tongue piercing, sex and philosophyThe tongue is known to be one of the strongest muscles in relation to its size; but unlike skeletic muscles, its innervation and function are specialized for the sense of taste. In fact, it is considered a derivation of embryonal skin tissues rather than muscle tissues. So why put a piece of metal through this delicate organic ingenuity? Such pratice as been practically unseen in the euro-american society until the recent post-modernus era (unlike our african neighbours). The advancement of technology - and all its social repercussions - has definitely contributed to the growth of body piercing: metal being its ultimate symbolism. Therefore, is body piercing a means of rebellion against society/technology or rather a sign of its acceptance? Is self-inflicated pain unconsciously representing the suffering of Earth and its people or simply a way to express individuality? I think the answer is e) all of the above. The meaning of body piercing, ironically, seems to have little to do with the body itself. Hereafter, I will try to describe the reasons motivating my decision to pierce my tongue.
Firstly, I am 22 year-old egotistical superficial bitch. Thanks to the cold hyper-techno world we live in and all its cute Tommy boys and CK girls, I have made it part of my values to constantly strive for orginality. I pierced my tongue - and no other part of my body - for exactly that reason: to be different. Piercing 300 holes around your ear, your nose, your belly-button, your nipple, all amounts to the same concept: to fit in the popular crowd. I'm not blind to the fact that tongue-piercers also have their club, but such a group is a far cry from the belly-button- pierced sluts invading the club scene each Saturday night, strutting their stuff in little tie-up shirts like they're god's gift to men. A tongue ring, in my opinion, reaches sexuality much deeper than on this tramp scale. Nose rings are such a fad: a pure rip-off from indian culture, yet I haven't met anyone who can tell me where nose piercing takes its origin and what it represents in the hindu religion. I could go on about each piercable body part. My only props are given to unconventional piercing. Unfortunately, except for the tongue (which is the least painful of piercing), it remains to be the most painful (brain piercing!?!) piercing performed.
The oral fixation.
Yes, I'm one of those kids who sucked their thumb 'til 16. I'm one of those with something always in their mouth: cigarettes, Coca-Cola, gum, honey candies, pen, etc. I like to taste (and smell) everything. I lick my plates clean. I drool in my sleep. You get the picture. The tongue ring was the natural way to go. It's the ideal mouth toy: there when you need it and practically feelingless when you don't. The candy cure for boredom without the restrictions of smoking laws. The metal tool for annoying your surroundings. Your suckle friend for life like a hard kiss tattooed inside your mouth.
The eroticism.
Georges Bataille in his book 'L'�rotisme'said it best when he wrote: � No one doubts the ugliness of the sexual act. [.] Beauty matters most where that ugliness cannot be dirtied, and that the essence of eroticism is dirtiness.[.] The greater is the beauty, the deeper is the dirtiness. � In that sense, the zit- ridden greaseball punk that gets his tongue pierced wouldn't contribute much to his sexual personae, if not elevate it to the next level of repulsiveness. Similiarly, the cold queen bitch with icicle hands that darts her metal-pierced tongue in my direction would equally lose a chunk of her sex appeal. Beauty still being subjective, a discreet dose of marginality to one's face or body remains essential to eroticism: the girl with the fine facial features and the full lips, the black woman with green eyes, the rough looking man with baby blue eyes, etc. The tongue ring falls in this category whenever it contradicts the subject. Like a full yin-yang circle, the warmth and softness of the body is heightened by the cold and hard metal barbell.
There is a twist however: the tongue ring can be discreet. It can hide behind an innocent smile, a close conversation, even a kiss. I can choose to show my victims my secret weapon but not everyone is going to know the extent of my power. A pierced nose will be exposed for the world to see - a useless way to ornament a body; my pierced tongue will be mine to manipulate, feel and use: a shock attack but only when the appropriate moment strikes.
Furthermore, the choice of the tongue as a piercing location adds to its sensuality. The mouth is often where the initial sexual contact is made and as such, it is usually an indicative prelude for what is to come. For example, if curiosity is awaken, the whole of the sexual act will be tainted with a stronger sense of exploration; if sado-masochist impulses are stirred, the proceedings will be given an animalistic flavor. The point is that, unlike a belly-button ring or an eyebrow ring, the tongue ring comes in direct contact with the other person, presses itself, imposes its unnatural presence and consequently frees whatever might lurk in the banned world of fantasies.
conclusion
To say you've changed your given body for a purely esthetical reason is a lie. Why wear make-up? Why wear certain clothes? To fit in socially, to provoke, to please, etc. The same applies to body piercing. The choices we make are obviously motivated by the reasons behind them. I've given you a sample of my reasons and they might not, of course, be yours, but, for crying out loud, don't be like most of the mindless idiots out there who have never even asked themselves 'why am I doing this? what is it going to bring me?' because only then can you fully realize what you've got and have real fun with it. :)