Infant Ear Piercing

[CosmicSpork]

My wife just informed me that an acquaintance of hers has just had her baby girls ears pierced. She is only 9 months old.

Personally I think it's ridiculous, she doesn't NEED her ears piercing... let her get old enough to choose for herself!

I did a Google search on this kind of thing and found that it's even worse in some places where they'll do it at as little as a month old! Now, I can understand (to a limited degree) if they are in a country where their culture pretty much demands that these things be done (doesn't make it right though).

For the most part the only actual reason they get them done so young is because 'they look cute'.... Then they try to back it up with excuses like saying that before 9 months kids don't touch their ears so doing it early lets them heal better... rubbish, we (my wife and I) have friends with a 3 month old girl who is constantly faffing about with her own ears!

I know this relates vaguely to the whole circumcision topic that's been floating about, but usually that's not done because 'it looks cute'.

It makes me angry. /rant :x :x :x

What are your thoughts?

 

[Case]

Of course I don't advocate violence... but still, this idea of harming children for whatever reason is bullshit.

 

[MRaverz]

I completely agree with you, it angers me more when people do it to their child to turn them into some sort of fashion accessory. But even before it gets to that level, you're piercing holes in your child's ears because you think it looks good.

When in reality, it makes them look chavvy and pathetic. :lol:

There should really be laws against this...

 

[borrofburi]

This actually comes up a lot in the circumcision debate actually, and is often used as a reason why circumcision is ok, saying something like "you don't get upset over ear piercing, circumcision is no different than that"; to which I usually respond: (1) while I do get less upset over it (because it's something that can be un-done) it is still body modification of someone without their informed consent so yes, I do get upset over ear piercing on children and (2) circumcision is different because it can't be undone, while ear piercing can be undone (also nerves, useful function, etc.).

So my thoughts: it's potentially-harm-causing cosmetic body modification on an individual without that individual's informed consent and is therefore wrong.


Actually a family member wasn't allowed to get her ears pierced until she was 14 or 15; mostly I think her father just disliked pierced ears. But she did decide at the age of 15(?) that the pain was worth it to her, and she went ahead and did it.

 

[CosmicSpork]

I forgot to mention that my Dad used to own a jewellery shop (now owned by my brother) and it's their policy to flat our refuse to pierce ears of anyone under the age of 14.

Obviously not everywhere else has this kind of policy and personally I think it should be compulsory... it doesn't have to be as high as 14, but at least there should be a limit on it. As far as I'm aware (in the UK) there is no minimum age for ear piercing, but you have to be over 16 to have any other kind of body piercing.

 

[MRaverz]

I forgot to mention that my Dad used to own a jewellery shop (now owned by my brother) and it's their policy to flat our refuse to pierce ears of anyone under the age of 14.

Obviously not everywhere else has this kind of policy and personally I think it should be compulsory... it doesn't have to be as high as 14, but at least there should be a limit on it. As far as I'm aware (in the UK) there is no minimum age for ear piercing, but you have to be over 16 to have any other kind of body piercing.

My first thoughts were that 14 was pretty low, then I remembered that my sisters had their ears pierced at 14.

 

[nasher168]

I agree that it is wrong to pierce their ears at such a young age. 14 seems reasonable, since at least they have some kind of knowledge about what their getting into. There really should be some kind of law against modifying you child's body unnecessarily in my opinion.

 

[5810Singer]

Actually Spork you do live in a country where there is a tradition of piercing infants ears, although it's typically done to boys rather than girls.

Amongst fishing and sailing communities in the UK there is a long standing practice of wearing gold and silver in the ears.
The traditional reason for this is so that any dead seamen who were washed up on a strange shore would have enough precious metal in their ears to pay for their burial.

I went to school in Hastings, and the fishing community there has roots that go back to before the Norman conquest, and I went to school with the fishermen's sons all of whom had a little gold hoop in one ear.

Sorry, no point to make, just some socio-historical info.

 

[Giliell]

I'm totally against it
It's a permanent body-modification, not necessary and should therefore be left to the person whose body it is.
But I wouldn't set the age limit that high.
I had mine pierced when I was six before I started school. This was after some months of severe begging, arguing and tantrums on my side. Didn't change the date, though, terribly consequent parents :roll:
But at that age I could understand that it would hurt and that it would be forever (haven't worn earrings in years, still have the holes).
So I think, if my girls wanted theirs pierced at that age, I'll allow it.

 

[Prolescum]

I wouldn't presume to tell anyone else how to bring up their children, but I disagree with the idea as it's (examples like singer's excluded) all about the parent's vanity. At least that's how it seems to me.

 

[Andiferous]

I also feel this is a parents' choice sort of issue. I haven't done this, but adults who have been pierced as babies don't remember having it done.

I might get some flak for introducing religious ritual into this, but from what I understand, infant ear piercing is part of a Hindu initiation ritual (I suppose similar to circumcision in that regard, but not on the same scale).

Nose piercings are also cultural rituals and I've been told that jewelry for nose piercing traditionally represents part of the wife's dowry. It's an interesting historical twist, and I wonder if the same sort of idea could apply to children with ear jewelry.

I do have friends who have incorporated piercings into their family lives to mark important milestones. After her daughter was born, her ears were pierced, and both herself and her husband also had piercings done at the same time. In this situation, they used it as a sort of initiation and family bonding ritual.

I think it's interesting too, that many cultural initiation rituals do require a bit of pain (or bodily change - mutilation if you must - in some form). Ear piercing really seems the least extreme of these kind of things.

I think most of us tend to do it to some extent or another. Getting haircuts, piercings, tattoos, or making some other symbolic change to start a new direction. It might seem superstitious, but symbols like this can hold a lot of power and like Samson's hair, people can take strength from them when they need it.

Of those who pierce their baby's ears, how many do it for vanity? It's hard to say, because in most situations I have seen, it wasn't done in that vein.

 

[borrofburi]

adults who have been pierced as babies don't remember having it done.

This is an extremely poor standard for what is acceptable to do to children.

 

[australopithecus]

Completely and utterly unjustifiable. I'd argue if that people pierce the ears of toddlers becase it 'looks cute' without consent, then society should be able to pierce bits of them without consent for the same reason.

 

[Andiferous]

adults who have been pierced as babies don't remember having it done.

This is an extremely poor standard for what is acceptable to do to children.

I agree, just giving the topic some context. Keep in mind, too, piercings do heal up and aren't necessarily permanent changes. Having my own piercing done at nine, I don't remember feeling any pain from it at all. It was a bit of a non-issue. I think the argument here is based on a principle, and less on any sort of medical or physical trauma.

 

[Aught3]

The person should at least be old enough to ask for the piercing, a baby is way too young.

 

[JustBusiness17]

Ear piercings happen to be culturally acceptable in many parts of the world which is why this issue even exists. I happen to like piercings, but I cannot condone any type of aesthetic body modification done without a person's permission.

If you disagree with me, at what point do you draw the line...

 

[Giliell]

Keep in mind, too, piercings do heal up and aren't necessarily permanent changes.

(haven't worn earrings in years, still have the holes)

 

[Andiferous]

Keep in mind, too, piercings do heal up and aren't necessarily permanent changes.

(haven't worn earrings in years, still have the holes)

I went a couple years between wearing earrings and, err... let's just say going back to them there was blood.

I don't know how long it would take to heal completely over. I suspect it has more to do with how long a person has worn earrings.

For the record, this is one of those things I wouldn't choose to do myself, but I think the topic needs a bit of perspective.

 

[acheron]

Despite a lot of noise about personal freedoms on this forum, people sure are keen to nanny their way into how other people raise their children. :roll:

Surely there are far more pressing items to whinge about regarding other people's child-rearing before you get all hot under the collar about earrings? Ear piercing is a complete non-issue.

 

[borrofburi]

Despite a lot of noise about personal freedoms on this forum, people sure are keen to nanny their way into how other people raise their children. :roll:

Because it should be parent's rights to do whatever they want to the persons who happen to be their children. :roll: