A well known fact among Body Modification fans is, we are different. We are accepted different, and people react different towards us. Sometimes we are even feared, because of one fact, our looks.
At A Glance Author Brandon Contact [email protected] I won't waste your time preaching the end of Hate, cause its beyond the scope of this article, and its nothing you haven't heard a zillion times before. I want to touch on something, that I haven't seen addressed anwyhere on BME and is also important.
The point of this article is simple, how to deal with a small town, that doesn't know how to accept your body mods, and fears you.
People fear what they don't understand or is different, thats a simple fact of life. This fact is even stronger in a close-knit-small town. When you are in a small town, and you are heavily pierced/tattoo'ed, people will react towards you. They will even avoid you, and at some extreme cases grab their children and make it seem like you are going to rape and pillage the village. This is just some of the things that come with our lifestyle of body modfication. There is the cliche' that we are hell-raising, criminals, who are out to start trouble, and in general be annoying. We need to overcome this cliche, and show that inside we are still normal and (I hope for the most of us) very caring people. Below I have wrote up a few steps, to try and overcome this. Course, there is no possible way this will work everytime, but its better to say we attempted, than to just blame it all on them.
Remember, when we change our body, we aren't the normal anymore. With that, we accept that we will have to go the extra mile to still not be seperated from everyone else.
- Be polite, its a common thing, no matter how you look. Be polite, I can't be anymore blunt.
- If someone asks you why you do this, don't come off with "its cool" or something they are just going to blow off. Try to explain to them, it doesn't make you different inside, just outside, and you do it for your own personal reasons. When doing this, keep the humour up, humour eases people, and leaves a last impression on them.
- Ever see someone who needs help? Maybe an older lady trying to carry something, she cant. Be the first to, offer to help her. Talk to her, once again be POLITE. Don't make the discussion on your piercing/tattoos, just talk to her like anyone else would.
- Don't go around acting like a badass (see:polite). Its not cool, and it doesn't help you or anyone else in your situation. A: Its a good way to get your ass kicked by people who don't like you. B: It won't help you in your quest to not be feared by the people in your town.
- In general be a decent person. Don't steal, don't go commiting crimes. Break the cliche', cause if not it only breaks you.
Your going to more and likely come in situations, where someone says "You have problems", or something else. Don't jump down their throat, joke with them. I have been asking in public while eating, why I do this do my face (I am heavily pierced), and my response is always in a joking manner. Sometimes I say, "You seen this weather lately?", I start the converation, and take it from there. Your asking how, the weather has anything to do with this, right? I simply say "Weather won't premit me to grow a garden." Cheesey? Yes! Does it loosen people up, and let them talk to me easy? Yes!
When we choose our life, we choose to go the extra mile. Its not easy, but I think we all knew that. We are lucky to live in a time, where body modification is a bit more accepted in the general public, sure its not totally accepted. But it is a bit more accepted, than in the past (anyone remember when piercing one side of your ear meant something?). Our values and our looks may differ, but in the end we are the same basic thing. Blood pumping thru flesh. We just choose to adorn our skin.
In closing, I would like to thank everyone who has helped the Body Modification.We are extremely lucky to have websites and forums such as BME, rec.arts.bodyart, and everyone else who has helped the Body Modification community.
I hope this article, has gave you some ideas on how to beat the cliche and fear that comes with our choices in life. Feel free, to send me any comments, or suggestions.
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