people have different opinions on each piece they see. With me, I tend to find so called extreme piercings distasteful.

akito

That's a good point.. what do you consider "extreme"? And on that note, how is it "distasteful"? I'm looking for desriptive answers here. Dig deep into yourself and figure out what it is that makes you think that way.

Please note, I'm not looking to start any flame wars or anything here, as that will not be tolerated in my threads, I'm just looking for honest answers.

Squishor

I wonder if what I said was misinterpreted. Since 80 or 90% of my friends and neighbors have piercings or tattoos, I'm not exactly judgemental about them. I was just observing what seems to be going on in the world I live in, and saying how I feel about my own body.

la petite moi

I'm not all that fond of piercings (nor tattoos for that matter).

To me, both are just a way to mutilate your body.

muttonglutton

Exactly what I think.

I have no desire to put little holes in my body to hang metal bits off of, nor to permanently paint myself. My body started life with enough holes, and I think it's unneeded and unnatural to end it with more.

I don't have much of a problem with other people getting piercings or tattoos. I don't understand with it, and I usually disagree with it, but it's your own body and really, sometimes they do look nice.

__________________
Cellar Door.

Bacchanal

You're right, you're entitled to your opinion and that was all you stated. I just thought you said it in a condescending way is all. If I'm mistaken, you have my apologies.

Squishor

Lol...no problem, sorry if my tone offended. "Jaded" would be a more accurate description of my attitude than "condescending," since I live in Freaktown USA and have spent the majority of my life on the outer fringes of "acceptable" society. I just call a trend when I see one, that's all.

ColonelSpecial

Piercings can get "distasteful" when there are so many of them, they crowd the face. Having just your labret pierced looks better than having that plus your nose, septum, lip, tongue, eyebrow, etc. One or two piercings can be great. I have two other than my ears and love them. I don't really have a great explaination as to why I like piercings any more than others have great explainations as to why they wear certain bracelets, necklaces, clothing. I say just enjoy the skin you are in, metal and all.

__________________
"Mommy, the presidents are squishing me!"

"Using the pull out method of contraceptive is like saying I won't use a seat belt, I'll just jump out of the car before it hits that tree."

Sara

akito

Precisely what I thought. That's exactly why I have only my labret pierced, as well as two earrings in my left ear and one in my right ear. I used to have my tongue and eyebrow as well, but I almost immediately took them out because it seemed to clutter my face, which I didn't approve of.

These are great comments people, keep them coming.

guthmund

For most, I believe, they are a trend, but there is definately a sub-culture (can I call them a sub-culture?) out there that pierces and tattoos not because it's the trend du jour, but rather an artistic expressionism of their artistic urges and the like.

Those I applaud. The attention whores and trend monkeys, I don't. And really, I think almost anyone with a head on their shoulders can tell the difference between the two.

I don't think I could follow the path myself, but for those that do, I carry no pre-conceived notions when I relate to them. I've known a lot of fellows that follow the lifestyle and, if anything, I'm more comfortable around them as they're much more down to earth than most and therefore my kind of people. In fact, to be perfectly honest, I'm more likely to hold on to my wallet tighter when a white collar guy steps into the room talking investments, stocks/bonds and mutual funds rather than a guy with a lot of piercings or tattoos.

By the way, akito I like the piercing. It goes especially well with the beard. I'd be wary though, I had a friend of mine get one done. He wasn't particularly careful about it, let his beard grow up around it and as a consequence got one nasty friggin' infection that...well, it was oh so gross and from what I heard, quite painful.

__________________
No signature. None. Seriously.

Borgs

To each his own - I think that while certain peircings will fit some people quite well, on others they just simply don't work.

scott_p_1

I don't have any problem with piercings or tattoos, but...

I do think they are unprofessional. Just like I wouldn't go to a job interview with a wrinkly suit, I wouldn't go to one with a facial piercing or visible tattoo.

__________________
<Insert witty and profound statements here>

Kalnaur

I would not get pierced or tattoed, but I think they are both interesting, visually. I see no problem with them whatsoever, and think that they should be accepted in any venue, professional or non-professional. I do not fear people who have these items upon their person for the sake of the decoration themselves.

__________________
PC: Can you help me out here HK?
HK-47: I'm 98% percent sure this miniature organic meatbag wants you to help find his fellow miniature organic meatbags.
PC: And the other 2 percent?
HK-47: The other 2 percent is that he is just looking for trouble and needs to be blasted, but that might be wishful thinking on my part.

Irishsean

None of my tats are visible, but I didn't put them where they are because of those reasons. I don't see tats or piercings as unprofessional unless they are really tasteless or poorly done. There supposedly is a girl here in Austin who has "Fuck you!" tattoed on her forehead, thats unprofessional, but I think any tat under the neck is seen as ok. As for piercings it all depends on what your planning on as a job.

__________________
There are no absolute rules of conduct, either in peace or war. Everything depends on circumstances.
Leon Trotsky

StormBerlin

I happen to love peircings. The labret is one of my favorites. I used to have my nipples done, I still have my bellybutton and tragus done. I'd like to get a monroe, but I can't because of work. To me, peircings are a way of expressing yourself, and I consider it art.

__________________
"if anal sex could get a girl pregnant i'd be tits deep in child support" Arcane

flat5

I'm male and 57 years old. I never have adorned my body with rings, earings, tatoos, perfume.
Piersings 'bother' me. I cringe a little . I've abused my body PLENTY but not in this way.

Beefimator

My girlfriend has this love of piercing that I don't feel the same about. She has her bellybutton done twice, her tongue, her one tragus, her rook (sp?) cartilage in one ear and the lobes are gauged (with small ones). I'm okay with all those, but it’s the facial piercing that I don't really get. As for tattoos, I'm okay with them as long as they aren't huge pieces on the back, or sleeves and that type of stuff. Only because of our jobs. So we have come to some sort of compromise.

Charlatan

First off, I don't think there is anyway to argue that tattoos and piercing are *not* a trend. Yes, both have been around for a very long time but it is only since the early 90s that they have been embraced by mainstream youth culture.

I am sure we all do these things for personal reasons. Just don't be surprised that your personal reason is the same as everyone elses.

Some here may be too young to remember but it wasn't that long ago where only Bikers, sailor and those considered "white trash" would have had a tattoo. For men to have an ear ring would have meant you were likely gay. These things just weren't done except by certain clearly defined subcultures.

When I go my first ear piercing in the mid-80s, my Mother didn't speak to me for weeks and the hamburger place I worked at wouldn't let me wear it while at work. It was a *very* different culture.

Now before you read into this that I am against piercings and tattoos I should state that the only reason I don't have a tattoo is because I've never really come up with the right design. As for piercings, I've had 6 piercings in various parts of my body over the year and plan on getting a new one in a about a month.


What I am troubled by is the argument that this isn't natural or somehow is a mutilation of our bodies. What a thing to say! Tattooing and piercing is, for all intents and purposes a form of body modification done to beautify, mark or differentiate yourself from other bodies. We do these things for many reasons. Rarely for reasons of damage or mutilations.

Here is a short list of other body modifications we do:

Laser eye surgery
Liposuction
Hair dye
Braces (for straightening our teeth)
White strips or teeth bleaching
Face lifts
Breast augmentation
Body building (wiegh lifting)

The list can clearly go on an on...

Some of these are temporary (hair dye and teeth bleaching) while others are not. I make this distinction because, generally speaking piercing is a temporary thing. The holes in my ears have grown over and you would be hard pressed to know I ever had them. If had pierced my tongue and removed the jewlery, you'd likely never know I had it done.

None of the above list is natural and yet something like braces is widely accepted as a good thing to do.

The fact of the matter is, there are all kinds of ways in which we alter our bodies aesthetically from the clothes and shoes we wear to the make up and styling products we use in our hair... some are temporary and some are not. Some aesthetics appeal to one group and some don't...

__________________
"My hands are on fire. Hands are on fire. Ain't got no more time for all you charlatans and liars."
- Old Man Luedecke

zen_tom

I find most body piercing distastefull. I can deal with ear-rings, belly-button rings, nose-rings even the occasional tongue - but find that most of these are inobtrusive adornements. I think big chinky bracelets and neclaces are in poor taste - and in the same way, pierced lips, eybrows, chins and all manner of other body parts don't do it for me. It just seems over the top, like showing off. I don't understand the 'art' tag - I just don't see how getting someone to put a pin through your skin might be considered a profound or meaningful statement on the human condition - could someone explain this part to me?

Looks like some people are cynically making plenty of easy cash on young people's desires to fit in and be part of the crowd. I don't mind about that, as long as every one is safe, and is able to live a normal life without regret once they've grown out of their phase.

And that's all it is - I see someone with a face full of metal, they are telling me that they are going through that teenage angst phase at the moment. Every one goes through it (some people don't manage to get through the other side) and it's a part of growing up.

Glory's Sun

I don't see it as a form of "fitting in" or a "phase". I see it as a way to express ones self. I'm rather fond of piercings and tats. As far as the meaningful statement, I guess it depends on the person. Some people are scared to have it done or are scared it will hurt or what not and when they go through with it, it's almost a badge of honor. :shrug: For me it's just something I enjoy and I think it suits my personality. I don't have any piercings anymore due to work and other things. To me it really blows that piercings are still considered unprofessional in alot of circles.

BigBen

I would have to agree with the whole thing about the wearing of piercings to an interview. If you show up with stuff hanging out and about, please do not complain about the hiring process being "biased".

I don't get the whole genital piercing idea. There is no sane reason (other than to provoke shock value, IMHO) to do that.

BTW: My buddy calls facial piercings "Zippers". I asked why. His response (He is a Paramedic):
"When the Airbag in a car deploys in an accident, it is travelling at about 400k/hr. When that fabric touches a metal piercing, it rips off the skin, kind of folding it in a nice neat pattern. I have seen guys with eyebrow rings get their scalps ripped off, and those lip ring things tore a girl's cheek off..."

He also talked about a guy writing a memo right before an accident and the pen was blown through his eyeball and came out the back of his skull. It looked like the guy committed suicide. Yuck. Maybe it is the airbag and not the piercing. I don't know.


You really want to rebel and make a statement against authority? Go to school, wear normal clothes, get good grades, don't pierce or tatoo anything, get a job, go into politics, get elected, and fuck things up from the inside! Those bourgoise will never see it coming, comrade!

__________________
3.141592654
Hey, if you are impressed with my memorizing pi to 10 digits, you should see the size of my penis.

guthmund

When mainstream culture embraces an ideal, philosophy, ideology, etc... Isn't that by definition a "trend?"

I was talking to an EMT about this just the other day at work (we have an EMT program on campus) and he said much the same thing.

__________________
No signature. None. Seriously.

Charlatan

BenWhile I was behind much of the protesting that occured in the anit-gobalization rallys that occurred in Seattle, Quebec City, etc... I remember colleagues all up in arms about the "freaks" causing a ruckus. The one thing I remember thinking at the time was the more extreme protesters needed a lesson in PR. They should have all worn suits and looked just like everyone else in the "grownup suburbs". The message would have been, "People who look like me (and therefore probably think like me) are opposed to this. Maybe I should be too". Instead, the protesters were preaching to the converted and turning off those who could benefit from their message but were turned off by the mohawks, piercings and odd dress...

This isn't entirely a threadjack.


No one likes to hear it while they are being rebellious but that is exactly what piercing and tattoos are today. If this was 1968 we would be having the same conversation about long hair, flared jeans and flower power... Why do these kids not cut their hair? Don't they know they look dirty? How do they *ever* expect to get a job with clothes and hair like that?

The funny thing is, long hair on guys is not that big of a deal in most places. Casual wear to the office is not that big of a deal in most places. As the youth of today get older, it will be increasingly less important to have a piercing free face in order to land a job. When I worked at the Gap in the mid90s I was not allowed to have more than one earring... Today, blue-haired, multi pierced salespeople work at that very same Gap.

Youth culture grows up and is absorbed into the adult mainstream. It is inevitable.

__________________
"My hands are on fire. Hands are on fire. Ain't got no more time for all you charlatans and liars."
- Old Man Luedecke

Charlatan

That sentance was missing the word NOT... now fixed.

__________________
"My hands are on fire. Hands are on fire. Ain't got no more time for all you charlatans and liars."
- Old Man Luedecke

Lasereth

I think piercings are awesome. They look cool on guys, and on girls some are downright sexy. I like lip rings/tongue rings/eyebrow rings on girls. The only time I don't like piercings is when they have like 100 on their face (literally). That's a bit overboard. But overall, I actually like the look of them on guys and girls. I don't see what the problem is.

-Lasereth

__________________
"A Darwinian attacks his theory, seeking to find flaws. An ID believer defends his theory, seeking to conceal flaws." -Roger Ebert

ophelia783

Can you please explain how and why you seem to believe that piercings are equivalent to abuse?

I have 7 lobe piercings, my tongue, and 3 tattoos (which are all covered by a t-shirt and jeans, BTW). I am your average girl-next-door who is in University, works two jobs, and come from a good family.

I was also abused, and trust me, they are not equivalent, and to hear someone make a comment like that, IMHO, makes me ill. I know plenty of people who have done various drugs and were/are alcoholics, and have paid with their lives for doing those things. If piercings bother you, fine. But to say they're up their with abuse and activities such as drugs, I'm sorry, that I can't understand.

__________________
~*~* He with a sharp tongue slits his own throat *~*~

Irishsean

Interesting point of view, but wrong. As someone who doesn't have genital piercings, you have no idea what your talking about, therefore your uninformed opinion means nothing. Genital piercings increase sensation for both partners, they also are somewhat of a rite of passage, or a meaningfull change in someones life marking a decision. Just because you don't understand or care to look into why people would get them doesn't mean there isn't a reason for them.

Edit:
Hmmm, I guess that came out a little different than I meant it. All of the piercings I or any of my friends have are for personal reasons that we hold as very important. One friend I have gets his ear pierced every time he gets his heart broken, he has a lot of piercings. I got my piercings done to remind myself I need to stop thinking with the wrong head, as if you've ever had sex with a frenum, getting the condom on is a little more involved and it gives me those couple seconds to stand back and go, is this really what I want, also I have found that I like the look and the sensation it provides as well. Hearing that there was no sane reason for it, other than shock value made me feel like my opinions and feelings didn't matter here, strangely similar to the reaction my post above caused. Everyone's opinion should matter, saying otherwise stepped over the line and I apologize. However, just because you don't understand why someone would do something, don't go around with the assumption that its crazy or just to upset other people.

__________________
There are no absolute rules of conduct, either in peace or war. Everything depends on circumstances.
Leon Trotsky

Lead543

I know a girl who has her nostril, septum, medusa, side lip, umm another piercing that looks like it comes through her actual lip, bridge, she has several different ear piercings, nipples, venoms, vertical clit hood and she wants more. I always wonder if this has become a sort of addiction for her.

Piercings are a personal choice, I'd never get any besides the 4 I have because I don't find them that attractive. They work for some people, look great on some people, but not me.

ShaniFaye

I love my piercings.....it was something I did for ME, not as a "trend" which is why they arent visible unless Im naked The piercings are in areas of my body that were TOO sensitive to enjoy certain things and made it were I can get pleasure out of an action instead of being annoyed by it.

Dave has his tongue pierced, which enchances, oral sex for me.

Piercings are great, but the people that get them need to keep in mind that we still live in a society that frowns on hiring people it they have them (or are tattooed). While I dont agree with this, I have to be grown up enough to accept that if Im going to do things like this I might not get the 100k a year job at the accountants office that I want.

Which is why nobody can see my tats or piercings unless I want them to.

__________________
I want the diabetic plan that comes with rollover carbs. I dont like the unused one expiring at midnite!!

flat5

Hello ophelia783,

"If piercings bother you, fine. But to say they're up their with abuse and activities such as drugs, I'm sorry, that I can't understand."

A tool can be abused.
The word has a broader meaning than just serious child, drug, etc., abuse.
However, I just Googled on the word 'abuse'.

In it's contemporary useage, it does seem too strong a word to use.
I'm not a good writer. I do my best to be understood using the words that come to mind. Sorry if I made you feel bad.

Most people in this thread are relating to the 'pretty' result of piercing.
I don't see that. I see punchered (sp?) skin.

tiger4053

Piercings are cool IMO, but only in moderation. Yes I get intimidated by people who have several visible piercings and tattoos. I myself have one tattoo on the small of my back, my tongue pierced and my ears twice in each lobe. One labret, or One in the cartilidge of the upper ear or inner ear, One in the eyebrow... Im ok with One of those on a person. If a person has a multiple combination of those I get a bit uneasy unless I know them well. Same with tattoos. Im ok meeting someone who has one or two visible tattoos, but if they have several I get uneasy. Why? I have no clue... thats just me. Hope that helps.

akito

I'm astounded and amazed at the amount of responses I've gotten on this topic. There's such a varied response here, and everyone has a different outlook in one way or another, and that's awesome.

I can somewhat agree with flat5's response above, stating that:

I used to see it that way as well, and I'll admit, when I first got into piercings when I was 18, I just saw a hole in someone's face or ear. But I suppose something sort of caught on to me, and I saw art in it. I saw expression. Did I see rebelliousness? sure, who doesn't?

Now, for a person to get a piercing out of rebelling against society or other such factors as a whole; that I can't agree with. My piercings have always been to better the way I look at myself, because yes, I do think it looks good on me personally, and other people tend to think so as well since I dont go overboard with them. That's how I view them on other people as well. Piercings are an accessory these days, and I love that fact.

Great discussion folks. Thanks so much for the kind and honest answers.

guthmund

Gotcha, now it makes a bit more sense to me.

I don't want it to seem like I'm sticking up for Ben as I've already got my date to the prom already , but...

The comment was probably made a bit tongue in cheek as most of Ben's replies are chock "full 'O' humor" as my friend used to say. So, you know, no need to get all bunched up about it.

__________________
No signature. None. Seriously.

c172g

My two cents, do what makes you feel right. I look at some of the kids with metal sticking out all over their body & just shake my head. I tried just about everything as a kid (college was only 13 years ago for me, and I had all sorts of substance fun). From a personal point of view, I don't think guys look bad with an earring. Girls, earrings and maybe a bellybutton peircing.

From an employer standpoint, if anybody comes in looking for a job & has either visible tattoos or metal (aside from earrings) your stay will be short.