From: glenn@moeng2.morgan.edu (D. Glenn Arthur Jr.)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.bodyart
Subject: Re: I'm deflowered
Date: 27 Aug 1992 22:09:30 -0500
Organization: The Space-Time Fabrication Institute, Rockville, MD.
NNTP-Posting-Host: cs.utexas.edu

In article <rich.714936515@gotland> rich@island.COM writes:
>ericm@microunity.com (Eric Murray) writes:
>>For me, ear piercings are just decoration
>That explains something.  To you, it's decoration.  To other people, it
>marks a rite of passage.  Some people attach other kinds of significance to
>their piercings.  The fact that the location might be in a "mundane" place
>like the ear is largely irrelevant.

I do not yet have any holes in my body that weren't original equipment.
It is, however, something I've thought about a lot, and continue to 
think about -- hence my reading this newsgroup.

Ifwhen I do finally get pierced (or tatooed (unlikely) or branded 
(possible)), I'm not sure I'll think of it as a "rite of passage",
and I probably won't have it done in an elaborate ritual setting 
(unless it's branding -- but that's for a later post in a.s.b).
Nonetheless, my first permanenet (and let's not restart _that_ flame)
bodyart will be very significant to me.

My first piercing will most likely be an ear.  (Could wind up 
being a nipple, but most likely ear.)  This "ordinary" piercing,
ifwhen I do it, may be just a decoration, but for _me_ to choose
to go through with that sort of permanent decoration -- for me to
modify (in a trivial (literaly) manner though it be) my body by
piercing a hole intended to remain there -- will be a significant 
act.  If that were not the case, I'd have done it years ago.

I can well understand why others would choose to enact such a
decision in a ritual setting.


I may decide one day to go down to the shopping mall and get
my ears pierced.  No fancy ritual, but I'd probably pick out
something special to wear, and try to get someone who plays
a special role in my life to go with me.  And I'd probably
be in an interesting frame of mind for quite a while afterwards,
re-realizing over and over that I'd just made a permanent
change to my flesh.  (Yes, I know the holes will close up
if left without anything in them before they're healed.  Hush.)

I had my left nipple pierced once.  It was intended to be
a permanent piercing, but I started freaking out after 
oh, twenty minutes or so, I guess.  When I finally decide
to try once again having metal through my flesh, I want to
be at a point where I know I'm not going to change my mind
like that.

To me, "rites of passage" have to do with marking entry to
adulthood.  I don't see getting earrings as a part of that.
But my first piercing, wherever it is, WILL mark a dramatic
change in my approach to my body and my life.  The change 
will have taken place long before the piercing, but the
pierce will _mark_ the change.


THAT is certainly worthy of a ritual, especially for those
who find rituals usefull or just enjoy them especially.

Y'know, now that I think more on it, perhaps ifwhen I do
get pierced, it _should_ be in a ritual setting...



-- 
D. Glenn Arthur Jr., The Human Vibrator, glenn@bessel.umd.edu
"Being a _man_ means knowing that one has a choice not to act like a 'man'."

How much interest is there in a TV/TS newsgroup?  How many would post there?
You can send me mail anonymously at wi.2743@wizvax.methuen.ma.us (was wi.79)