Within the United States there are many different types of people. The USA is a melting pot for people of all cultures, religions, and customs. Most of the United States is this way, with one exception. No, I am not talking about some small little hole in the wall...I am talking about the Conservative South�More specifically, The Southeast.
At A Glance Author Hunter Jackson Contact Hunter [email protected] IAM hunterjackson When N/A I was born, raised, and currently live in Columbia, SC. I attend The University of South Carolina. Growing up, I never knew that wonderful things like body modification were even possible. This is in part due to the fact that our world, government, and people in the Southeast hide those areas which make us all different in so many GREAT ways.
I can not tell you how often a person grabs my ear and goes, "Good God! I can see through that hole! Ain't that gunna hurt one day?" Goodness, they do not understand that it is wrong to touch someone's piercings without permission. And the sad thing, they do not care to be educated.
The Southeast is full of cultural diversity, yeah right. Most people are all the same. The entire atmosphere is Vanilla, or straightedge, and you have to hide the fact that you modify your body to even receive a job. Living in the South all of my life, I have seen this first hand; it makes me sick. I just do not understand why my eyebrow piercing or my orbital keeps me from having a job I would succeed at. This is not my only gripe.
As we moved into the 21st century, I thought we would change. Was I ever wrong! Recently, South Carolina elected a man by the name of Jim DeMint to the Senate of the USA. Jim DeMint looks appealing from the outside to most people of the state. I liked him until he came out against abortion EVEN when the mother's life is in danger, and even when it was caused by Rape or incest. What are we doing?
Back to the modification issue. The south has many great areas, and I would not move out of it to save my life. I love the people, aside from their hypocrisy and closed minds. There are some good people out there! I am in the jewelry industry, not body jewelry, but the Diamond/High End Watch industry to be exact. I have gained a reputation with my modifications covered up, and now that I wear them, my customers do still come back.
As far as piercing stores in the area there is only one that is worth mentioning. That is in South Carolina that I am talking about. I know of many in Georgia that are great and in North Carolina.
At the moment since you are reading this you are probably thinking, "Yeah, it's the South. What can we do about it?" This is why I am writing this article.
As modified people we, unfortunately, have to work harder to achieve what other people can. We are able to though with hard work and perseverance. When a person comes up to you and says, "Gosh, did that hurt?" be nice, don't yell at them as I have seen many people do. You will be touched by old people wondering if your tattoo is real or temporary (the stick on, not the 'temporary' with organic ink). Old men will lick their fingers and try to wipe off your tattoo. It happens, get over it! They do not know, but yelling and cursing does not help us at all.
One more thing that you, the reader, are probably thinking. "Why do we want people to like us? They should take us as we are!" I agree with you 100%. They should, but this is not a perfect world. We must work at the fact that we are a minority, and we have to do what we can for people to understand us. After we put in the effort, hopefully the vanilla people will understand what we are about.
As I tell my parents, "I am still the same person inside as I was when I began to modify my body!" People do not understand this, but we need to help them, and it will make our lives a lot easier.
There is only one thing worse than living in a highly physically conservative area like South Carolina with modifications. That thing is being modified and not having anybody to relate to. Thank goodness for BME and Iam. This gives us an area to converse and discuss why we modify ourselves, and enjoy each other.
One day, everyone will respect everyone. Just like the Civil Rights movement, we have to do what we are able to for people to understand us. Just so you know, I love the South. It is my home; I will never leave. Even though it is full of uneducated hypocrites, there are great people here. You just have to find them!
Thank you BME for bringing an area, like Iam, to all of us!