Baby piercings

[nightshade]

What do people think about babies having pierced ears? Should people wait until the child is old enough to ask for it themselves, or is getting it done young better as they can always let it close up and wont remember the pain of having it done?

 

[The Bronze]

I think it's awful. A baby is a person that needs looking after and protection. Not a toy for people to poke holes in for their own entertainment.

 

[JCoatsworth]

I think it's a horrible idea! The person should be old enough to decide for her/himself. Something like this shouldn't be forced upon a little child.
Especially when the child doesn't remember it. It's why the idea of a "Dollhouse" is so f***ed up.

 

[fredthe3rd]

Ah, I still remember the day in primary school when there was a fight and a boy (probably about 7 years old) had his stud ripped through his ear lobe.

(at the time it had become 'a cool thing' for boys to have a piercing in one ear)

 

[brinkster130]

I have mixed feelings about it. I, personally, would never do it; but I guess some people do it for cultural reasons and/or family traditions and that makes it a less black and white issue IMO.

 

[Ethan Reigns]

Child abuse. Plain and simple.

 

[JCoatsworth]

I have mixed feelings about it. I, personally, would never do it; but I guess some people do it for cultural reasons and/or family traditions and that makes it a less black and white issue IMO.

Family traditions or beliefs are no excuse for this, in my opinion. You shouldn't force your beliefs upon others, especially not on babies and children, and especially not if it's something physical, like a pierced ear. Getting your baby's ear pierced is, in my opinion, a violation of the child's basic rights.

 

[nightshade]

Family traditions or beliefs are no excuse for this, in my opinion. You shouldn't force your beliefs upon others, especially not on babies and children, and especially not if it's something physical, like a pierced ear. Getting your baby's ear pierced is, in my opinion, a violation of the child's basic rights.

How you do feel about circumcision?


Figured I better answer this given I started it, but I don't believe that either should be done, both can be done when the child is older if they want it.

 

[NY State of Mind]

Well I don't agree that you shouldn't teach your child your beliefs. Until they are old enough to make their own decisions its the job of the parents to decide what they believe is best for the child. To say your culture and beliefs are right and others is wrong is hypocritical. As long as the kid isn't endangered I don't see the big issue even if I don't like the custom or act myself. Its the job of the parents and the people within the culture to take care of the child that comes from them

 

[Black Eye Guy]

I think they look kinda trashy on babies. And I mean that is a hard thing to do - make a baby look trashy!

 

[fredthe3rd]

I was of the understanding that most men in America are circumcised. Is that right?

 

[Blaze]

I'm against it but not because I think it's some awful kind of abuse. I'm only against it because often if done wrong, or because the baby rolls around all over dirty floors, the piercings can easily get infected. So, simply for safety reason, I don't think they should be done until a bit older when the kid can be somewhat careful about the piercing. Also, with baby there is always the risk that they get caught on something and rip it out. So again for safety its probably not best. Also, they should also never be pierced with a gun for multiple reason, but if pierced right with a needle, the process is pretty much painless (I have tons of piercings, my ears are literally the only ones that were painful because they were done with a gun and it blew the skin at the back).

I don't think body art at a young age is necessarily abuse (unless taken too far eg: mutilation, foot bandaging, tattooing infants). A lot of cultures apply such thing and it's just an integral part of keeping the tradition. Of course ideally those things wouldn't be done until the kid is a bit older and can decide for themselves, but in the case of a well done piercing, almost no pain is involved (literally like getting a vaccine, and if the kid decides not to keep it later on, they can just take it out easily. There is no lasting changes implied. That being said, I still think the kid should get to decide, don't get me wrong here, I just don't think it's a super awful thing, and I won't judge people for piercing their kids ears.

Circumcision is worst than just a small piercing, and it is still widely accepted. I would never get my kid circumscribed (I think there's more downfalls than positives about it), but I don't judge parents for doing it either.

 

[OFAWB]

I oppose any cosmetic body modifications on those who cannot consent. To me, a young a baby who did not ask for piercings should not have them. I also do not think infant circumcision should be a routine procedure, since in my upbringing it is done to demonstrate allegiance to a god and a faith that I don't think a baby can even comprehend, much less believe in. I would not be opposed to the procedure if the person affected by it was old enough to make the decision (a teenager, at least). The good thing about piercing, though, is that it usually reverses itself if left alone.

(Personal note: I begged my mother to take me to get my ears pierced when I was five years old, and because I wanted it, she took me to get it done for my sixth birthday. I rarely wear earrings anymore, though, to the point where the piercings are partially closed up and it's hard for me to get an earring in. I think if a kid asks for a piercing, there's nothing wrong with it. Circumcision is different and more serious, so the person who gets it done should be fully aware of the ramifications - i.e., not a young child.)

 

[JCoatsworth]

How you do feel about circumcision?


Figured I better answer this given I started it, but I don't believe that either should be done, both can be done when the child is older if they want it.

I agree. I feel the same way about circumcision. Or religion in general, for that matter. I'm an atheist (or agnostic atheist, if you wanna get technical), but I was raised Protestant (more or less) and had my confirmation when I was 13 or 14, I think. That was still way too young for me to make up my own mind. When I was a kid I never gave much thought to religion and god, I just kind of accepted what they taught me.

 

[OFAWB]

One thing that bothers me is that so many people will make health/hygiene arguments for circumcision when it's a sure thing that they wouldn't circumcise if they weren't brought up to do it in the name of religion. Also, they only care about medical studies if the results are pro-circumcision. Any doctors or studies that show the harmful effects of the procedure are ignored, which shows that they don't actually care about scientific studies.

 

[fitz1980]

To the OP, I find piercing little girls' ears to be silly at best. The reason most parents do it is because they take offense if somebody mistakes their kid's gender at a time when the only defining gender characteristic is penis/vagina. So unless the baby in naked it's a totally understandable mistake to make. But since the parents take offense they get the girl's ears pierced & dress them up in lacy pick dresses while putting the boys in basketball jerseys and other "manly" things to make sure nobody mistakes their gender.

As for circumcision; I'm circumcised because I was born during an era when it was the norm. In the US most boys are circumcised for non-religious reasons because it's a cultural norm, although it is changing. Ironically the whole idea of non-religious circumcision in the US comes from an old 1800s idea that it would prevent boys from masterbating. What I can tell you from my own teen years, that failed miserably. It's just one of those things that most parents do because to them that's how it's always been done as far as they know. Some Dads even have a weird "I want my son to look like me" thing and some women are weirded out by uncircumcised men. I've known a few girls who hooked up with foreign born guys and the next day the first thing they could say was "OMG, he's uncircumcised, I didn't even know what to do with that thing."

 

[brinkster130]

Family traditions or beliefs are no excuse for this, in my opinion. You shouldn't force your beliefs upon others, especially not on babies and children, and especially not if it's something physical, like a pierced ear. Getting your baby's ear pierced is, in my opinion, a violation of the child's basic rights.

And that's a totally fair opinion, one I myself don't disagree with; however as much as you see it as a violation of the child's rights some parents see it as an honor, obligation, way of life etc. I just don't feel my personal beliefs (that its better left undone until child is old enough to decide) are anymore valid than someone who feels opposite of me.

 

[Joan the Vampire Slayer]

I wouldn't do it on my child, but don't think it's awful, either.

 

[Kean]

I know plenty of people who have pierced their babies ears but personally, I think it is an unnecessary pain (and risk, given the potential for inflection) to inflict on a child and it wouldn't be something I would choose for my children.

 

[OFAWB]

What do you guys think about people who put tight flowery headbands on their baby daughters' heads? That always bothered me, for some reason...I imagine parents saying, "She isn't feminine enough because her hair is still short! We MUST cut off her circulation and put a giant daisy on her head!" Haha.