~For the last time, I'm doing this for myself~
At A Glance Author ~*jaCi*~ Contact [email protected] When N/A Artist ~ Studio ~ Location ~ Oh, wait. Sorry, I'm getting a bit ahead. Right. Anyway, first things first...
Once upon a time, I was roaming the internet, and I happened to stumble upon BME. It was a chance discovery, and the first step for me into the intricate world of body modification. I immediately fell in love with the fabulously informative site and I visit it as much as I can. Even though I am not that heavily modified, after a year or so of reading BME I feel as much as a part of the subculture as someone who was. I always had been intrigued by people with piercings. I would see a few with septum piercings or something of the sort around my mall, and I would stare, not because I was disgusted, but because I thought they were unique, and that's what I found appealing.
So I ventured to get my own navel pierced when I turned 18, as I figured that would be the only thing allowed in my house without horrific consequences (i.e. head being ripped off, being starved for weeks, no phone privileges...). My piercing certainly didn't please my parents (the conservative type). My father was especially displeased, and asked, "You aren't getting anything else done, are you," in that sort of tone, the kind that commands obedience, immediately. You know the one I'm talking about. I agreed hastily, but I guess I sort of lied (heh) because right after I returned to school after winter break, I had my lip pierced. That certainly didn't go over too well with the parents when I informed them, and to my consternation, it caused problems with my friends, who are all rather straight-laced as well(go figure).
Now, this got me to thinking. Rather, it got me a bit angry. I was doing what has become an intrinsic part of me, and instead of having my close friends accept it they had acted as if it was something abnormal. I am doing what I think is beautiful, but apparently, as I had found out, some people have different opinions than me. I absolutely love my lip ring to death; I fell in love with it the first time I saw it in the mirror, and I would never part with it just because my friends/family have a problem with it. I refuse to conform, and will continue with my body modifications as planned. As late as today, I had someone question my ears, which I am currently stretching (8 ga... small I know but I'm getting there!) and she was like, why are you doing that? This was as hard to answer as, if someone had asked me why I was a female, or why I breathed air or drank water. I answered simply, because I like it, and I because I can. Bwahahah!
I am trying to warm my parents up to the whole idea, and I have recently emailed my mom an excerpt of another editorial on BME, (Is It Just Teen Angst? By Mosh. Read it, it's excellent!) one that I found rather fitting to the situation, about how I was doing this for myself, and not to rebel against them, and that the decisions I were making were adult, educated ones. My mom emailed me back, and most reassuringly said, we know you aren't doing it to rebel, we were just afraid you were doing it to impress someone else.
Preposterous.
They are also concerned about how society will view me when I enter the working world, especially with piercings of the facial variety. Of course, they are thinking I'm going to take out my jewelry just to work in some conservative, 9-5 office. Um..no. I know it's going to be hard to find a place to work that doesn't discriminate by physical appearance, but I think it will be worth the search. I know that most of society has a problem with bodmods but I really don't mind. I like being different. There are too many sheep in this world.
But I digress.
Above all, I am doing my mods for MYSELF. Body Modification, for me, is a way to assume control over my body and to adorn it as I please. It overjoys me when I get a new piercing; each one makes me feel like I am one step closer to becoming who I would like to be. I also like them because they let me express my personality and are aesthetically pleasing. Throughout my entire life, I've tried to dress and look differently than everyone else, and it still holds true to this day. My piercings only add to this effect, and that makes me very, very happy.
So, I urge you to not conform to anyone else's standards but your own. It might be hard, but if you really show that your mods are important to you, then the people that are dear to you might understand. It is important to be yourself, and get your mods to please no one other than YOU! Because, I'm not doing this for anyone except ME. >: }