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”
I had my ears pierced when I was 6 months old, and now many many years later they’re only a bit crooked. I don’t have very many ill feelings towards this situation, other than if the piercing gets infected. From my point of view, I see it as my mother’s way of preparing me for my inevitable future mods.
Nobody is forcing them to wear earrings in the future. A little itty bitty hole isn’t going to be noticeable; lobe piercings are a complete cultural norm.
I had my ears pierced when I was 6 months old, and now many many years later they’re only a bit crooked. I don’t have very many ill feelings towards this situation, other than if the piercing gets infected. From my point of view, I see it as my mother’s way of preparing me for my inevitable future mods.
Nobody is forcing them to wear earrings in the future. A little itty bitty hole isn’t going to be noticeable; lobe piercings are a complete cultural norm.
It’s a frustrating thing to try and figure out. On one hand, it is very much a cultural thing, a lot of the time. Most baby-piercings are done by people in hispanic cultures, where it is traditional and certainly not considered abusive. And it’s very easy to say that “Well, just because it’s tradition doesn’t mean it’s not stupid,” which is probably true in a lot of ways, but also horribly unrealistic. Most of the people I know who got pierced very young don’t regret it. And generally speaking, walking up to people and saying, “Your traditions suck,” doesn’t actually change anything. An outsider’s perspective is usually not appreciated — having white women traipse into African villages saying, “Female circumcision is bad!” does very little to convince male village elders that the practice is barbaric. Change has to come from within.
I’m not a big fan of circumcision, but as an atheist, the vast majority of Jewish people are not going to care what I think. (I do vehemently oppose the rather predominant practice of doctors circumcising baby boys without the permission of the parents, much less the infant in question. That’s not even tradition, that’s just stupid.) Personally, I do think it’s wrong to modify children so young they have absolutely no concept of what’s being done to them. And yes, she probably would have done it later anyway.
Someone mentioned gender issues, and for me, that’s what a lot of what bothers me. This child may grow up to be trans and identify as male. As a culture in general, we are constantly prescribing what our children look like, and it causes huge amounts of grief to kids who later don’t find in to that rather strict mold. It’s taking a six-month old kid and saying, “We’re starting you early. You’re a girl, beauty is pain, learn that now, you’re going to be expected to do this for the rest of your life.” It’s a symptom of a much, much larger problem.
It’s a frustrating thing to try and figure out. On one hand, it is very much a cultural thing, a lot of the time. Most baby-piercings are done by people in hispanic cultures, where it is traditional and certainly not considered abusive. And it’s very easy to say that “Well, just because it’s tradition doesn’t mean it’s not stupid,” which is probably true in a lot of ways, but also horribly unrealistic. Most of the people I know who got pierced very young don’t regret it. And generally speaking, walking up to people and saying, “Your traditions suck,” doesn’t actually change anything. An outsider’s perspective is usually not appreciated — having white women traipse into African villages saying, “Female circumcision is bad!” does very little to convince male village elders that the practice is barbaric. Change has to come from within.
I’m not a big fan of circumcision, but as an atheist, the vast majority of Jewish people are not going to care what I think. (I do vehemently oppose the rather predominant practice of doctors circumcising baby boys without the permission of the parents, much less the infant in question. That’s not even tradition, that’s just stupid.) Personally, I do think it’s wrong to modify children so young they have absolutely no concept of what’s being done to them. And yes, she probably would have done it later anyway.
Someone mentioned gender issues, and for me, that’s what a lot of what bothers me. This child may grow up to be trans and identify as male. As a culture in general, we are constantly prescribing what our children look like, and it causes huge amounts of grief to kids who later don’t find in to that rather strict mold. It’s taking a six-month old kid and saying, “We’re starting you early. You’re a girl, beauty is pain, learn that now, you’re going to be expected to do this for the rest of your life.” It’s a symptom of a much, much larger problem.
Kids should not be pierced until they are big enough to ask “mommie, can I get my ears pierced?” and old enough to take responsibility and look after thier piercings and thier bodies.
Kids should not be pierced until they are big enough to ask “mommie, can I get my ears pierced?” and old enough to take responsibility and look after thier piercings and thier bodies.
well. asians have their daughters pierced at a really really young age, like two? or even younger. its like, tradition
well. asians have their daughters pierced at a really really young age, like two? or even younger. its like, tradition
Piercings for youngins isnt a huge thing to me, but with a piercing gun in a fucking claires?
Piercings for youngins isnt a huge thing to me, but with a piercing gun in a fucking claires?
Hooker, you can’t catch HIV from a piercing gun. the virus dies as soon as it leaves the body.
Hooker, you can’t catch HIV from a piercing gun. the virus dies as soon as it leaves the body.
In Asian culture its common to get ears pierced young, mine were originally done when I was like 3 months old.
But due to my eczema there was a brief period where I didn’t wear jewlery, the piercing closed up and I wound up having it gunned. When I was 7 by my cosmetolegist aunt.
(that made me cringe a little thinking about it)
I’m sure at some point my mom explained to me why it was significant in Asian culture. I’m a Lao/Thai/cambodian mutt all those cultures have high regards to beauty and adornments. So that combined with the Asian love for gift giving I’m sure its all just a trend that became culture.
But… Between me and my baby sister(she’s 12) my mom’s cultural identity changed a bit. My sis didn’t have her ears pierced until she was 9 and had saved enough money to have them pierced.
Regardless of ethics, you also need to remember that tolerance is a big part of ethical living.
In Asian culture its common to get ears pierced young, mine were originally done when I was like 3 months old.
But due to my eczema there was a brief period where I didn’t wear jewlery, the piercing closed up and I wound up having it gunned. When I was 7 by my cosmetolegist aunt.
(that made me cringe a little thinking about it)
I’m sure at some point my mom explained to me why it was significant in Asian culture. I’m a Lao/Thai/cambodian mutt all those cultures have high regards to beauty and adornments. So that combined with the Asian love for gift giving I’m sure its all just a trend that became culture.
But… Between me and my baby sister(she’s 12) my mom’s cultural identity changed a bit. My sis didn’t have her ears pierced until she was 9 and had saved enough money to have them pierced.
Regardless of ethics, you also need to remember that tolerance is a big part of ethical living.
my mum got my ears pierced when i was 2 months old. she looked everywhere for a piercer who would do it and when she couldn’t find one she got one of her friends to do it with a sewing needle HOORAH! the piercings are now real low and they wree real too tiny for any normal sized earrings untill i stretched them myself when i was 14 ( oh and I know a lady who got her 4 year old son tattoo of bat wings on his shoulders….the kids gunna hate her when he turns 12 and has got some splotchy pieces of black on his back). on the bright side, when i was uber little all my friends without errings thought I was way cooler than them and all wanted pierced ears HOORAh again…and no I was never traumatized and i don’t have any memories of having dull sewing needles shoved into my ears.
so yeh i’m pretty undecided tho i would never pierce my baby’s ears if i had one.
oh and gun testimony: i got two nose rings done with gun when i was 15 cuz I was poor and it cost half of what a needle piercing would have. the second one never healed and kept getting puffy and hurting like a bitch for months till one day it started bleeding like crazy and I had to take it out. I repierced it myself with a hypodermic needle a few months later and it healed fantastically and i never had any problems with it.
HOORAH again 😀
my mum got my ears pierced when i was 2 months old. she looked everywhere for a piercer who would do it and when she couldn’t find one she got one of her friends to do it with a sewing needle HOORAH! the piercings are now real low and they wree real too tiny for any normal sized earrings untill i stretched them myself when i was 14 ( oh and I know a lady who got her 4 year old son tattoo of bat wings on his shoulders….the kids gunna hate her when he turns 12 and has got some splotchy pieces of black on his back). on the bright side, when i was uber little all my friends without errings thought I was way cooler than them and all wanted pierced ears HOORAh again…and no I was never traumatized and i don’t have any memories of having dull sewing needles shoved into my ears.
so yeh i’m pretty undecided tho i would never pierce my baby’s ears if i had one.
oh and gun testimony: i got two nose rings done with gun when i was 15 cuz I was poor and it cost half of what a needle piercing would have. the second one never healed and kept getting puffy and hurting like a bitch for months till one day it started bleeding like crazy and I had to take it out. I repierced it myself with a hypodermic needle a few months later and it healed fantastically and i never had any problems with it.
HOORAH again 😀
Erlsalot- Hepatitis can live on a surface for up to 1 week. And I guarantee that Claires does not disinfect the surfaces used with an acceptable disinfectant(Optim 33 or Dispatch). And what about MRSA? So not everything has to be “wet” or enter the bloodstream to cause an infection.
Erlsalot- Hepatitis can live on a surface for up to 1 week. And I guarantee that Claires does not disinfect the surfaces used with an acceptable disinfectant(Optim 33 or Dispatch). And what about MRSA? So not everything has to be “wet” or enter the bloodstream to cause an infection.
This piercing is not done in a professional environment It’s at a clothing store, the piercer is wearing food-grade vinyl gloves, the shop lots cluttered and messy. I am not a fan of that aspect of this, one thing i can say to somewhat justify what she has done (talking about the ends not the means) There is a rumor going around that babies don’t have feelings in their ears for the first few months, but i am not sure if this is true or not, just something someone told me, i’m not going to get my kids ears pierced when they are born, This is going to be a right of endurance, if they can ask me (numorous times for no real reason other than seeing their determination.) then handle going to the big shop and seeing those big needles and not crying or running away terrified, then they are mature enough to some-what make the decision. or i may just pierce them myself with a hypo and Autoclaived jewelry.
This piercing is not done in a professional environment It’s at a clothing store, the piercer is wearing food-grade vinyl gloves, the shop lots cluttered and messy. I am not a fan of that aspect of this, one thing i can say to somewhat justify what she has done (talking about the ends not the means) There is a rumor going around that babies don’t have feelings in their ears for the first few months, but i am not sure if this is true or not, just something someone told me, i’m not going to get my kids ears pierced when they are born, This is going to be a right of endurance, if they can ask me (numorous times for no real reason other than seeing their determination.) then handle going to the big shop and seeing those big needles and not crying or running away terrified, then they are mature enough to some-what make the decision. or i may just pierce them myself with a hypo and Autoclaived jewelry.
If the person receiving the piercing can’t answer the simple question “do you want to get pierced?” or heck if they can’t answer any question. I won’t do it. I don’t care who says what, if I say no the first I’m not going to say yes any other time. I had a little Indian girl about four or five years old, in my place of work a few years back, her father asked me to pierce her nose. I asked her, she wasn’t keen, I said no, the father got angry, They left, and come back, he says she wanted it now… No she didn’t. Get out, you’re a shit dad!
If the person receiving the piercing can’t answer the simple question “do you want to get pierced?” or heck if they can’t answer any question. I won’t do it. I don’t care who says what, if I say no the first I’m not going to say yes any other time. I had a little Indian girl about four or five years old, in my place of work a few years back, her father asked me to pierce her nose. I asked her, she wasn’t keen, I said no, the father got angry, They left, and come back, he says she wanted it now… No she didn’t. Get out, you’re a shit dad!
oh.. and guns are made of poo and sand.
oh.. and guns are made of poo and sand.
I think babies getting pierced is awful.
I personally think everyone of my piercings was an experience. I would have hated it if my parents got my ears pierced as a baby and I couldn’t remember it.
I’ll let my kid be old enough to choose whether or not they want to go through the pain. That way they will know what’s going on and be able to remember the experience.
I think babies getting pierced is awful.
I personally think everyone of my piercings was an experience. I would have hated it if my parents got my ears pierced as a baby and I couldn’t remember it.
I’ll let my kid be old enough to choose whether or not they want to go through the pain. That way they will know what’s going on and be able to remember the experience.
Haha I didn’t realize where they were at first. I laughed at the purses/sandals in the background. >.<
Haha I didn’t realize where they were at first. I laughed at the purses/sandals in the background. >.<
Having your child pierced in such an environment with such an unclean process is child neglect and abuse (but I’m pro child abuse, not a fan of little buggers). I sincerely hope the kid gets an infection and dies and the people involved (parents, piercer, shop owners, etc) all go to prison and die equally ignoble deaths.
Having your child pierced in such an environment with such an unclean process is child neglect and abuse (but I’m pro child abuse, not a fan of little buggers). I sincerely hope the kid gets an infection and dies and the people involved (parents, piercer, shop owners, etc) all go to prison and die equally ignoble deaths.
Squirrelgirl- mrsa is not a virus.
Lets hope baby-bang ears got a matching handbag from Claire’s at least.
Squirrelgirl- mrsa is not a virus.
Lets hope baby-bang ears got a matching handbag from Claire’s at least.
the pic makes it look far worse than it is.
if jews can circumcise their kids wtf is wrong with this kinda thing?
either way each to their own as is the mantra of bme.
the pic makes it look far worse than it is.
if jews can circumcise their kids wtf is wrong with this kinda thing?
either way each to their own as is the mantra of bme.
lizardman – saying you’re pro child abuse is ridiculously inappropriate, even in the context of a facetious comment.
lizardman – saying you’re pro child abuse is ridiculously inappropriate, even in the context of a facetious comment.
I think that this is a bad idea. I didn’t have my earlobes pierced until I was 13 because my mother said my baby ears were too perfect to put jewelry in (regarding the “cute” argument). Aesthetic reasons aside, I think that if the person being modded didn’t choose the mod themselves, then it’s wrong.
I think that this is a bad idea. I didn’t have my earlobes pierced until I was 13 because my mother said my baby ears were too perfect to put jewelry in (regarding the “cute” argument). Aesthetic reasons aside, I think that if the person being modded didn’t choose the mod themselves, then it’s wrong.
I think that anyone that thinks that Vinyl-food grade gloves are acceptable for procedures is clearly stating how ignorant they are of proper technique.
I think that anyone that thinks that Vinyl-food grade gloves are acceptable for procedures is clearly stating how ignorant they are of proper technique.
I”LL JUST GET MY BABIES EARS SCALPELLED TO 1″ THAT’D BE EFFIN HARDCORE! YEAH!
I”LL JUST GET MY BABIES EARS SCALPELLED TO 1″ THAT’D BE EFFIN HARDCORE! YEAH!
#55 HIV does not die as soon as it leaves the body. It is transfered by bodily fluids, like blood, which does get on piercing guns. And since there is no way to properly sterilize the gun after each use, viruses like HIV and Hepatitis can be transfered that way. Here, and here are articles stating such. Or, if you have a laboratory or blood borne pathogens background you won’t need any extra explanations.
#55 HIV does not die as soon as it leaves the body. It is transfered by bodily fluids, like blood, which does get on piercing guns. And since there is no way to properly sterilize the gun after each use, viruses like HIV and Hepatitis can be transfered that way. Here, and here are articles stating such. Or, if you have a laboratory or blood borne pathogens background you won’t need any extra explanations.
Calm down, it’s a cultural thing not child abuse, I know hundreds of people who had it done. Although, they usually do it in the hospital after birth, rather than at a parlor, but whatever.
As for guns vs. needles, obviously needles are better, but I personally have 10 ear piercings (both lobe and cartilage) that were all done with a gun and they turned out peachy with absolutely no damage to my ears.
Calm down, it’s a cultural thing not child abuse, I know hundreds of people who had it done. Although, they usually do it in the hospital after birth, rather than at a parlor, but whatever.
As for guns vs. needles, obviously needles are better, but I personally have 10 ear piercings (both lobe and cartilage) that were all done with a gun and they turned out peachy with absolutely no damage to my ears.
my main issue is that the ears aren’t fully-grown, and they could end up looking lopsided when the baby is an adult.
that aside… when i have kids, i will never let them be pierced with a gun. i’d rather do it myself.
my main issue is that the ears aren’t fully-grown, and they could end up looking lopsided when the baby is an adult.
that aside… when i have kids, i will never let them be pierced with a gun. i’d rather do it myself.
Ersalot- MRSA is in fact considered a virus! I think we are misunderstanding each other though. We seem to be on the same side:)
Ersalot- MRSA is in fact considered a virus! I think we are misunderstanding each other though. We seem to be on the same side:)