S/o: is it “trashy” of parents to have their infant daughter’s ears pierced?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the girl should get to make this decision when she is older but I would not use the word trashy because I understand that there are different cultural norms about this. Latinas and Italians etc are more likely to have their ears pierced as babies than WASPS are, for ex.

I'm Italian and my mom had my ears pierced when I was only a few months old. I think its a terrible idea.

That just proves you are American, not a real Italian.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am so thankful my mom never pierced my ears. I don't like the look of earrings and love my plain "virgin" ears.

When I had a daughter, I didn't pierce her ears. She decided at 13 or 14 she wanted pierced ears, so I took her to get them. I felt it was important to wait until she was old enough to decide what she wanted for herself.

Virgin ears now I’ve heard everything. Pp are you so cool and “not like other girls”?

Agree completely.

And now The crazy purity-ring cabal has entered the chat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Someone here on DCUM apparently believes it’s (as she put it) “trashy” of parents to pierce an infant or toddler girls’ ears.

I expressed my view in the original thread (I am deeply offended by this).

But what does the rest of DCUM feel?

If you’re cool with that are you cool with baby tattoos?

Wait - is that a thing now? BABY TATOOS?!?

[Anonymous]

To be honest, a little. And I did it with my first born. I was a young first time mother and my ears were pierced at my doctor’s office in the 80s as a baby, so it seemed normal to me. I feel like it was more common decades again to do this.

But when my daughter was born, I had a hard time finding somewhere to even get her ears pierced. Her doctor’s officer didn’t do it and majority of piercing/tattoo shops wouldn’t either (I at least knew better than to go to the mall). I did find one, and it was fine- no issues and I have a happy earring wearing teenager now. But I regretted it. I didn’t do this with my next daughter. She was begging to get them pierced from about 6 on, but I waited until she was 10.

[Anonymous]

I commented earlier but thought I would add this view as well. I have two girls that asked to get their ears pierced and both decided they didn’t like it and tried to let their ears close up. One did but my second daughter’s didn’t. I’m glad that I didn’t make that call for her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To be honest, a little. And I did it with my first born. I was a young first time mother and my ears were pierced at my doctor’s office in the 80s as a baby, so it seemed normal to me. I feel like it was more common decades again to do this.

But when my daughter was born, I had a hard time finding somewhere to even get her ears pierced. Her doctor’s officer didn’t do it and majority of piercing/tattoo shops wouldn’t either (I at least knew better than to go to the mall). I did find one, and it was fine- no issues and I have a happy earring wearing teenager now. But I regretted it. I didn’t do this with my next daughter. She was begging to get them pierced from about 6 on, but I waited until she was 10.

In my country the hospitals or the midwife/ nurse do this sort of service for a small charge.

[Anonymous]

Yes

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think for white people, yes. In other cultures, it's the norm and I can't see labeling an entire culture of people trashy.

+1

I don’t get why some cultures clutch their pearls at ear piercing at a young age. It’s really NBD.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think for white people, yes. In other cultures, it's the norm and I can't see labeling an entire culture of people trashy.

+1

I don’t get why some cultures clutch their pearls at ear piercing at a young age. It’s really NBD.

I don’t get it either. But I had several friends tell me it was trashy why I got my daughter’s done as a toddler.

[Anonymous]

No, it’s not trashy.

You may not like it and it’s not something you would like to do but that doesn’t make it trashy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Whatever (I personally think those big ol’ headband/bow things are trashier).

Omg YES

[Anonymous]

Some communities (read: ethnicities) are more likely to develop keloid scarring than others, and piercing in infancy/toddlerhood reduces the chances of keloid formation. This assumes, of course, sanitary conditions and good post-piercing hygiene.

So, there's an actual medical/scientific reason for what looks like a "cultural difference."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am so thankful my mom never pierced my ears. I don't like the look of earrings and love my plain "virgin" ears.

When I had a daughter, I didn't pierce her ears. She decided at 13 or 14 she wanted pierced ears, so I took her to get them. I felt it was important to wait until she was old enough to decide what she wanted for herself.

Virgin ears now I’ve heard everything. Pp are you so cool and “not like other girls”?

I put "virgin" in quotes because I wrote it tongue in cheek. That's all.

[Anonymous]

I pierced all my girls ears as soon as doctor said it was ok - maybe 12 weeks? I’m Latina and it’s absolutely cultural.

What I find weird is how ear piercing in white culture seems associated with puberty - it’s decoration for your body, not some signal you are entering womanhood.

I think the “trashy” comment is coded language for thinking poor people do it, at least in part because it’s more prevalent in immigrant communities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think for white people, yes. In other cultures, it's the norm and I can't see labeling an entire culture of people trashy.

+1

I don’t get why some cultures clutch their pearls at ear piercing at a young age. It’s really NBD.

+1 mine were pierced as an infant, here in the US but my parents were immigrants. I've always liked wearing earrings. Pediatrician did it. Kind of glad I don't remember getting them pierced! And feels very sanitary compared to the mall.