I have been reading a lot of editorials, and even QOD entries about the "negative" way the rest of society views and treats the modified. To be honest, I don't think I have ever experienced any of what others have gone through, not that I don't believe it is real, or that it indeed happened, I have just never been a victim of it. What I would like to write about now, is the experiences I have with my mods and others reactions to them.
At A Glance Author Michelle Contact [email protected] IAM Shanhara When N/A First, I would like to describe briefly my modifications. Visibly, my ear lobes are currently stretched to somewhere between 00 and 7/16th, I have one inner conch piercing (12g), my navel, my nostril, a 4in long tattoo on my wrist, a half sleeve (in progress), a large butterfly on my back, a large chest tattoo with swallows and a sacred heart, a small tattoo on my tummy, and one on each leg (small "starter" tattoos), and my feet are done as well. Non-visibly, I have both my nipples pierced and a vertical hood piercing.
I would also like to point out that I live in a very liberal area of the country. I live in the San Francisco Bay area in California. As liberal as California tends to be, I find that this area is always just a bit more... ;-). Growing up here I have always seen so much diversity that tattoos and piercings didn't seem so "out there". I also was raised to understand that every person has a right to their own way of life. I find my self slack-jawed when I hear an account of prejudice or some one being harassed for being different. I mean, we're all different, right?
Well, anyways, back to the point. I have a lot of visible mods, more than some, less than others, but enough to let you know that I am different. I progressed slowly into the modification world with only a few small tattoos and my navel. From there I did have my nipples pierced, but that and my navel had to be removed when the pressure from my pregnancy became too much. Once I had my daughter, things were just too nuts and money was too tight to do much. However, in the last year, things have changed for the better for me and I have gotten most of my mods at this point. As I started to get more and more visible mods, I have noticed an increase of attention. However, I can not at this time think of a single negative experience related to them. Well, my mom gagged when she saw my ears, but that's my mom. I have gotten a lot of comment on how pretty my tattoos are, or my earings, sometimes it is just questions, you know, like do my earings go all the way through? A lot of dumb questions as well get fielded, but I figure if I get the information out there, people will be more likely to open their mind.
The best experience I have had so far, is at my work. There are a lot of people with work and modification issues. When I first applied for this job, I was interviewed on the phone and then hired. So, NO ONE saw me before they hired me, I was hired on merit alone. I am an accountant and while I am in California, the finance field is still pretty conservative. When my first day rolled around, I did not have as many mods as I do now, however I had a few, one being my nostril piercing. So I came in a bit incognito, long sleeve blouse and slacks. It really took a while for me to feel more comfortable, but now, as my mods have progressed, I have had nothing but supreme support from my boss and co workers. It's like they live vicariously through me. My boss says she would love a tattoo but she's chicken. I have even educated the people in my area about piercing guns. A co worker had her cartilage pierced and was having nothing but problems, and I kept telling her to go get the dam n jewelry changed and never go near a gun again. After months of torture, she did, and I thought she might kiss me! She said all the pain went away, the swelling went down, and now, months after that, she has had no further problems. Even the director here and our payroll manager came over to ask me about getting their ears pierced, and I told them about mall guns and what not, and a few weeks later, there they were at a piercing studio getting their ears pierced! The thought of it makes me crack up, 2 40-50ish women in business attire in there. It is wonderful. I have had such a wonderful experience with my modifications and though what people think and react is not even on my mind when I do these things, it is very rewarding to have a positive reaction. My boss has always told me that I was the best person for the job and I handle myself professionally at all time, therefore, she really doesn't care what I have on my face, in my body, on my head...etc. She says that has not hing to do with the job. And she's right.
I have always felt different, as most of us do. In this cookie cutter world it is a difficult task to make your individuality known, and to be held down or admonished for it, is a sad, sad thing. It makes me angry and a bit scared that my daughter, if she chooses a similar path, could be held back or pushed into conformity. Conformity has it's place, but not very many. I would be so angry as a parent if a school or place of business discriminated against her because of what she looked like or what kind of jewelry she had. Aren't there more pressing issues in the world than those types of things, aren't there? I would think a school principal would be more worried about teaching kids, and his budget, and the kids that are being beaten or neglected at home, than if a kid, with their parents permission, has a pierced nose, eyebrow, ear, whatever it may be. They want parents more involved, but then they don't. But this is not what my editorial is on, though I could go on...
Sometimes I have felt maybe a bit alienated when I am in a group of people my age and older, with no mods. This usually happens with my daughter's group functions, either at school or outside events. The soccer moms sometimes give me the "look". However, these are not people I would hang out with or normally care about anyway, so their looks don't mean much. My daughter's teachers and day care providers, absolutely loves my tattoos and the piercings they can see. One even has a son my age that has lots of tats, so we chat a lot about it. My daughter's friends love them, I think I am the "coolest" mom in the school! I don't know if my attitude towards negative people, or my geographical location, or how I carry myself, or what it is that has created so many positive reactions, but I am grateful for every one. There are unmodded people out there who are open minded and non judgmental. I am not sure how you find them, but it gives me a bit of hope for not just "us" but for diff erent people everywhere.