The Ever-changing Politics of the Piercing
Image Courtesy: PinterestI will never forget being six years old, sitting in the backseat of my parents’ Ford Explorer and listening to local radio personalities discuss the absolute “scandal” that was, then, 16-year-old Miley Cyrus’s new stud in her nose. They wondered why such a wholesome Disney Channel starlet would ruin her face with something as provocative and trashy as a nose piercing. My mother, seemingly egging on the voices emitting from the radio, echoed similar sentiments during the duration of the car ride. Flash-forward to ten years later and she’s taking me to the tattoo parlor to embellish my own nostril with a glimmery stud. So, what happened?
It is no secret that the reception and tolerance of certain trends and forms of expression are constantly evolving. However, unlike hair colors, shoes and articles of clothing (or lack thereof), piercings are – for all intents and purposes – permanent. The decision to “punch holes in your face,” as my much older relatives like to call it, holds a different significance than purchasing a plethora of leather pants no one will be wearing a few years down the line.
This notion of permanence makes our generation’s proclivity to opt for new piercings as solutions for temporary emotional distress or conflict all the more comical and revealing. It’s, of course, not the only circumstance that draws us to piercings, but it’s one that is indicative of their commonality and shifting connotations over the past couple of decades in American society.
The aforementioned incident involving Cyrus occurred in 2009, and, since then, the long-held conviction that a binary choice between piercings and “professionalism” exists has been slowly dismantling. More and more employers, parents, and peers are realizing that piercings are, most often, a reflection of personal expression, religion and/or aesthetic — not a reflection of one’s ability to perform acceptably in either social or workplace settings. Initial negative feelings about piercings may be attributed to their origins in non-white, non-Christian societies, and our nation’s progressing manner in the treatment of matters of culture has arguably influenced the interrelated treatment of piercings.
A small-scale manifestation of this progression can be charted in the number and placement of my own piercings throughout the years: at age six, I began with piercing my lobes; at twelve I added the upper lobes; fifteen was the helix; sixteen was a second helix; at seventeen, I traversed from my ears to my nose with the addition of a stud; at eighteen, I swapped the stud for a silver ring; nineteen was another helix as well as a set of upper lobes; and, at twenty, I am contemplating the variably iconic ‘90s navel ring.
My parents’ increased support and my personal enthusiasm for multiple piercings were the result of a widespread regularity in seeing the jewelry on more than just a woman’s earlobes. Celebrities are the age-old influencers in the realm of beauty and fashion, but the heightened frequency of piercings belonging to the standard, working American trampled fears that only people like Cyrus would be able to maintain a career with this form of personal expression.
I often say that my piercings are my favorite feature to be complimented on; so often, people have begun conversations with me about the jewelry. Although it was not always the case, much of my confidence lies with my nose ring and the several studs and hoops I wear in my ears at a time. The more we continue to embrace piercings, the more we can further legitimize and promote positive perspectives of them.
All this to say, do not limit yourself in the trends that excite you if they involve a new piercing or two. Do not regret the impulsive septum ring you got a day after your breakup. Your body tells a story that is unique to you, and piercings are just another instrument you may use to write it.
Strike Out,
Victoria Dominesey
Editors: Jane Miller, Shane Stanton
University of Notre Dame
