A black-and-white photo of a person mid-air in a Superman-style body suspension pose, supported by multiple hooks in their back and legs, smiling joyfully toward the camera. They are suspended horizontally in a large indoor space with high ceilings and visible rigging. A group of onlookers—some seated, some standing—watch with expressions of admiration, amusement, and support. The atmosphere is lively and communal, capturing a moment of shared experience and transformation.

Northern Thailand

From Geshem, a pair of young girls in northern Thailand with stretched lobes (and a kid in the background perhaps fantasizing about a facial tattoo!).

Comments

63 responses to “Northern Thailand”

  1. ScrumptiousCupcake Avatar
    ScrumptiousCupcake

    let me add on: her ears dont look like they are stretched beyond repair. so if she doesnt like it later on in life, it is changeable. the human body can change. that could even be the reason why they do it. they want to show that the body is a tool. a vessel, something that can be changed to fit your needs.

    their mindset about it could be waaaay different, and she might not ever even think of regretting it because she has been brought up to see her entire body in a different perspective.

  2. Giles Wallwork Avatar

    #50 #51

    You say it isn’t anybody’s place to judge whether it is wrong or right then claim “So what? they’re happy and not hurting anyone”. Essentially you are saying it is right and contradicting yourself.

    You also claim that these mods are “choices”, where is your evidence that this was a choice?

    If you study tribal markings and modification you will realise that the vast majority are not choices but obligations passed on from elders. When these “chocies” are rejected or questioned those doing so are often met with disgust.

    Don’t kid yourself into believing that all tribal cultures undertake modification because it is their wish, many do so specifically because they are told it is the ‘right’ thing to do. Choice is rarely an option.

  3. xion Avatar
    xion

    shes cute to bad she has all that scar tissue.

  4. Noadi Avatar

    I’m not sure the big deal. It’s just her ears, nothing that is going to permanently affect her in any way. Traditions like this are part of what holds a culture together, it may not be what we would choose but I think as long as a tradition doesn’t involve altering anything important to function (like foot binding or female circumcision) that the benefit to cultural identity is worth it. Traditional cultures around the world are pressured by the modern world and many times it leads to a loss of cultural identity if the people don’t hold on tight to the things that bind their culture together like religion, language, dress, body modification if that’s part of it.

  5. SlavaDead Avatar
    SlavaDead

    The things one can do with a cute girl like that… :p

  6. Kelseyyy Avatar
    Kelseyyy

    #55

    I’m not sure if it was intentional or not, but your comment totally disturbed me. Maybe I took it the wrong way. Maybe not.

  7. Bella Avatar
    Bella

    #55…that’s gross………….

  8. geshem Avatar

    #55 is a friend of mine. he has a twisted sense of humor. i just linked him this post to show off a bit, thats the 2nd post here features pix i took. he was joking. u shouldnt be disturbed by his comment. cheers!

  9. Josh Avatar
    Josh

    i wish my parents would have done that for me at that age. Being in WV meth capitol of rednecks like I’am and sitting in elementary school. All the other kids have mullets and I have like 3/4 inch stretches. (thats what hers look like) That would have been awesome! AT one inch, I have the largest stretch in my area, everyone else is 00 gauge and smaller. America, breast implants and liposuction YAY! holes in the ears and tattoos, BOO!!! it’s sad

  10. Jodee Avatar
    Jodee

    Wow, thats amazing, and she is super cute

  11. chris Avatar
    chris

    i dont think it is right to stretch a little childs ears dont get me wrong tho my ears are 1/2 but i think the person getting his or her ear stretched should be old enough to know what he or she is in for and that after a certain point it is permanent

  12. PrideWar Avatar

    Haha i was so wrong on my last post on the other picture of this girl! Her lobes cant be 30mm, They look way smaller haha.

  13. zoe Avatar
    zoe

    my lobes are 15mm and my mum hates them
    i’d love to have been able to get away with this at her age

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