Body Piercings

[deedster]

Nova, I'm with you.  I had a stud on the side of my nostril which I removed during the whole recruitment process.  My boyfriend at the time told me it was the ugliest thing on my face (which I think was a compliment, no?).  In any event, I didn't make it into the CF but there's no way that sucker's going back in.  Why indeed.

 

[Loachman]

I had my eyebrow pierced, and I also had a vertical lip piercing.

Had to check your profile on that one - I wasn't sure if you meant a vertical piercing on your lip, or a piercing on your vertical lip.

Not everybody on this site has a clean mind.

 

[Rick Ruter]

Some new guys and galls actually walk in the CFRC the day of their enrolment with metal all over their face. This is not ''Rotten Ronies'' or BK folks.

I must admit though that it is pretty entertaining seeing your coworkers in a social setting with all the accoutrement on when you are not aware of their fashion taste. I have hippies and goth subordinates and colleagues. It's like having a split personality. :clown:

 

[Rowshambow]

There is an RCD over seas right now with the Strats that has HUGE holes in his ears, from those big o-rings (or whatever you crazy kids are calling them) so I would think that, could be seen as "mutilation" as it started out as a piercing and now is a mutilated ear!

 

[armyvern]

Hmmm,

I've got a few tattoos (arm, lower back, right tummy/hip). My nose is pierced, my belly-button is too. Very early 90s; long before it became fasionable to do so.

I thought about them all; I regret none.

 

[Jaydub]

I've had my nipple pierced.  Not a very pleasant experience.

 

[Brett]

There is an RCD over seas right now with the Strats that has HUGE holes in his ears, from those big o-rings (or whatever you crazy kids are calling them) so I would think that, could be seen as "mutilation" as it started out as a piercing and now is a mutilated ear!

they're called plugs.

DIDI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! its me, brett!!! (i have you on facebook incase you cannot remember!) lol. How are you?

 

[IN HOC SIGNO]

It's Friday night.....I just got back from the Mess...I'm reading all this stuff....not feeling particularly politically correct....(know what I'm saying?)... and I'm thinking...OUCH!!!...why the H..l would you do any of that stuff??

 

[Sig_Des]

It's Friday night.....I just got back from the Mess...I'm reading all this stuff....not feeling particularly politically correct....(know what I'm saying?)... and I'm thinking...OUCH!!!...why the H..l would you do any of that stuff??

Heheh...

I've got tats, but I may be a hippocrite as in I would never get a piercing.

And the whole PA one...way I see it....anything that might affect your efficiency in peeing...not worth it.

 

[Roy Harding]

OK - I've read this thread through - a couple of points.

Mutilation:

  The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition.  2000.

mutilate

SYLLABICATION: mu·ti·late
PRONUNCIATION:   mytl-t
TRANSITIVE VERB: Inflected forms: mu·ti·lat·ed, mu·ti·lat·ing, mu·ti·lates
1. To deprive of a limb or an essential part; cripple. 2. To disfigure by damaging irreparably: mutilate a statue. See synonyms at batter1. 3. To make imperfect by excising or altering parts.
ETYMOLOGY: Latin mutilre, mutilt-, from mutilus, maimed.
OTHER FORMS: muti·lation —NOUN
muti·lative —ADJECTIVE
muti·lator —NOUN

It is rather a strong word for the practice under discussion, I agree - but body piercing does fit the definition.

Aside from some thoughts and observations regarding how much good tats cost, and how much consideration some have given to their various piercings/tats - no one has answered my original question - WHY?

Fashion is one theory I advanced - but this was dismissed.

No one has brought up cultural norms, but I get the feeling this probably doesn't fit the majority of posters here.

So the question remains - why?

 

[armyvern]

Fashion is one theory I advanced - but this was dismissed.

So the question remains - why?

I think you advanced two theories IIRC ...

I didn't do mine for fashion ...

But I do know those that have!! "Ohhh it's so pretty, I have to get mine done sort of comments. One chick I knew even wanted me to lay on the photocopier so she could have a copy of my back tat so she could get the same one. Uh, no says I. I drew it. It's mine. Get your own (she did get one very similar to mine shortly after).

So, WRT your second theory,

I never ruled that out!!  >

But that was way back when?? I have changed!!  ;D

But heck, I don't regret any of my tats or my piercings (and I planned and wanted each one), and it was early 90s; you'd never catch me in a bikini these days anyway. I'm kind of different that way!! 

 

[Roy Harding]

...

But heck, I don't regret any of my tats or my piercings (and I planned and wanted each one), and it was early 90s; you'd never catch me in a bikini these days anyway. I'm kind of different that way!! 

Are you saying you frequent beaches without the encumbrance of a bikini?    Which beaches? 

 

[armyvern]

Are you saying you frequent beaches without the encumbrance of a bikini?     Which beaches? 

I am way too shy to do anything like that aren't I??

 

[Kat Stevens]

Be it fashion, rebellion, self expression, or drunken stupidity, at the end of the day it's your body.  If you are willing to live with all of the consequences of your choice, who am I to judge?  If that "Kilroy was here" tattoo above your framazam is a statement your willing to carry around when the doc delivers your first child, have at 'er.

 

[Sig_Des]

Aside from some thoughts and observations regarding how much good tats cost, and how much consideration some have given to their various piercings/tats - no one has answered my original question - WHY?

Everyone has different reasons.

For tats, myself, as a kind of body totem, really. All my tats represent people and events that have to do with my life, and rememberance of cultural background.

 

[Roy Harding]

Everyone has different reasons.

For tats, myself, as a kind of body totem, really. All my tats represent people and events that have to do with my life, and rememberance of cultural background.

Exactly.  The REASONS are why I asked my question in the first place.

I'm not about to discuss cultural preferences for various piercings/tattoos (this is Radio Chatter, right!?)

I, too, have people and memories of events that have affected my life - I have pictures framed on the walls, momentoes preserved in shadow boxes - but I DON'T have tattoos of my buddies on my body, not do I have pieces of metal implanted in my skin anywhere.

I still ask - WHY does one feel it necessary to mutilate one's body in order to mark an occasion or memory?  (Aside from cultural norms - that's not a subject appropriate to Radio Chatter).

 

[S.Stewart]

Tattoos are like scars. In the idea that generally if you end up with a bad enough scar, there is a story behind it. Tats are the same way both good and bad. Getting tattoos is a very personal choice, and not everyone has to like them or get them.

There is a story behind each one of my tattoos, be it my heritage, passing of loved ones, passing of my best friend, places i've been etc. The choice behind my piercings are basicly i wanted them, I have a very dare to be different personality one that is loud, but is generally kept behind closed doors, my piercings and tats, are one of my ways of getting the outside to match the in.

These days I have taken all of my piercings out, not because I grew bored of them, just because I needed a change, and I was having to take them in and out for work. Now that I have my career change, I am considering having them redone, cause I do in fact miss having them. Like I said, they are not for everyone, and in reality do I really need a reason for having them, my life, my skin, my choice.

 

[Roy Harding]

Tattoos are like scars. In the idea that generally if you end up with a bad enough scar, there is a story behind it. Tats are the same way both good and bad. Getting tattoos is a very personal choice, and not everyone has to like them or get them.

There is a story behind each one of my tattoos, be it my heritage, passing of loved ones, passing of my best friend, places i've been etc. The choice behind my piercings are basicly i wanted them, I have a very dare to be different personality one that is loud, but is generally kept behind closed doors, my piercings and tats, are one of my ways of getting the outside to match the in.

These days I have taken all of my piercings out, not because I grew bored of them, just because I needed a change, and I was having to take them in and out for work. Now that I have my career change, I am considering having them redone, cause I do in fact miss having them. Like I said, they are not for everyone, and in reality do I really need a reason for having them, my life, my skin, my choice.

Thank you.

I too have scars (none of them purposely self-imposed, however) - and you're right, there is a story behind every one.

THIS makes sense to me - they are a memorial of moments of your life.  I can respect that.  I don't have to be into your method of expression to understand the idea behind the expression.  (Could be that you aren't into framed photographs or shadow boxes, either!!)

So - they're a memory aid.  An expression of how you felt in a given moment of time.  I like that.

And, as Kat Stevens said earlier in this thread - it's YOUR body, what you do with it is entirely up to you - and I agree.


Roy

 

[proudnurse]

When my daugher was born, I opted not to get her ear's pierced. I thought I would wait, and let her decide for herself when she was ready to get them done.  Earlier in the year she started asking me if she could have hers done. I took her to a place at the mall back in April, where they pierce ears and of course the first question she asked was 'is it going to hurt?' of course my only reply to that was to be honest and say 'yes' in the end, she still wanted to go through with it.

Unfortunately, they never did heal properly... actually did not heal at all. I put antiseptic on them daily and took care of them the way you are supposed to, in the end I ended up taking them out for good. Now she has 2 little scars where the earings used to be although I didn't expect that to happen, I'm wishing now that we forgot about it all together.

~Rebecca

 

[Rick Ruter]

Been away for a while.

My tat was done on an R&R (96hrs) in South Beach Florida with four Haiti UN buddies after a big drunk while walking back to the hotel in the morning. I always wanted one but never took the time to do it and at this moment, with the effect of the booze and what I thought was an excellent way to commemorate the occasion. Don't regret it but I wish I had been sober and took the time to pick something a little better.