In May of 2003, one week before my 19th birthday, I decided to have my tongue pierced. For four years I had wanted this piercing but I was never able to acquire it on account of the fact that my mother would never allow me to. For four years I longed for it, envied it on others. Prior to that, growing up, I always viewed people who had piercings as weird, freaky, and sometimes, downright evil. Now, quite a few a piercings later, I realize and understand the passion and spirituality that is so deeply involved with body modification. My question to you is Shouldn't everyone else realize it to?
At A Glance Author Asiah Contact [email protected] When N/A Websters Dictionary defines discrimination as "Showing partiality or prejudice." It's obvious (by simply observing the natural-born rights of mankind) that discrimination for any reason is wrong. When African-Americans were discriminated against, civil rights leaders fought to gain equal rights for blacks everywhere. However immoral one might view homosexuality, gays and lesbians have fought for and are continuing to fight for rights that they have both acquired and are continuing to acquire. The American government has and is obviously taking a stand against discrimination, whether it be sexist, racist or based on sexual preference and/or orientation. However, in an environment so widely knowledgeable about the wrongs and wrongs of discrimination on any level, those of us living the body mod life find ourselves having a hard time finding jobs, places to worship, and acceptance in general.
Walk into any chain store in any major city and ask for an application whether you're gay or any nationality other than Caucasian, and once you're the most qualified person for the position, you're (under the law) guaranteed the position for which you are applying. If not hired because of the reasons listed above, you may as well call yourself financially secure because you'll then be able to slap that company with a multi-million dollar law-suit. Unfortunately, this doesn't hold true for the pierced, stretched, scarred and tattood. How can this be fair? Is your God-given right to modify your body as you see fit to be trampled over simply because there is no law to guarantee fairness? Can anyone honestly say that (having body mods) you can walk into any random church building and worship without risking embarrassment by being asked to leave or facing condemnation? No, you cannot. It is about time that we demand to be treated fairly despite how we choose to physically alter o ur appearance. How does being tattood or pierced hinder your ability to perform on a job that you are well qualified for? Or how does being pierced or tattood hinder you from worshipping in a church building if that is what you'd like to do?
It is often said that people 'hate the thing they fear and fear the thing they don't understand,' but how can people understand the world of body modification if every time a person with a mod who is turned away from employment a church building, or any other public place or position walks away humbly. If you continue to take crap, the masses are going to continue to take a crap on you. Personally, I have been turned away from various jobs because I have visible piercings. In every instance, I have fought back. Sometimes, to no avail. But I haven't given up, and neither should anyone else. There should be laws ensuring jobs for the people of the body mod world. But these laws won't come about if they aren't asked for. Taking a stand against discrimination and obvious injustice may have its drawbacks, but the end result is always great. Win or lose, the ultimate prize is the proverbial pride of knowing that you stood up for what you believe in (as cliche as that may sound, th e cliched is often very true). In order to understand anything, one must be placed in proximity with the feared or misunderstood thing. One must be able to interact with it on a personal level, on an everyday basis. Unfortunately, not hiring me because I have body mods that you fear or don't understand will not help the fear and misunderstanding.
Most recently, BME generated a poll asking (not reproduced here verbatim, but paraphrased) whether or not you (the people of the body mod world) would acquire more modifications once you've reached retirement. However unprofessional the masses view body modification in the workplace, that still remains a matter of opinion. Why should one who is interested in modifying their body via piercings, tattoos or any other medium, have to wait until after retirement? Under current law, does one who is gay need to wait until after retirement to exhibit his homosexuality? Or under current law, is a black man forced to paint himself white in order to work as stock person in the local supermarket? The answer to both questions is a resounding NO. Therefore, neither should we. The point is, taking a stand is the ONLY way to fight against injustice. It is the only way to ensure that we can be modded and still be able to hold the positions and religions of our choice without having to wait u ntil after retirement or without being limited to seek employment in the local tattoo/piercing parlor. The employment realm should go far beyond that.
What employers fail to understand is that the majority of the people who have undergone body modifications are extremely knowledgeable about the physical limitations placed upon them. That being said, in most cases body modifications should have little or no effect on one's ability to perform on a job. The ultimate decision should fall upon he who has chosen to alter his physical appearance, not on the employer. If one feels comfortable working among the so-called "normal" and if one is qualified for the sought after position, then where does any limitation lay? The answer is, in the hands of the person himself. Unfortunately, that fact does not guarantee our acceptance.
To reiterate what I have said before, the way (the only single way) to gain rights is to ask for them, to fight for them. Stand up and protest and, no matter how slow the process, changes will eventually be made. We deserve our choice of jobs and religions just as much as the next man. Only problem is, nothing good ever falls into anyone's lap. You have to stand up and reach for it and pull it down.
"If you hire only those people you understand, the company will never get people better than you are. Always remember that you often find outstanding people among those you don't particularly understand."
~ Soichiro Honda