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. Candice Avatar
    Candice

    i feel bad for jen… submitting this picture has obviously brought her to the realization that she and her babydaddy are both complete idiots.

    i mean jen has obviously run out of any good defense or excuse so lay off, guys. the damage is done to both her and her child.

    hopefully she won’t do any piercings without her daughter’s consent.

  2. Candice Avatar
    Candice

    i feel bad for jen… submitting this picture has obviously brought her to the realization that she and her babydaddy are both complete idiots.

    i mean jen has obviously run out of any good defense or excuse so lay off, guys. the damage is done to both her and her child.

    hopefully she won’t do any piercings without her daughter’s consent.

  3. Natalia Avatar
    Natalia

    I am a mother and that picture brought tears into my eyes. I read all off your “defenses” jen and there is NO reason that would make me understand you and why you did that. Hurting your own child on purpose? Is it not our main priority to prevent our babies from harm and pain? It doesn’t matter if the pain just lasts for 1 second, its child abuse and you ARE a horrible mum letting her go through that pain just for boosting your ego!

    And candice why would you feel bad for Jen???? I feel bad for the little girl having to grow up with parents without any logical thinking or morals….

  4. Natalia Avatar
    Natalia

    I am a mother and that picture brought tears into my eyes. I read all off your “defenses” jen and there is NO reason that would make me understand you and why you did that. Hurting your own child on purpose? Is it not our main priority to prevent our babies from harm and pain? It doesn’t matter if the pain just lasts for 1 second, its child abuse and you ARE a horrible mum letting her go through that pain just for boosting your ego!

    And candice why would you feel bad for Jen???? I feel bad for the little girl having to grow up with parents without any logical thinking or morals….

  5. Candice Avatar
    Candice

    i feel bad for her because she’s being torn to pieces on here… and because she’s retarded

  6. Candice Avatar
    Candice

    i feel bad for her because she’s being torn to pieces on here… and because she’s retarded

  7. Bogrins Avatar
    Bogrins

    “What kind of mother are you blah blah? Horrible, horrible, you should be shot…”

    Hmm, maybe some of us should turn around and think about what kind of mother’s ours were for piercing our ears. Don’t know about you guys, but I had my lobes pierced when I was 8 months, cannot remember a thing. They are actually quite straight, not too low, had no trouble stretching them later on. I infact was so ecstatic over having them that I proceeded to get my second and third holes at 7 and 12 years old. And guess what, my mother is the greatest woman I know on this planet.

    When I had my first flu vaccination, it actually caused me to become sick. Also, I had an adverse reaction to the chicken pox vaccine, which failed to prevent me from getting the worst 4 week outbreak of the pox my doctor had ever seen. The “oh, but shoving a needle in your babies arm for the sake of preventing disease” argument is also flawed, at least relative to my circumstances.

    Do I think this woman is a horrible mother? No.
    I grew up with children whose mothers would lock them out of the house for hours with no food, drop 8 balls right in front of them, beat them, let them run around with dirty diapers and ragged clothes (or none at all), etc.

    Do I think it was a lapse in judgement on the part of the mother? Yes.
    With the gun becoming more widely known as more of a trauma-causing instrument to the skin, I don’t see how anyone with any knowledge of body mod would insist on using one, regardless of the reason. Whether or not the child was able to consent, in the end it will be up to that child whether or not it was a good decision and whether to keep them.

    As much as I know I am in the minority with this, I have to agree to an extent with Ridiculous Nickolus up there. These days it seems as though mommies might as well just seal their babies away in sterile padded bubbles. I say: Let them eat dirt!

  8. Bogrins Avatar
    Bogrins

    “What kind of mother are you blah blah? Horrible, horrible, you should be shot…”

    Hmm, maybe some of us should turn around and think about what kind of mother’s ours were for piercing our ears. Don’t know about you guys, but I had my lobes pierced when I was 8 months, cannot remember a thing. They are actually quite straight, not too low, had no trouble stretching them later on. I infact was so ecstatic over having them that I proceeded to get my second and third holes at 7 and 12 years old. And guess what, my mother is the greatest woman I know on this planet.

    When I had my first flu vaccination, it actually caused me to become sick. Also, I had an adverse reaction to the chicken pox vaccine, which failed to prevent me from getting the worst 4 week outbreak of the pox my doctor had ever seen. The “oh, but shoving a needle in your babies arm for the sake of preventing disease” argument is also flawed, at least relative to my circumstances.

    Do I think this woman is a horrible mother? No.
    I grew up with children whose mothers would lock them out of the house for hours with no food, drop 8 balls right in front of them, beat them, let them run around with dirty diapers and ragged clothes (or none at all), etc.

    Do I think it was a lapse in judgement on the part of the mother? Yes.
    With the gun becoming more widely known as more of a trauma-causing instrument to the skin, I don’t see how anyone with any knowledge of body mod would insist on using one, regardless of the reason. Whether or not the child was able to consent, in the end it will be up to that child whether or not it was a good decision and whether to keep them.

    As much as I know I am in the minority with this, I have to agree to an extent with Ridiculous Nickolus up there. These days it seems as though mommies might as well just seal their babies away in sterile padded bubbles. I say: Let them eat dirt!

  9. jen Avatar

    thanks 204 and no candice we are not idiots…….i have nothing else to say because shes my daughter and she is perfectly well…and as far as retarded goes you shouldnt talk about those kinda of peeps my mom teaches them and no im not special ed, have some respect! i dont need you to feel sorry for me hunny.
    202 i did not do this to boost my ego believe doll i didnt because its part of my culture and always has been
    ps candice there is no damage done to us hahahah your funny we are a perfectly normal family
    this is 2008!! and the conscent i am her conscent until she turns 18 period….also 202….my child goes through more pain getting her regulated shots…..duhhh
    god you people

  10. jen Avatar

    thanks 204 and no candice we are not idiots…….i have nothing else to say because shes my daughter and she is perfectly well…and as far as retarded goes you shouldnt talk about those kinda of peeps my mom teaches them and no im not special ed, have some respect! i dont need you to feel sorry for me hunny.
    202 i did not do this to boost my ego believe doll i didnt because its part of my culture and always has been
    ps candice there is no damage done to us hahahah your funny we are a perfectly normal family
    this is 2008!! and the conscent i am her conscent until she turns 18 period….also 202….my child goes through more pain getting her regulated shots…..duhhh
    god you people

  11. ozzylynn Avatar

    Eric Spraug (Lizardman) that is some crazy shit to say, I’ve met you m any times and you don’t come off as psycho as you do on BME. Chill out.

    Max you don’t even make any sense as usual. I love your comment just like when you said I was ugly to Brandon Bond after seeing me at a convention. Fuck you.

    I’m the owner of the shop that the “hack” piercer works at (who had nothing to do with the piercing). We all decided that it would be most ridiculous to hold Dahlia still for 4 minutes or longer, not to mention we are not going to put thin gauged CBRs in a BABIES’ earlobes to be torn out. How bout we circumcise some females like in Africa. You people are fucking ridiculous.

  12. ozzylynn Avatar

    Eric Spraug (Lizardman) that is some crazy shit to say, I’ve met you m any times and you don’t come off as psycho as you do on BME. Chill out.

    Max you don’t even make any sense as usual. I love your comment just like when you said I was ugly to Brandon Bond after seeing me at a convention. Fuck you.

    I’m the owner of the shop that the “hack” piercer works at (who had nothing to do with the piercing). We all decided that it would be most ridiculous to hold Dahlia still for 4 minutes or longer, not to mention we are not going to put thin gauged CBRs in a BABIES’ earlobes to be torn out. How bout we circumcise some females like in Africa. You people are fucking ridiculous.

  13. Candice Avatar
    Candice

    learn to spell you white trash retard-bitch

  14. Candice Avatar
    Candice

    learn to spell you white trash retard-bitch

  15. Candice Avatar
    Candice

    oh and p.s. i didn’t mean consent from a legal standpoint i meant just generally your daughter agreeing to it.

    you fucking idiot.

  16. Candice Avatar
    Candice

    oh and p.s. i didn’t mean consent from a legal standpoint i meant just generally your daughter agreeing to it.

    you fucking idiot.

  17. Candice Avatar
    Candice

    oh and also! jen! i hope my mom wouldn’t be doing crazy mods to me when i was 17 and saying “oh whatever i’m your consent so shut up and stop crying, bitch”

    oh and ozzy is stupid because needle piercings don’t take 4 minutes

    you are all so delightfully gaytarded

  18. Candice Avatar
    Candice

    oh and also! jen! i hope my mom wouldn’t be doing crazy mods to me when i was 17 and saying “oh whatever i’m your consent so shut up and stop crying, bitch”

    oh and ozzy is stupid because needle piercings don’t take 4 minutes

    you are all so delightfully gaytarded

  19. Max Brand Avatar

    hey ozzylynn….it’s not my fault your ugly…and that must have been a long time ago, so you obviously have some issues if you’re still thinkin aobut it. I’d love to know what part of my comment doesn’t make any sense….

  20. Max Brand Avatar

    hey ozzylynn….it’s not my fault your ugly…and that must have been a long time ago, so you obviously have some issues if you’re still thinkin aobut it. I’d love to know what part of my comment doesn’t make any sense….

  21. ozzylynn Avatar

    hahaha max ozzy is beautiful….
    now im white trash what a mature thing to say
    im sorry that i misspelled somthin oooppppss there i go again
    man you must have some bad child hood memories your mom told you to “stop crying,bitch,sorry your sooo insecure
    and on an infant ozzy is correct on the 4 mins doll, r u a piecer ??…..
    gooooooodddd this is hilarious

  22. ozzylynn Avatar

    hahaha max ozzy is beautiful….
    now im white trash what a mature thing to say
    im sorry that i misspelled somthin oooppppss there i go again
    man you must have some bad child hood memories your mom told you to “stop crying,bitch,sorry your sooo insecure
    and on an infant ozzy is correct on the 4 mins doll, r u a piecer ??…..
    gooooooodddd this is hilarious

  23. jen Avatar

    there goes my retarded tendencies again 211 is my comment lol :}

  24. jen Avatar

    there goes my retarded tendencies again 211 is my comment lol :}

  25. Candice Avatar
    Candice

    i’ve been needle pierced and the marking and piercing on my lobes took about 2 minutes, including putting the jewelry in.

    my mother wouldn’t say or do anything like that to me, it was just an example… you can’t be the complete source of consent in your daughter’s life until she’s 18. she’s a human being. just because she can’t say no now… (which i’m sure she would, as fucking babies don’t really give a fuck about fashion)

    hilarious to who? you… or the several people who read your pathetic defenses and just laugh at you. because you are white trash. and generally really, really, really dumb.

  26. Candice Avatar
    Candice

    i’ve been needle pierced and the marking and piercing on my lobes took about 2 minutes, including putting the jewelry in.

    my mother wouldn’t say or do anything like that to me, it was just an example… you can’t be the complete source of consent in your daughter’s life until she’s 18. she’s a human being. just because she can’t say no now… (which i’m sure she would, as fucking babies don’t really give a fuck about fashion)

    hilarious to who? you… or the several people who read your pathetic defenses and just laugh at you. because you are white trash. and generally really, really, really dumb.

  27. elizabubble. Avatar
    elizabubble.

    This Is So Sad.
    Why Would Someone Deliberately Put Their Child In That Kind Of Pain? Assholes.

    My Future Children Won’t Be Getting Piercings – Even Ears Until They Say They Want Them & They Can Look After Them Themselves.
    My Mum Was Furious When She Left Me With A Baby Sitter When I Was 1 Year Old & She Came To Pick Me Up Only To See I Had Pierced Ears. The Baby Sitter Got Them Done Cause She Thought I’d “Look So Cute”.

    The Stupid Thing About Getting Babies Ears Pierced Is That Their Ears Still Have A Lot To Grow. I’ve Got A Friend Who Is Now 20 & Had Her Ears Done When She Was 6 Months & Now They Are Lopsided.

  28. elizabubble. Avatar
    elizabubble.

    This Is So Sad.
    Why Would Someone Deliberately Put Their Child In That Kind Of Pain? Assholes.

    My Future Children Won’t Be Getting Piercings – Even Ears Until They Say They Want Them & They Can Look After Them Themselves.
    My Mum Was Furious When She Left Me With A Baby Sitter When I Was 1 Year Old & She Came To Pick Me Up Only To See I Had Pierced Ears. The Baby Sitter Got Them Done Cause She Thought I’d “Look So Cute”.

    The Stupid Thing About Getting Babies Ears Pierced Is That Their Ears Still Have A Lot To Grow. I’ve Got A Friend Who Is Now 20 & Had Her Ears Done When She Was 6 Months & Now They Are Lopsided.

  29. Cata Avatar
    Cata

    In my country (Chile), female babies get their ears pierced as soon as they are born. Of course, parents can refuse, but still, it’s a common practice… much too common, in my opinion.

  30. Cata Avatar
    Cata

    In my country (Chile), female babies get their ears pierced as soon as they are born. Of course, parents can refuse, but still, it’s a common practice… much too common, in my opinion.

  31. Candice Avatar
    Candice

    It Is Weird How Elizabubble Capitalizes The First Letter Of Each Word.
    I Don’t Get It.

  32. Candice Avatar
    Candice

    It Is Weird How Elizabubble Capitalizes The First Letter Of Each Word.
    I Don’t Get It.

  33. jen Avatar

    stupid Bitch”Candice”
    r u an infant …you kinda act like a toddler but thats beside the point
    your point of you getting a needle piercing, is not comparable to an infant getting a needle piercing
    and darlin ,i can have total consent of my daughters life until shes 18 thats a mothers job you idiot….
    i didnt pierce her ears because of “fashion” i got them done because of my personal beliefs…but i dont think you understand personal beliefs do you “bitch”
    and yes YOU are hilarious
    you must be white trash since you seem to like callin people that you dont even know,that must be the one thing your insecure about huh?>>
    you seem to be the dumb one Candice

  34. jen Avatar

    stupid Bitch”Candice”
    r u an infant …you kinda act like a toddler but thats beside the point
    your point of you getting a needle piercing, is not comparable to an infant getting a needle piercing
    and darlin ,i can have total consent of my daughters life until shes 18 thats a mothers job you idiot….
    i didnt pierce her ears because of “fashion” i got them done because of my personal beliefs…but i dont think you understand personal beliefs do you “bitch”
    and yes YOU are hilarious
    you must be white trash since you seem to like callin people that you dont even know,that must be the one thing your insecure about huh?>>
    you seem to be the dumb one Candice

  35. jen Avatar

    elizabubble your babysitter was a fuckin retard

  36. jen Avatar

    elizabubble your babysitter was a fuckin retard

  37. snakelady1956 Avatar
    snakelady1956

    NO NO NO NO NO!!!!!!!!!! This poor, helpless baby dosen’t know at all what is going on, and couldn’t give her consent. I think the child should be old enough to understand and be able to ask for the piercings for themselves when they are ready. Kids this little can’t take proper care of the piercings either. Were these done with a gun or a needle? It really dosen’t matter though. Mom ( if that who the lady is) should have waited till the child asked for the piercings herself.

  38. snakelady1956 Avatar
    snakelady1956

    NO NO NO NO NO!!!!!!!!!! This poor, helpless baby dosen’t know at all what is going on, and couldn’t give her consent. I think the child should be old enough to understand and be able to ask for the piercings for themselves when they are ready. Kids this little can’t take proper care of the piercings either. Were these done with a gun or a needle? It really dosen’t matter though. Mom ( if that who the lady is) should have waited till the child asked for the piercings herself.

  39. Candice Avatar
    Candice

    jen. fuck yourself. 🙂

  40. Candice Avatar
    Candice

    jen. fuck yourself. 🙂

  41. jen Avatar
    jen

    my husband does that for me
    but thanks :}

  42. jen Avatar
    jen

    my husband does that for me
    but thanks :}

  43. Candice Avatar
    Candice

    gross. maybe he should stop because you’re not fit to be a mother.

  44. Candice Avatar
    Candice

    gross. maybe he should stop because you’re not fit to be a mother.

  45. jen Avatar
    jen

    its anything but gross…haha
    oh and im as fit as i fiddle
    thanx
    i didnt know that you were the decision maker of who should have kids
    personaly your soo close minded i hope to god you cant have kids
    if you do,have kids that is theyll probably get so bored with you that theyll want to be emancipated by the time there 7
    sooo basically what im sayin is you suck at life

  46. jen Avatar
    jen

    its anything but gross…haha
    oh and im as fit as i fiddle
    thanx
    i didnt know that you were the decision maker of who should have kids
    personaly your soo close minded i hope to god you cant have kids
    if you do,have kids that is theyll probably get so bored with you that theyll want to be emancipated by the time there 7
    sooo basically what im sayin is you suck at life

  47. Candice Avatar
    Candice

    getting your children pierced without their consent is not necessarily the equivalent to being an exciting mom.

    your argument is, once again, flawed.

    oh and your grammar blows. hope you don’t raise your kid to be retarded.

    you defff are not fit to be a mother.

  48. Candice Avatar
    Candice

    getting your children pierced without their consent is not necessarily the equivalent to being an exciting mom.

    your argument is, once again, flawed.

    oh and your grammar blows. hope you don’t raise your kid to be retarded.

    you defff are not fit to be a mother.

  49. Etoile Avatar

    I believe there are some cultures where piercing the ears of girl infants is customary, right? I didn’t get my first holes till I was three, and at that age I was definitely enough to express a desire to have them (“mommy has pretty earrings, I want some too!”) so I don’t have a problem with that. But infancy…I’ve mostly seen it in certain cultures.

    I think it’s kinder to pierce VERY small children with guns, actually. Being messed about with by a stranger, as is taking place in this picture, is much more traumatic for a kid. Mine were done in a mall, with a gun of course, and I didn’t know that it hurt until it was already over! They had two people do it at the same time, 1-2-3-BOOM, and then mom said “you’re done!” Only THEN did I start to cry. Heh.

  50. Etoile Avatar

    I believe there are some cultures where piercing the ears of girl infants is customary, right? I didn’t get my first holes till I was three, and at that age I was definitely enough to express a desire to have them (“mommy has pretty earrings, I want some too!”) so I don’t have a problem with that. But infancy…I’ve mostly seen it in certain cultures.

    I think it’s kinder to pierce VERY small children with guns, actually. Being messed about with by a stranger, as is taking place in this picture, is much more traumatic for a kid. Mine were done in a mall, with a gun of course, and I didn’t know that it hurt until it was already over! They had two people do it at the same time, 1-2-3-BOOM, and then mom said “you’re done!” Only THEN did I start to cry. Heh.

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