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.

Cry Baby

I vaguely remember crying this much when I first had my ears pierced, I’ve toughened up a bit in the ten years since then though.

Humour aside if it were my kid (or if I were the piercer for that matter) I really would have to search myself very hard for any reason why it would be necessary or fair to pierce someone so young, someone that still isn’t able to control bodily functions most adults take for granted, let alone decide if it’s what they want. It certainly can’t be so they’re popular at nursery school, or because “all the other babies are doing it”.

Granted the physical trauma is minimal but I just don’t believe a baby belongs in a piercing environment, at all..

No offence to the mother (I’m assuming she’s the mother) in the photo but seeing my child in obvious distress, whether it be through physical pain, emotional stress or otherwise, would definitely lead me to reassess any decision that caused that distress, for a decade or so anyway.

I’m sure posting this will restart the “should kids be pierced” debate, so click the previous links then come back here if you feel like taking part or shouting at each other. Just don’t take the last two seriously..

Comments

476 responses to “Cry Baby”

  1. Mothore Avatar

    Having said all that, all six of my ear piercings were done with guns – but i was too young to know better at the time!

    Same thing. I got my ears pierced at the tender age of 7 or 8. After begging my mum for like a year or two (apparently) The ONLY male kid in elementary school with studs. Nice!

  2. Mothore Avatar

    Having said all that, all six of my ear piercings were done with guns – but i was too young to know better at the time!

    Same thing. I got my ears pierced at the tender age of 7 or 8. After begging my mum for like a year or two (apparently) The ONLY male kid in elementary school with studs. Nice!

  3. Adele Avatar
    Adele

    I had my daughters ears pierced when she was 2 and asked for it to be done..she was old enough (and clever enough) to understand what was going on….I always said I would not pierce her ears until she was old enough to ask for it..I would never pierce a babys ears, not only can they not ask for it, but they pull at their ears when they are teething, in pain etc..

  4. Adele Avatar
    Adele

    I had my daughters ears pierced when she was 2 and asked for it to be done..she was old enough (and clever enough) to understand what was going on….I always said I would not pierce her ears until she was old enough to ask for it..I would never pierce a babys ears, not only can they not ask for it, but they pull at their ears when they are teething, in pain etc..

  5. CrimShuffle Avatar

    Thanks for the info Seventh!!!

  6. CrimShuffle Avatar

    Thanks for the info Seventh!!!

  7. heather Avatar
    heather

    well said.

  8. heather Avatar
    heather

    well said.

  9. Clara Avatar

    Ironically, my case was the complete opposite. When I was really young, I understood what ear piercings were and I knew that I had to get them. Of course, my parents said no. I started wearing those cumbersome, painful clip-on earrings which did make my lobes swell up to some degree. The first set of lobe piercings were always the argument with my parents. Their age was 18, but they finally gave in when I was 11. After that, I wanted another set of lobes done. The answer was no, of course. I DIYed it and managed to hide it for five months. I then got a helix which I managed to hide for two months. That was when I was 13.

    Would I have complained now if I got these mods when I was a baby? No. I love my mods and would not give them up for the world! However, not everyone is like me, and not everyone loves piercings the way I do. Therefore, I think that piercings should be done only with consent from the piercee, regardless of whether the guardian gives consent.

    There’s this argument: The baby will not feel pain as their nerves are not fully developed yet.
    what a fuckload of bullshit! If that’s the case, babies shouldn’t cry when they are dropped, and they also shouldn’t cry when they bang their head against the wall. And they certainly shouldn’t cry or display signs of pain or trauma when they have their lobes gunned.

    Another argument: The baby will forget about the pain and they will not have to bother with the aftercare as the mother will do it for them.
    Perhaps if a person isn’t bothering to do any aftercare and doesn’t accept the pain of a piercing they don’t want it enough to have it done?

    Another argument: It looks fashionable and makes a bald baby look more like a girl.
    At what cost? There are a whole load of cons to gun piercings that you can read up everywhere on BME and other websites. And needle piercings are out of the question as most professionals will not pierce a baby’s ears. Also, maybe the baby doesn’t want to grow up with holes in her ears? I know a few friends who have never wanted their ears pierced. Compromising placement that will go wonky as soon as the ear grows? This is, however common, still a body modification, and there will be, in most cases, scar tissue that will last for a life-time. Compromising a baby’s weak immune system for fashion? I’m sure most people will agree with me that health is much more important than fashion.

    I currently tutor two kids who are 8 and 10 years old. The latter wants her ears pierced. I’m planning to explain to her parents why her ears should be pierced by a heavily tattooed guy in some upstairs shop with an autoclave instead of the safe-looking mall without making myself sound like I’m completely insane, because everyone knows that a mall-gunned-piercing is perfectly safe, right?

  10. Clara Avatar

    Ironically, my case was the complete opposite. When I was really young, I understood what ear piercings were and I knew that I had to get them. Of course, my parents said no. I started wearing those cumbersome, painful clip-on earrings which did make my lobes swell up to some degree. The first set of lobe piercings were always the argument with my parents. Their age was 18, but they finally gave in when I was 11. After that, I wanted another set of lobes done. The answer was no, of course. I DIYed it and managed to hide it for five months. I then got a helix which I managed to hide for two months. That was when I was 13.

    Would I have complained now if I got these mods when I was a baby? No. I love my mods and would not give them up for the world! However, not everyone is like me, and not everyone loves piercings the way I do. Therefore, I think that piercings should be done only with consent from the piercee, regardless of whether the guardian gives consent.

    There’s this argument: The baby will not feel pain as their nerves are not fully developed yet.
    what a fuckload of bullshit! If that’s the case, babies shouldn’t cry when they are dropped, and they also shouldn’t cry when they bang their head against the wall. And they certainly shouldn’t cry or display signs of pain or trauma when they have their lobes gunned.

    Another argument: The baby will forget about the pain and they will not have to bother with the aftercare as the mother will do it for them.
    Perhaps if a person isn’t bothering to do any aftercare and doesn’t accept the pain of a piercing they don’t want it enough to have it done?

    Another argument: It looks fashionable and makes a bald baby look more like a girl.
    At what cost? There are a whole load of cons to gun piercings that you can read up everywhere on BME and other websites. And needle piercings are out of the question as most professionals will not pierce a baby’s ears. Also, maybe the baby doesn’t want to grow up with holes in her ears? I know a few friends who have never wanted their ears pierced. Compromising placement that will go wonky as soon as the ear grows? This is, however common, still a body modification, and there will be, in most cases, scar tissue that will last for a life-time. Compromising a baby’s weak immune system for fashion? I’m sure most people will agree with me that health is much more important than fashion.

    I currently tutor two kids who are 8 and 10 years old. The latter wants her ears pierced. I’m planning to explain to her parents why her ears should be pierced by a heavily tattooed guy in some upstairs shop with an autoclave instead of the safe-looking mall without making myself sound like I’m completely insane, because everyone knows that a mall-gunned-piercing is perfectly safe, right?

  11. Malvada Avatar
    Malvada

    In Spain, at least when I and my sister were born. all girls had their piercing ears done the same day we’re born.

  12. Malvada Avatar
    Malvada

    In Spain, at least when I and my sister were born. all girls had their piercing ears done the same day we’re born.

  13. Kid Avatar
    Kid

    Autch. Noh, no piercings on kids by my opinion.
    My mum had my ears pierced when I was 5 years old, and I remember that trauma til this day.. I hid under a table at the hairdressers/piercers salon, and after a month my ears was so hidiously infected.. My mum had to hold me to the ground so that she could take the earrings out, becouse I would run away screaming every time she tried to come close to be able to clean them.. The pain, oh the pain!

  14. Kid Avatar
    Kid

    Autch. Noh, no piercings on kids by my opinion.
    My mum had my ears pierced when I was 5 years old, and I remember that trauma til this day.. I hid under a table at the hairdressers/piercers salon, and after a month my ears was so hidiously infected.. My mum had to hold me to the ground so that she could take the earrings out, becouse I would run away screaming every time she tried to come close to be able to clean them.. The pain, oh the pain!

  15. Lillie Avatar
    Lillie

    Surely its up to the individual to decide when their old enough if they want their ears pierced. Obviously mom is into body mods by why inflict pain on their so called loved ones!
    I think the baby would be uncomfortable lay on the earrings let alone anything else, after all a baby lies down a lot of the time.
    Maybe this mother would like to be held down and have her gentials pierced see how she likes that against her will!

  16. Lillie Avatar
    Lillie

    Surely its up to the individual to decide when their old enough if they want their ears pierced. Obviously mom is into body mods by why inflict pain on their so called loved ones!
    I think the baby would be uncomfortable lay on the earrings let alone anything else, after all a baby lies down a lot of the time.
    Maybe this mother would like to be held down and have her gentials pierced see how she likes that against her will!

  17. Del Boy Avatar
    Del Boy

    I think it’s disgraceful and it should be completely illegal.

    Can we name and shame the woman in the picture?

  18. Del Boy Avatar
    Del Boy

    I think it’s disgraceful and it should be completely illegal.

    Can we name and shame the woman in the picture?

  19. melissa Avatar
    melissa

    I couldnt imagine putting metal through my baby’s ears. Their skin is so sensitive as a baby, it would be so painful if the ear became infected. I don’t see this as being any different than circumcision as the child does not have the choice to chose at that age. That being said, if circumcision is socially acceptable, putting tiny holes through cartilage isnt far in my eyes. However, i disagree with circumcision……in the end…putting holes through your baby is cruel.

  20. melissa Avatar
    melissa

    I couldnt imagine putting metal through my baby’s ears. Their skin is so sensitive as a baby, it would be so painful if the ear became infected. I don’t see this as being any different than circumcision as the child does not have the choice to chose at that age. That being said, if circumcision is socially acceptable, putting tiny holes through cartilage isnt far in my eyes. However, i disagree with circumcision……in the end…putting holes through your baby is cruel.

  21. erlsalot Avatar

    “While this kills a lot of bacteria, it does NOT sterilise, and pathogens, particularly viruses such as HIV or Hepatitis may remain on the surface of the gun from the bloodspray. you cannot see this stuff, it’s just a fine film, but it’s there.”

    It is possible for viruses to live outside the body for a short time while they are still wet, for example inside a blood clot. However, these viruses have to get into your blood stream to cause an infection.

  22. erlsalot Avatar

    “While this kills a lot of bacteria, it does NOT sterilise, and pathogens, particularly viruses such as HIV or Hepatitis may remain on the surface of the gun from the bloodspray. you cannot see this stuff, it’s just a fine film, but it’s there.”

    It is possible for viruses to live outside the body for a short time while they are still wet, for example inside a blood clot. However, these viruses have to get into your blood stream to cause an infection.

  23. VOMIT Avatar

    The main reason why it bothers me that people get their infant child’s ear’s pierced is because it isn’t about their child. It isn’t to help the child in any way. It’s because the parents think it looks good. It’s like dressing you dog in “cute” clothes, it’s just for the owners entertainment. It’s the same with a parent getting their kids ears pierced, the parents do it cause they can, cause its THEIR child. It’s like a toy. Sure other cultures do significantly more harmful things to infants, but I don’t think you can necessarily compare that. You have to look at it from a cultural/spiritual point of view.

  24. VOMIT Avatar

    The main reason why it bothers me that people get their infant child’s ear’s pierced is because it isn’t about their child. It isn’t to help the child in any way. It’s because the parents think it looks good. It’s like dressing you dog in “cute” clothes, it’s just for the owners entertainment. It’s the same with a parent getting their kids ears pierced, the parents do it cause they can, cause its THEIR child. It’s like a toy. Sure other cultures do significantly more harmful things to infants, but I don’t think you can necessarily compare that. You have to look at it from a cultural/spiritual point of view.

  25. tweak Avatar
    tweak

    This is just retarded, can’t see any pros in this case, and it pisses me off that someone would do this!

  26. tweak Avatar
    tweak

    This is just retarded, can’t see any pros in this case, and it pisses me off that someone would do this!

  27. christina Avatar

    #27… but if they’re on the mechanism that is being used to punch a hole through the next person’s ear…i’d say that’s a pretty good entrance into the bloodstream.

  28. christina Avatar

    #27… but if they’re on the mechanism that is being used to punch a hole through the next person’s ear…i’d say that’s a pretty good entrance into the bloodstream.

  29. Jordan Avatar
    Jordan

    sooo I was 4 months old when my mum has my pierced pierced…
    and guess what! they’re still perfectly straight; no infections or anything.
    saying that though, I am against gun piercing, because damn,
    I’d rather have a hundred needle piercings compared to a gun.

    Oh and I had my cartilage pierced with a gun (7th grade, woop!)
    and it’s perfectly fine as well.

    I feel quite sorry for the baby,
    I could not / would not do that to my child…. ever.

  30. Jordan Avatar
    Jordan

    sooo I was 4 months old when my mum has my pierced pierced…
    and guess what! they’re still perfectly straight; no infections or anything.
    saying that though, I am against gun piercing, because damn,
    I’d rather have a hundred needle piercings compared to a gun.

    Oh and I had my cartilage pierced with a gun (7th grade, woop!)
    and it’s perfectly fine as well.

    I feel quite sorry for the baby,
    I could not / would not do that to my child…. ever.

  31. erlsalot Avatar

    #30..Then I would avoid a shop that didn’t use a disposable cartridge and effectively clean the gun in-between uses..But then I would avoid the gun altogether in favour of modern sterile methods.

  32. erlsalot Avatar

    #30..Then I would avoid a shop that didn’t use a disposable cartridge and effectively clean the gun in-between uses..But then I would avoid the gun altogether in favour of modern sterile methods.

  33. Memory Avatar
    Memory

    In the old debates about this stuff, a few years ago, I am sure someone linked a study into how having ear piercings as an infant reduced scarring in later life when injured.

    If I remember correctly the premise was that the piercing stimulated the healing process while it was still developing, and as a minor injury gave the body something to react, not over-react to…. so that future injuries would be appropriately healed, not keloided like mental.

    Just throwing that out there for those who can find nothing positive about this image.

  34. Memory Avatar
    Memory

    In the old debates about this stuff, a few years ago, I am sure someone linked a study into how having ear piercings as an infant reduced scarring in later life when injured.

    If I remember correctly the premise was that the piercing stimulated the healing process while it was still developing, and as a minor injury gave the body something to react, not over-react to…. so that future injuries would be appropriately healed, not keloided like mental.

    Just throwing that out there for those who can find nothing positive about this image.

  35. Brittney Avatar
    Brittney

    wow… I remember having my ears pierced very young as well…
    — but wow.

    I’ve also had my ears pierced with a needle and a gun and the needle hurts a lot less….

    – this picture definitely gave me an ookie feeling – the mother seems like she’s holding her child still so the man can pierce her and surely he feels odd about it?

  36. Brittney Avatar
    Brittney

    wow… I remember having my ears pierced very young as well…
    — but wow.

    I’ve also had my ears pierced with a needle and a gun and the needle hurts a lot less….

    – this picture definitely gave me an ookie feeling – the mother seems like she’s holding her child still so the man can pierce her and surely he feels odd about it?

  37. Natalie Avatar
    Natalie

    Piercing babies is akin to piercing animals in my eyes, they cant consent, they have no idea whats going on and it obviously causes them great distress. I first had my ears pierced when i was 5 and i didnt really want them done, i took them out two weeks later because i hated them. I watched my little sister get hers done at 8 months old and it was completely heartbreaking. I couldnt do that to any child of mine, it really disgusts me.
    I cant see what valid reason there could possibly be for piercing a tiny baby who cannot/has not asked for it, i really cant.

  38. Natalie Avatar
    Natalie

    Piercing babies is akin to piercing animals in my eyes, they cant consent, they have no idea whats going on and it obviously causes them great distress. I first had my ears pierced when i was 5 and i didnt really want them done, i took them out two weeks later because i hated them. I watched my little sister get hers done at 8 months old and it was completely heartbreaking. I couldnt do that to any child of mine, it really disgusts me.
    I cant see what valid reason there could possibly be for piercing a tiny baby who cannot/has not asked for it, i really cant.

  39. Swampy Avatar
    Swampy

    In what context was the picture sent in?

    Was it:
    ‘Look at me introducing my child to piercing at such a young age, aren’t I liberal?’

    or was it:

    ‘Found this pic and I think it’s disgusting/abuse/bullying/whatever, please show the world this is wrong!’

  40. Swampy Avatar
    Swampy

    In what context was the picture sent in?

    Was it:
    ‘Look at me introducing my child to piercing at such a young age, aren’t I liberal?’

    or was it:

    ‘Found this pic and I think it’s disgusting/abuse/bullying/whatever, please show the world this is wrong!’

  41. Dan Marshall Avatar

    did anyone else notice how bad the placement looks in the picture? thats an earring I can see migrating really low on the lobe. IM willing to bet that the baby in this picture, when they are an adult, will not be happy with this piercing.

  42. Dan Marshall Avatar

    did anyone else notice how bad the placement looks in the picture? thats an earring I can see migrating really low on the lobe. IM willing to bet that the baby in this picture, when they are an adult, will not be happy with this piercing.

  43. RooRaaah Crumbs Avatar

    Swampy – It’s a photo so the context was lost, judging by the small amount of text sent with it they just wanted to share the photo.

    I’d venture your first sentence is along the right lines.

  44. RooRaaah Crumbs Avatar

    Swampy – It’s a photo so the context was lost, judging by the small amount of text sent with it they just wanted to share the photo.

    I’d venture your first sentence is along the right lines.

  45. hooker Avatar

    Oh sweeeet piercing guns are AWESOME!
    Almost as awesome as catching HIV from them… almost.

  46. hooker Avatar

    Oh sweeeet piercing guns are AWESOME!
    Almost as awesome as catching HIV from them… almost.

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