In America the practice of body piercing is everywhere, especially among young people, who are getting several parts of their bodies pierced either as an affirmation of their personal individuality, as a means of sexual gratification or stimulation, a reclamation of their bodies from physical or emotional trauma, or for as a means of adornment. Whatever the reason, it's widespread. Body piercing is the piercing of the ears, nose, septum, cheeks, lip, tongue, nipples, navel, clitoris, labia, penis, and scrotum. Says California State University anthropologist James Myers, Ph.D. body piercing is "possibly as old as genus Homo." (Todd, Richard, p.1) Body piercing studios are popping up all over the country in a response to the growing demand for having a needle poked through your skin. Contrary to popular belief, body piercing is not being performed by freakish subculture deviants. In order to be a reputable piercer one has to take a rigorous course of education in the principals and methods of body piercing. This is a step toward the acceptance of body piercing in mainstream America, where it is still viewed with mistrust by many. Body piercing allows a person to express their individuality in a new way: by putting a needle through yourself, you mark your body as your own (Delaney, Jim, p.3). By exploring some of the motivations behind body piercing, onediscovers that it's not an unhealthy practice (unless performed in an unsterile environment or the piercing is not adequately cared for by the piercee- both of which are heavily discouraged by piercing advocates). Indeed, body piercing is a healthy way to express your individuality or improve your self image.
In the nineties, more and more young people are sporting rings through various parts of their bodies. This is known as body piercing, and it has made a considerable imprint on young people. Body piercing is the practice of piercing the ears, eyebrows, tongue, nose, septum, lip, cheek, nipples, navel or genitals for varied reasons. It's becoming more and more common: Body piercing shops are cropping up all over the country and business is booming. Says piercer Kent Fazekas, who owns Indianapolis-based Body Accents Inc, " ...I think it's here to stay." (Eckert, Toby, 1) The practice of body piercing among young Americans is part of a quest for individuality. Brooklyn body piercing studio Modern Americ...
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...gn statement of who these people are and what they believe in. All too often it is ignorance that leads people to spurn body piercing. By educating yourself on the subject it becomes plain to see that body piercing is a powerful tool for self-expression and emotional security. By going through the pain of the piercing, the emotionally insecure regains a feeling of control.
Works Cited
1. Trebay, Guy. "Hole in one"
The Village Voice July 7, 1995: p.18
2. Eckert, Toby. "Body Accents Pierces Traditional Business Image with Wares to Wear"
Indianapolis Business Journal March 3, 1997: p.45
3. Leo, Jon. "The Modern Primitives"
US. News and World Report July 31, 1995: p.16
4. Wattenberg, Daniel. "A Parents' Guide to Body Piercing"
Forbes September 23, 1996: pp. 166-173
5. Howard, Dylan. "Holier than Thou"
The Yale Daily News November 10, 1995: p.3
6. Todd, Richard. "Look What They've Done to my Bod, Ma"
Psychology Today May/June 1993: p.8
7. Delaney, Jim. "Piercing for Beginners"
Prime Magazine September 26, 1995: pp. 19-23
8. Alexander, Keith. "About Body Piercing." Body Modification Ezine
3pp. World Wide Web http://www.bme.freeQ.com June 1997
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Body modifications, with the focus of tattoos, have existed in our society for centuries and the way in which it is perceived has changed somewhat over the years, yet certain dishonors still remain our modern day. Like most body modifications, tattoos are an often misunderstood form of body modification. Despite the stigmas, tattoos have become a unique object of desire to endless diverse groups of people. But are the popular assumptions of tattoos out of sync with the true meaning behind them? Further explanation and exploration of the history will reveal the social and cultural practices of tattooing and the causal connection between the mind and the tattooed body, in addition to providing answers as to why tattoos stimulate uneasiness and curiosity and create a challenge to discursive practices.
In today’s society oral piercing and tattoos are considered a form of self-expression and body art. It is most common among people between the ages of 18 and 30 years old. Those who chose to have tongue piercing and oral tattoos believe that it reflects fashion, a daring personality, independence, and their sexuality. In other cases oral piercings and oral tattoos may be done because of the need for acceptance into a peer group, desire to assert individuality, or for spiritual
Society has changed in many ways over the years; at one point tattoos were considered unprofessional and disgusting to most people, but today, they are quite common amongst young adults and people who enjoy art. Parents and people of many older generations, sometimes struggle to understand why this new interest in tattoos has been able to consume American culture so quickly. Prior to this boom of interest in tattoos, there were many horror stories that surrounded the subject due to unsanitary tools used and possible diseases a person could catch if a mistake was made. Lois Desocio is one of those adults who has struggled to understand tattoos, especially since her son Alec began to fill his body with them. As Alec’s collection of body art continues
In the journal titled “To Ink or Not to Ink: The Meaning of Tattoos Among College Students”, the authors discuss how students in college feel about tattoos. They address how many people do or do not have a tattoo, the meaning behind the tattoos, and why the non-tattooed students have chosen not to get one. The students with tattoos were said to of taken time to decide what their tattoos was going to be of, where they were going to have it done, and the placement of
Many people have been getting tattoos lately. People of all ages have been getting them and from all different backgrounds. On a nice day in just about any public place one can spot a tattoo about every five minutes, from the business man who had a portrait of his daughter put on him to a young girl with a butterfly on her ankle and even people with extensive tattoo coverage. What is even more interesting is the rise in the number of people who are heavily tattooed and that they come from all different backgrounds. Not too long ago tattooing did not experience the popularity in mainstream culture that it does now. The question that must be asked in order to understand this fascination that popular culture has had with tattoos is why people get tattoos.
In Body Modification and Body Image, Bradley University found that even though women are the majority that has cosmetic procedures done, men usage of cosmetic procedures has increased to twenty percent since 2000. Bradley University also found that among American college students sixty women and forty-two men were pierced. The most common sites that were pierced were the ears, nose, tongue, eyebrows, lips, nipple, navel, and genitals. Around ten percent of Americans have tattoos, and while scarification is not as common as tattoos and piercing it is becoming an increasing visible practice in the United States
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The world has changed tremendously throughout the years. Through the personal and cultural expression of tattooing oneself most wonder why people today get tattoos. Furthermore, those who think tattoos are just for looks will have to realize that tattoos are a part of ones life. Therefore one might say, “ Tattooing is used in a way to mark important events or people in their lives in a permanent way.”(Milcetich) people today should look in the meaning and value of a tattoo “As a statement carved in ones body” (Milcetich). Along with that meaning in ones body, people’s attitudes towards tattoos have begun to change what one thinks about tattoos.
Body piercing in high schools definitely isn't a new subject to me. I have had many run-ins with my school administration about ear and other body piercings. Because of my multiple piercings in my ears, the counselor and the principle have told me before that I cannot have any body piercings. Under other circumstances, I might except that answer. However, since the school dress code does not touch on body piercings in the handbook they cannot say anything and therefore, I can have my body pierced anywhere that I want to and they cannot do anything about it.
Body piercings have been around since before Biblical times and even earlier. Body piercings have a very interesting and vast history. The piercing methods have been used for a very long time. There are many different types of bodily piercings that a person can get. The purpose of this paper is to inform the reader about the history of body piercings, popular types of body piercings, modern day piercing, and facts about body piercings.
...patronage to a belief. Through time the tattoo has been plagued with rising fear that those who receive them will automatically become an outcast of the social order. The fear of body art is calming in the general public’s eyes and whether it is a biker or a school teacher with one they are beginning to be looked at as the same. The rising population of those getting tattoos has directly leaded to the rising population of those accepting them. It took a while for cultural opinion of tattoos to swing from taboo to standard practices of people from all races, ethnicities, ages, and genders. Time has granted the sanctioned onslaught of bad looks, and snubbed noses to slowly die down and natural acceptance of body ink to be granted. It is not just the crazy neighbor next door with a tattoo but the respected doctor up the street or your Sunday school teacher at church.
New cultures generate due to time and generational alterations, trends, and issues to develop and improve; nursing as a profession is not anymore unrestricted area from these cultural moves, between members of all socioeconomic groups and across the diversity of careers, including health care has body art. Individuals’ perception increases to body art as a form of self- expression, nurse educators and nurse leaders are determined the concern of detectable tattoos and body piercing in the uniform code guidelines for nursing personnel working in their organizations (Dorwart, Kuntz & Armstrong,
Tattoos have become more prevalent in our society over the last few decades. What used to be a social faux pa or a negative brand has come to be a more acceptable life choice in our culture. However, only those who have joined the inked-up club can describe the sensation of modifying one’s body with art. From the pain and tantric feeling from the stinging that is released as a person allows themselves to be marked for the rest of their life, and the hot pierce of the needle that gives a sensation of feeling alive and the desire to do this again. Tattoos have become a major social focus today, so the psychology behind their popularity warrants discussion. Ultimately, people who get tattoos yearn for individual expression through artwork, acceptance or adherence to some rite of passage, and the physical satisfaction that only the experience of tattooing can provide.