The SO Piercing Questions & Discussion Mega-Thread

[randycaver]

what is spiritual about piercing an infant's ears? please explain.

 

[DarthMom]

Agree that it is mutilation. I don't believe in circumcision either.

Anything that is painful and not necessary shouldn't be an option for a loving parent, IMO. It is up to every person/child to make their own decisions on something such as this.

^^ oh please

what the heck are you "Oh please" ing?

I agree with the poster. While I too would play dress up with a little girl, it if went beyond harmless, to painful...I think that is just wrong.

And as for the safety it is a VERY valid argument. My 7 yr old wanted his ear pierced last year, so I let him. Children are not the cleanest things in the world, and while we cleaned and took care of the piercing to the best of our ability, it got infected, the ear swelled, and I had to take him to the ER to get it cut out. Why would you risk that for a child, for simple adornment? In your words "oh please!!"

also, sorry if I sound harsh. Please don't be offended if you are a parent who chose to do it. Not meaning to be judgemental, just explaining my personal feelings. I am opinionated, but also realize my opinion is just that...mine!! Not criticizing anyones parental abilities!!

what is spiritual about piercing an infant's ears? please explain.

I am interested in an answer to this too. The spirituality behind piercings, in my experience is about reclaiming your body/spirit, realigning with a new sense of "self".

These are not ideas behind piercing others. The only spirituality I see in piercing is YOUR OWN BODY. It is PERSONAL. Not about owning another, just the opposite.

I have ideas on what you may mean, but don't want to assist you in case you haven't decided upon a clever enough response.


(jk!!)

 

[masaz]

I am interested in an answer to this too. The spirituality behind piercings, in my experience is about reclaiming your body/spirit, realigning with a new sense of "self".

That's the way I see it, and the reason for the piercings I have, I've just never been able to explain it too well, so ta :D

 

[WoozEee]

My mom had my lobes pierced when I was 18 months old. To me, that seems a bit young. I want my kids to at least have the choice.

 

[doofqueen]

ok so maybe my 'oh please' was out of line. Sorry was a bit stoned and can never be bothered actually explaining what i mean properly and it did sound a bit rude when i read it back. I really should stay off the forum when i'm stoned

It's spiritual because it is experimenting with ones's 'self' and giving them the option to play and xperiment with THEIR body and as a parent giving them the permission to do it. Why the hell should a parent give permission to another human being with their own brain? They don't OWN them! They are there to guide them and let them experiement (as long as it's not doing any harmful damage) That's the way kids learn! It all comes down to how mature the child is though i guess and how the parent has raised them.

*granted all the above doesn't include babies but i'm talking about an ear piercing on a child that has a mind of their own and has been taught that they have CHOICE about their own bodies and have been given the freedom by the parent to do so.

 

[MishaRZA]

My cousin's kid had her ears pierced at 2 or 3 years. She loves them, that kid talks too much too.

 

[anna!]

It's spiritual because it is experimenting with ones's 'self' and giving them the option to play and xperiment with THEIR body and as a parent giving them the permission to do it.

That's exactly the point. If it's about spirituality, then it should be a decision that the child makes. I find piercings (I have had lots) invigorating and exciting, and I'm glad that I'm able to make that choice for myself. But then I consider that I don't know how they would make someone else (my child) feel, so it's not my place to make that decision for them.

As for permission, my kids won't need "permission" - I won't get their ears pierced until they ask, and when they do ask, they'll be allowed to. As I said in another post, I kind of think of it as a rite of passage, especially for girls. Getting my ears pierced made me feel "grown up".

I don't know if I'm agreeing or disagreeing with you DQ, as I'm not really sure what the point you're making is but I thought your comment summed up what I was trying to say well.

 

[poopie]

thanks for reopening this =)

if i ever have kids, i would need more than just a request from my child to have his/her ears pierced. like darthmom said, kids are messy. a piercing is a responsibililty. i wouldn't go out to the human society and get my 5 year old a puppy just because they asked. this kid needs to prove their responsible and take of the doggie. my kid would have to prove they can clean their piercing. also, 5 year olds don't have the best judgment. i don't think too mnay girls look back and regret begging their parents to let them get their ears pierced, but it must happen. aren't you mad when you look back at those pictures when you're wearing that stupid "dance-asaurus" t-shirt that is 4 sizes too small? but you begged mom not to throw it away b/c it was your favorite. dunno if that made any sense...i'm a rambler. like kenny rogers and shit.

i, too, am against circumcision. but, if a grown-ass man wants to go ahead and whack it off, you go 'right ahead.

strangely enough (yes, one last tangeant), alot of us are talking about the choices of the kid and his/her body, but how many of us are pro-choice?! not like i wnat this to move in that direction...and i realize there's a difference. eh- just a thought.

 

[Nietzche]

Everyday in America thousands of infant genitals are mutilated and the practice is accepted without question. In fact, I am a victim of this act along with, I imagine, the majority of males on this board.

I find it difficult to reconcile strong resistance to such a begnin cosmetic procedure as ear piercing when such a dramatic and personal procedure, circumcision, is unquestionably accepted.

 

[DarthMom]

It isn't unquestionably accepted. In fact, many pediatricians are finally seeing the light and agreeing it isn't necessary.

Just because there are "worse" things out there, doesn't mean you ignore the lesser evils.

 

[anna!]

It definitely isn't unquestionably accepted. It's rarely even performed in Australia - I haven't met a single circumcised man in whole life. And my opinions about circumcision are basically the same as this, and any other form of mutilation or invasion (except for vaccinations, but that's a whole other thread).

 

[DarthMom]

It definitely isn't unquestionably accepted. It's rarely even performed in Australia

I had almost said..."the australian academy of pediatrics reccomends it as NOT an option"...until I remembered where I live, and the egos of those who live here!! I am very interested and excited to know that it is such a non issue there.

BC from my research when I had my son a little over a yr ago, it was the australian A of P that was most vocal/only peds ass. against it. I was happy my doc was so accepting of my decision, but was really worried. & yrs prior I had said NO and my doctor not only said "no, you silly girl, you are wrong!! that is just not right, this is safer "bc I have been told so and am too stupid to look up the stats on my own" but my my mother had also attempted the same condescending bullshit, and even while I never actually said "ok" my son was circumsized. And, the poor babe had massive problems from it for years.

I hate doctors and know it all mothers. OK end rant against those assholes who went against my wishes......

Why do something to someone that you know they may possibly not have consented to later on in their life??? Especially when it is painful?

You don't.

 

[Cyc]

I say wait until the kid is old enough to ask, then respect their decision.

I mean, doing that to a baby? You might as well dress your pet terrier in one of those lame red sweaters that everyone but old ladies hate.

It's the same principle.

 

[MynameisnotDeja]

I don't see the point in doing it to the kid, personally. (peircing ears)...just seems like one other thing you have to do for them...let em do it on their own when they are older.

 

[shannabanana]

I won't pierce my babies' ears. I had my ears pierced when I was about 7 and that was fine. It wasn't traumatizing. But some time later, I had one earring pulled out while playing with friends and that hurt so badly, it was about 5 years before I got my ears re-pierced. Well, playing softball I got another earring pulled out. Painful. No more piercings for me. I'm sure there are lots of active people here who've had no problems with piercings but my own experiences have me thinking pierced ears on a child are accidents (and scars) waiting to happen.

 

[ash01e]

my man and i are huge piercing enthusiasts... but, when it comes to our daughter, we are waiting until she is old enough to decide on her own whether she wants her ears pierced or not... and we would take her to a professional piercing parlor, because we are completely against the use of piercing guns (since they cannot be sterilized properly, and the trauma from a blunt object piercing through skin rather than a small hollowed out needle that stretches the small initial hole to accomodate the jewelry.... i had my ears pierced with a gun twice, which resulted in infections and many problems... if my daughter is getting pierced, i am making sure it is done with a new needle that has been properly autoclaved and not a gun that has been used on hundreds of people that cannot be sterilized properly... end rant)...

 

[fizzygirl]

that does depend on the gun as well...some systems do not hold the earrings properly, and i had earrings fall out of guns used at claires, because all you did was pop them out of plastic and place them directly in the gun. The part that pierced the ear didn't touch the gun, but the earrings didn't always stay where they were supposed to and I'm sure some people would touch them to put them back in... but while i was at afterthoughts, the cartridges hold the earring in a sealed compartment until you use it. The gun never touches the child's ear, and the earring never touches the gun. It actually doesn't come out of the sterilized plastic capsule until piercing (with the Inverness system). It's also sharpened on the end, not blunt. Our local piercers recommended that people come to us for lobe piercings, because they are relatively simple ones, and our system was adequate for that. Besides, it does take some practice/experience to be able to deal with piercing young children's ears and making them feel comfortable. A gun is a lot less scary to them than a big ol needle and a piercing/tattoo shop.

On a related note, I know a lot of people a long time ago had their children's ear's pierced at the doctor's office....do they still do that?

 

[anna!]

In Australia some doctors still do that. It's essentially exactly the same as the way it's done at a piercing clinic though - and the people who work at such clinics are trained to pierce, not to diagnose cancer and also pierce ears. So in that sense, I'd be far less inclined to go to a doctor to get my child's ears pierced. And stuff.

 

[doofqueen]

That's exactly the point. If it's about spirituality, then it should be a decision that the child makes. I find piercings (I have had lots) invigorating and exciting, and I'm glad that I'm able to make that choice for myself. But then I consider that I don't know how they would make someone else (my child) feel, so it's not my place to make that decision for them.

As for permission, my kids won't need "permission" - I won't get their ears pierced until they ask, and when they do ask, they'll be allowed to. As I said in another post, I kind of think of it as a rite of passage, especially for girls. Getting my ears pierced made me feel "grown up".

I don't know if I'm agreeing or disagreeing with you DQ, as I'm not really sure what the point you're making is but I thought your comment summed up what I was trying to say well.

As i said in the bottom of my post that what i said didn't include babies because it's not their decision but children.

I still think earings on babies are cute though but this thread has made me think twice about piercing a babies ears now.

 

[keystroke]

I personally don't like the look either. Parents should embrace infant's gradual discovery of their bodies.. including their ears the way they came out of the womb. I almost look at it like a mother painting her child's fingernails. A baby is a baby, not a doll.

I fully agree with that, 100%


they are living human beings, not china-dolls for your amusement.