Should It Be Legal to Pierce Your Infant Child's Ears?

What if they ended up not wanting it? And are stuck with a scar because they didn't get to choose?

I understand your pro-choice, so how is this any different? They're viable , so now they should get the choice... Since you obviously think we should have a choice, why can't the child after it's viable not have them?

@ LOVE1516
I have my holes from my ears being pierced and I don't wear earrings anymore. I honestly couldn't care less about the holes still being there. My hair covers them. If the child turns 3-4 and says, "I don't want earrings anymore" then okay, take the earrings out. I doubt many people are affected by those tiny holes on their ears. I know I'm not.

Like I said, I wish my parents would've gotten my ears pierced when I was a baby. While babies are aware of the pain and will cry, they won't remember it. They're not going to wake up when they're 13 and be like, "I never want another piercing because it hurt when I got my ears pierced." If that happens, someone has an amazing memory. I was completely aware of the pain of my ears being pierced, and I will never get another piercing because of that.

@ countrygirl62696
To me, if you can't handle it, it's better to not do it. Tattoos really hurt, but we wouldn't tattoo a baby just because it'll hurt when the baby gets older. You're assuming the child will want a piercing and forcing it to undergo a cosmetic procedure with risks if it doesn't. I didn't cry when I got my ears pierced.

Actually, there's a discussion on the last page about people who don't like the holes that didn't close up in their ears.

I guess, if the holes don't matter, I should be able to pierce my infant daughter's nose, right? That one will actually close up even.

@ dru's war paint.
To me, facial piercings and tattoos are on a different level. No, you shouldn't do those to a baby. Ear piercings I have no problem with. I do think parents need to be aware of risks of infection and such, and that they need to try and keep them as clean as possible, but mine still got infected when I was 5. I've had friends as teenagers have their ear piercings get infected. Age isn't going to stop that.

My thing is, parents don't have to take their child to get their ears pierced when they're a baby. But if they want to, then they should be able to. Like I said, when the kid turns 4, if they go, "I don't want earrings anymore" then take them out. Yeah, the holes might not close up, but the holes on the ears aren't going to cause a huge problem. At least that's how I see it. A scar from a nose piercing or eyebrow piercing is a whole other ball game.

@ countrygirl62696
Let's say you convert to a religion where you aren't supposed to have altered your body. It would have an effect on you then. And of course, just having a hole in your body when you don't want one might piss you off.

I don't see how a scar from a nose ring is different than an earring (nose ring, specifically). You're still giving a child an unnecessary cosmetic procedure that carries risks without knowledge of the child's want for it or consent from the child.

@ dru's war paint.
Then yeah, that might affect you. But turn that around. Say you're 4 and get earrings and you do that same thing. Still would be a problem, yeah? As for the other, I can't quite see why it would piss someone off, but then again, that's me.

I see it on two different levels. To me, a facial piercing is much different than an ear piercing. That's just me.

Can a four year old really know a choice and think about the consequences? No. They still think it's funny when they break stuff or pee everywhere.

I have a four year old cousin and he thought it be cool to swim in the deep end without floats.. So four year old can't really comprehend on making choices, so at least wait until the child's 10 or something.

I agree with them being totally different, your facial skin is more sensitive on your face but, a person may not want a hole/scar in their ear either. So I'd just wait till they can know the consequences or the better outcome, so they can choose theirself.

@ countrygirl62696
But why should a parent be allowed to make a permanent, purely cosmetic alteration to their child's body without their permission? It doesn't matter how small the hole is or isn't, it's still a permanent body alteration done without their person's consent that is for no other reason except cosmetic. In the end, there isn't much difference between a facial piercing and an ear piercing. They're both permanent alterations to a child's body that leave permanent scars on the body. The only real difference is where the piercing is place. I don't see what makes piercing a child's ear against their will more acceptable than piercing their nose or lip against their will. None of it is really acceptable because when it comes down to it, it all deals with parents making a permanent change to their child's body against their child's will.

Besides, even if someone cannot remember the piercing, that doesn't mean fear can't stay in their minds. I refuse to get anything pierced, and my mother got my ears pierced when I was only two weeks old. I've had them in ever since and don't even remember them half the time anymore, but I refuse to get anything else pierced because I am terrified of the thought. I don't remember getting my ears pierced but there is a possibility that my fear of piercing could come from when I got my ears pierced even if I don't remember it. Fear can stick in our minds even if we forget the reason we developed that fear. So really, piercing a child's ear early isn't a guarantee they won't be scared of piercings in the future.

Personally, I don't think any child should get their ears pierced until the age of ten. It's not that old and still quite young, but I think it's old enough for a child to really understand what a piercing is and be able to make the decision more informed.

@ Airi.
Like I said, I think there's a difference. I don't think ear piercings are anywhere near as bad as facial piercings. And like I said, they can always be taken out after the fact. I, personally, cannot see how someone would have a problem with a tiny hole in their ear just because of that. I can't see it.

And true, but at this point, I'm just going to be repeating myself.

Look, I know this is a discussion, and I know we disagree. But from this point on, I'll be repeating myself and that's of no help to this discussion.

@ countrygirl62696
But why would someone have a problem with a tiny dot of a scar on their nose? They can just take it out. Why are facial piercings so 'bad'? it's just a hole, like an ear piercing. What gives it this extra naughtiness?

@ dru's war paint.
It's just my opinion. To me, a tiny hole on your ear (that, depending on hair length and everything) is typically covered up and no one will see. But a tiny dot scar on someone's face someone will see. In my mind, it's more noticeable.

@ countrygirl62696
Not that much more noticeable. No one's ever pointed out my lip ring dot/scar.

It's not that it be noticeable but as Airi said you could cause the child fear or a unwanted mark on him. A piercing is no big deal, so there really shouldn't be a problem with waiting for you child to make the decision to do what he wants to his/her body.

I kinda agree with what countrygirl is saying, because how easy it is to cover up the earring markings (holes) on your ears with your hair, but seeing as how I've had my ears pierced at the age of three (or four; and I remember getting them pierced, too), I don't necessarily think that a parent should pierce their child's ears or anything else for that matter, but I can't really say much on this subject because of the fact that my little cousins (one is five and the other is eight, going onto 9 this June) had their ears pierced when they were about four, but even then, my aunt had asked them if they wanted to get their ears pierced and I guess they agreed because they love their earrings.

Now me, personally, I don't care much for earrings or any kind of piercings, but what people want to do (adults I mean) with their own bodies is up to them, but kids should definitely have say in getting a new haircut or getting their ears pierced.

I don't feel like I added anything new to the conversation or to this thread. So, sorry about my useless rant.

@ Kyo's Baka Hina
What if they want to shave their head? What if they want really short hair? Now it's like 'oh now I either have to grow my hair long or I have to show these scars I hate'.

And despite that, I don't think that just 'cause it's easy to cover up a scar that it means you should do it. I could cut my daughter on her left buttcheek. Most people won't see that.

@ druscilla.
Then that'll be up to them and like I said, I can't really say much on this whole thing considering what my aunt did with her daughters, but they could easily use wigs or something, too. But remember, I said I 'partially' agree about it the whole covering up thing since most kids aren't really given a choice. I honestly think that people should given a choice on whether they want their ears pierced or not.

That's true, but that's an entirely different part of the body though where everything is covered up.

I think it should be legal, unlike circumcision piercing ears closes up. Personally I wish my mom pierced my ears and kept them pierced cause I can't work up the courage to get them done myself. About other piercings I think the age limit is about right However I'm fuzzy on it, isn't it 16 with parent permission? And 18 without (obviously since you're an adult then.) This all seems fair to me.

@ Plum Drop
Ears don't always close up. It was discussed within the last few pages of the thread.

I don't think that fear developed as you age is a good reason to strip someone of their rights. I was scared to get my ears pierced in second grade, but I went back and got them in the fourth.

I don't like it when people use my body without my permission and I would never want to strip someone else of their consent. I don't think anyone should be allowed to strip an individual of consent with their body.

@ dru saves the songs
Hm I didn't know it wasn't a sure thing ears would close up assuming the ears don't close back up I would take back what I said and say that it should be the individual's right to chose. However I don't think ear piercing is as big of a deal as circumcision.

@ Plum Drop
Nor do I, but that doesn't mean it isn't an issue. (If you want to debate circumcision, we do have a thread for that here.)

And it is just one more time when women are told their opinion about their body is irrelevant, so that makes it part of a bigger problem.