The Body Modification Project

Photo

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 02:34:46 -0500

[BITZ CUM TRU3]; Wordsworth > Dante; [WHO WANTS THAT...

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 02:34:40 -0500

[BITZ CUM TRU3]; Wordsworth > Dante; [WHO WANTS THAT BOMBA$$PUSSY?]; forsitan et haec meminisse [iuvabit]; WHE[n this our] VANIT[y I disrem]EMBER, [treating] A SHADOW [as a] SUBSTANTIAL THING; VAGINA S[EXXX] - Selected quotes from Dante, Virgil, Nietzsche, Kant, Montaigne, Kroop.

Photo

Wed, 07 Dec 2011 22:54:00 -0500

Abby

Tue, 06 Dec 2011 13:38:37 -0500

Tell me about your body modifications.

i have three piercings, my right nostril and two lobe piercings that i’ve stretched (one to just over 5 mm and the other to just over 4 mm). no tattoos, not yet anyway, though i think a lot about them.

Why did you decide to get your body modifications? Why in those particular locations?

i got my ears pierced when i was in 8th grade… late bloomer i guess. it was a big hullaballoo though because my dad had to OK the piercing place and when we showed up and this man with large gauge stretched ears, covered in tattoos and piercings told my dad he was going to stick a needle through his daughter’s ears, my dad wasn’t pleased. it’s kind of funny in retrospect. but as for why i got them pierced, not sure, i guess i wanted to wear earrings. in high school i started stretching them by sticking more than one piece of jewelry in my ear at a time and since then wearing increasingly larger gauges of spiral type earrings. my friend got me a pair of earrings as a present that required that i stretch my ears so that probably was an impetus. i probably won’t stretch too much larger (maybe just the next size up), but i really love larger gauges on other people. as for my nose, i thought for probably at least one or two years before i got it, but towards the end of last summer, a bunch of friends and i were talking about how we wanted to get this and that pierced etc.etc. and then in typical group-think fashion, about 5 of us went together to get pierced. i fretted about a ring vs. a stud, and currently possess both, but typically wear a steel stud.

Are your body modifications symbolic?

i guess they’re not particularly symbolic. i could probably fashion a narrative, but that’s not the driving impulse, and overall, they’ve been pretty aesthetically motivated.

What, if any, were your inspirations (visual and otherwise) for your body modifications?

probably in high school at least, my friend who gave me my first pair of gauged earrings was a motivating factor. plus i was such a cool punker and i wore mismatched earrings and band hoodies and was totally badass so why wouldn’t i stretch my ears duh? .. but really, i guess it was just seeing them around and on other people (though not so much in my high school). i think i also liked that not everyone around me was piercing and stretching and whatever, at least in high school. i also really like wearing spirals in my ears, or spiral type patterns. as for my nose, again, i think just seeing it on other people. i had thought about actually getting a lip piercing or an eyebrow piercing before my nose, but this same friend had gotten her nose pierced and didn’t get snot everywhere so it might’ve made it seem more plausible for me.

Do you ever feel you are stereotyped or judged for your body modifications?

i generally feel a lot more judged for my dyed hair (i’ve been dyeing it for 8+ yrs) than i do for any of my piercings, since i guess those are super obtrusive but you really can’t not notice my hair. some people i’d known for years saw me after i got my nose pierced and couldn’t figure out whether it was new or whether i’d always had it. similarly, my ears aren’t stretched to a very large gauge, so spiraly-type earrings can look more usual, though right now i’m wearing tunnels that clearly outline the hole through my ear. i think it’s also that i already present kind of “alternative” or whatever, so no one seems particularly shocked by anything i have. this is probably a tangent, but on the one hand, constructing a “look” is kind of interesting, but on the other hand, knowing that this look plays into others’ conceptions of what someone who looks like ___ should do or be is frustrating. paradoxically, by being unconventional, i’m pretty sure i play into conventional notions of nonconformity. at the end of the day though, i like having metal in my face, and i like freaking people out by playing with my nose stud, so really, everyone wins.

What further body modifications are you considering? What is holding you back from getting them?

i’ve put off getting second holes in each ear lobe for a long time, so i’ll probably do that at some point in the near future. maybe as a graduation present to myself. also, like i said at the beginning, i’ve debated getting a tattoo but i can always take piercings out, i can’t just remove a tattoo like an earring. i’ve had a tattoo in my mind for a little while, but what i wanted when i was 17 till i was 20 is no longer what i want, and so that’s something i take into consideration. on the other hand, i really love adding things that feel at home on my body, and as a result, things that make me feel more at home in my body to begin with.

Anything else you would like to add?

something that i consider is hiding tattoos or getting retainers for piercings. i’ve been asked about dyeing my hair in interviews before, but never about my stretched ears (i didn’t need to interview for the jobs i’ve had since i got my nose pierced). now that i’ll be going to more interviews than ever before (hooray, the job search!), i’ll have to figure out my stance on hair/piercings.

also, i was just looking at the website that you have up for your project, and i don’t know whether you should include this since i didn’t include them at the beginning, but i bite my nails a lot (habit…always have, tried quitting a lot when i was younger, tend not to care so much now… but it gets worse when i’m stressed) and i shave my underarms and, when i will be wearing something that will show my bare legs, i pretty much always shave my legs.

Beth

Tue, 06 Dec 2011 13:16:00 -0500

Beth

Aneliese

Sun, 04 Dec 2011 16:13:05 -0500

Tell me about your body modifications.

I have a lip ring, a few weird ear piercings, and two tattoos. One of my tattoos is on my foot, it is a fireweed plant. The other is on the nape of my neck, it is an infinity symbol.

Why did you decide to get your body modifications? Why in those particular locations?

I really like the way lip rings look on other people, I guess. I had a nose ring and chose to move it to my mouth because I was getting sick of it in my nose. It had been there for too many years.

I have always liked tattoos. my first one was the foot one. i got it there because its out of the way and I love my feet. the tattoo on the nape of my neck… i saw a similar tattoo years and years ago, and its stuck with me ever since. it was very impulsive to actually get it, though. my nape is out of the way and seems appropriate for an infinity symbol.

Are your body modifications symbolic?

the fireweed is a plant from Alaska. it is my favorite flower and i just absolutely love it. Its like 6 feet tall back home and predicts when winter comes. it reminds me of the carefree summer and my small town. I probably wont live there again, so its a nice little piece of the 21 years of my life spent there.

What, if any, were your inspirations (visual and otherwise) for your body modifications?

Friends, lovers, etc. This one girl who sat in front of me in a random astrophysics class waaaay back when I was like 14 had a similar tattoo to my infinity sign, so that was a definite inspiration.

Do you ever feel you are stereotyped or judged for your body modifications?

People sometimes think I’m a lesbian.

What further body modifications are you considering? What is holding you back from getting them?

i’d love to get another tattoo but i feel like i should slow down. since they’re permanent, i have to make sure i’m not just going through a tattoo phase and actually really like it.

Anything else you would like to add?

I think when we age it will be so perfectly commonplace and acceptable to have tattoos as older people, no one will think anything of them.

Whitney Shaw

Sun, 04 Dec 2011 16:10:06 -0500

Tell me about your body modifications.

One tattoo (left hip), five ear piercings (doubles on both lobes, one cartilage). Why did you decide to get your body modifications? Why in those particular locations? Piercings were due to a mix of general curiosity, jealousy of friends with pierced ears and a fascination with fashion from a young age. I got a tattoo because when I was eight Britney Spears was my idol and I remember learning that she got a tattoo. Ever since I found that out I associated tattoos with cool people. This notion was only further hammered into my brain because as I grew older some of the people I idolized most had tattoos (mainly symbols or patterns). Unlike most people, I think I was also driven to get a tattoo because of their almost polarizing capabilities. I wanted people to be shocked if they ever found out I had one. I wanted to keep people on their toes, and remind then that just because they may have preconceptions about me doesn’t necessarily mean they know the whole story. I was also motivated by the desire to have something, anything, just for myself. There was no desire to show it off or parade it around. It was a very private act of doing something simply because I could. It reminded me of the control that we have over our bodies.

Are your body modifications symbolic?

I see no symbolism behind my piercings. Likewise, my tattoo is just text so it escapes the category of obvious symbolism. The message that it conveys, what it reminds me of and who it reminds me of could all be considered symbolic however.

What, if any, were your inspirations (visual and otherwise) for your body modifications?

Like I mentioned before, inspired by pop culture and others I had known, and the symbols they had. I wanted a symbol originally, but settled on text because I could never find an image that would have enough meaning.

Do you ever feel you are stereotyped or judged for your body modifications?

Yes, but not often, since you can’t see my tattoo. I do feel judged even for pierced ears. I don’t wear earrings often, so it’s interesting to see how someone reacts to the fact that I have pierced ears (even after knowing me and not wearing earrings). I think pierced ears are girly, and I’m not the girliest of girls, so I bet there’s some judgment there. When people hear that I have a tattoo, most are intrigued and impressed. This is also because I don’t normally tell anyone, and the few people I do I’m telling because I know they’re fine with it already.

What further body modifications are you considering? What is holding you back from getting them?

Maybe one day I’ll get another tattoo. What’s holding me back is a desire to keep my body clean and untouched. Even though it’s too late for that, I’m afraid that anything more will be too much.

Rossi

Sun, 04 Dec 2011 16:08:07 -0500

Why did you decide to get your body modifications? Why in those particular locations?

There is a scar in the shape of a cross on my left shoulder. I carved it there myself, with a steak knife, because it reminds me of my high school, a Jesuit school, and the experiences that I had there, which are very valuable to me. I chose the scar instead of a a tattoo because scars will eventually go away, or fade into nothing, if I allow them to. Tattoos can be stretched and will go away only with surgery (or scarring).

Are your body modifications symbolic?

Absolutely. Otherwise, they would not exist.

What, if any, were your inspirations (visual and otherwise) for your body modifications?

Jesuit schools use a cross that has pointed ends rather than square ones. It is very distinct from the cross Jesus bore.

Do you ever feel you are stereotyped or judged for your body modifications?

No, everyone who comments on it seems to like it and think it is sexy/stylish/classy.

What further body modifications are you considering? What is holding you back from getting them?

Tattoo maybe, but not likely (re: what I said before). Piercing maybe, but unnecessary.

Anything else you would like to add?

Scars are awesome yet should be subtle.

Jane

Sun, 04 Dec 2011 16:06:00 -0500

Tell me about your body modifications.

Don’t have any.

What further body modifications are you considering? What is holding you back from getting them?

I have always thought about piercing my ears—I always see earrings I like and wish I could wear them. You can tell a lot about a person based on their earrings, just like you get an idea of someone based on their clothes or their hairstyle etc. I think earrings are probably the easiest, most efficient, and most economical way to show others your personality or communicate a certain type of impression. For instance, it might be a bit heavy-handed to always express your sense of humor through the outfits you wear (e.g. slogan t-shirts), but I think it’s nice when someone has a pair of whimsical earrings that don’t scream “ISN’T THIS FUNNY?!” but still communicate humor in a subtle way. And unlike clothes or hair and makeup, it takes almost no time or effort to put them on, and once you’re wearing them they don’t restrict your ability to move around (usually). It is also nice that they don’t have to cost a lot and don’t take up very much space… The reason why I haven’t gotten them pierced is a little strange. It’s not that I am too afraid of the pain (although that freaks me out too). It’s mostly because my mom doesn’t want me to. Ever since I was young, my mom would tell me to pull on my earlobes because that would help balance the energy in my body if I was stressed or tired. I used to think it was all just mystical stuff that didn’t really mean anything scientifically, but it is true that the earlobe contains a lot of nerve endings, so in that sense they aren’t as unimportant as a lot of people make them out to be. I think what really changed my mind about piercing my ears was when my mom told me to feel her earlobes. She had pierced ears when she was around my age. She eventually stopped wearing earrings, but the holes never fully closed up and you can feel these weird knots in the skin when you touch them. Something about the permanence of the puckered holes and the hard scar tissue made me sad. Even though it’s kind of silly, now when I imagine myself with pierced ears, all I can think of is energy leaking out from my earlobes and me not being able to fix it.

Sam Meier

Sun, 04 Dec 2011 16:04:00 -0500

Tell me about your body modifications.

I currently have a nose ring, tragus piercing, cartilege piercing, and gauged ears (tribal jewelry). I used to have my lip pierced, and the other side of my nose pierced as well.

Why did you decide to get your body modifications? Why in those particular locations?

I always wanted to pierce my nose but was not allowed to at my high school. I pierced it for the first time while abroad the summer after senior year of high school. I started wanting to pierce my lip during the summer after freshman year when I was in Germany - facial piercings are a lot more popular there - but my friends discouraged me. I got it done about a year later, the summer after my sophomore year. I pierced the other side of my nose on a whim during spring break because I thought it looked cool and missed my lip piercing (which I took out because I didn’t like it with my new haircut, which was pixie-short at the time - I felt it made me look TOO edgy, esp. at Harvard). I started gauging my ears at the same time I pierced my lip, because I had always wanted to wear tribal jewelry. I pierced my tragus with a friend who was getting hers done. I pierced my cartilege to celebrate turning 21. Piercing is strangely addictive…

Are your body modifications symbolic?

Yes, in that they signify to me that I am trying to change something in my life. But the same could be said for when I cut my hair, which I’ve also always invested a lot of emotional meaning in. Someone once told me that women who are recently divorced tend to cut off their hair to demonstrate their newfound freedom because hair carries so many memories. Something about that idea appeals to me; when I want to externalize my internal desire for change, I cut my hair or pierce something.

What, if any, were your inspirations (visual and otherwise) for your body modifications?

See above. Plus, I really like the way that a lot of facial piercings look, individually. I don’t really like the combination of too many piercings. It looks too cluttered. I do really like the way Lisbeth Salander looks, though. I’ve considered getting my septum pierced for a while; I go back and forth on it. I also really like surface piercings, especially like this but have held off because they don’t heal very well.

Do you ever feel you are stereotyped or judged for your body modifications?

Oh, sure. The lip ring, I think, more than the nose ring, which my friends have called “lightly alt.” But piercings are not very common here in general. That’s kind of why I miss the lip ring - it let me feel like I haven’t totally acclimated to the cardigans-and-pearls atmosphere here. But I’e also been very pragmatic about piercings, in that I know I’ll likely have to remove them if I get certain kinds of jobs…and that’s ok.

What further body modifications are you considering? What is holding you back from getting them?

You name it and I’ve probably considered it. I’m really thinking seriously about a tattoo, but that’s much more permanent than a piercing, so I’m not sure. I’ve designed one, though, and I know where I would get it - I’m just not sure if I’ll go through with it.

Hazel

Sun, 04 Dec 2011 16:02:24 -0500

Tell me about your body modifications.

I used to have pierced ears, but one earring ripped out, so I let the other hole close up too. Now I don’t really have any body modifications.

Why did you decide to get your body modifications? Why in those particular locations?

I wanted to wear earrings.

Are your body modifications symbolic?

Not really.

What, if any, were your inspirations (visual and otherwise) for your body modifications?

To wear earrings.

Do you ever feel you are stereotyped or judged for your body modifications?

Not particularly, except now that I don’t have my ears pierced, which can prove difficult if someone wants me to wear earrings on stage.

What further body modifications are you considering? What is holding you back from getting them?

Have considered a tatoo on my heel, but I haven’t gotten it because I’m not sure what exact design I would get.

Christian

Sun, 04 Dec 2011 15:42:00 -0500

Tell me about your body modifications.

I have the words “non serviam” tattooed in inch-high black letters on my upper-left chest (left from my perspective). I got the tattoo about a year ago (fall of my sophomore year) from Matt Myrdal at Pino Bros in Cambridge.

Why did you decide to get your body modifications? Why in those particular locations?

That’s tricky to answer. I’ve always been drawn to piercings and tattoos. I think they’re extremely beautiful on other people. I went through many periods of wanting some modification or another, only to want a different one shortly thereafter. I think that my personal desire was as much to experience the process of being pierced/tattooed/etc. as to actually have the piercing/tattoo. I am very personally interested in body modification as performance art: suspension, for example. At some point about a year ago, my preferences stabilized on a small, textual tattoo. The particular phrase was not a separate choice.

There were motives or thought-processes beyond the aesthetic. I think an appeal of body-modification for me is in control. In taking control of a body.

The particular location wasn’t much of a choice. It seemed the correct option given the particular tattoo. If, after deciding on a location, I had realized that the tattoo would be always publicly visible, I’m not sure that I would have gotten it. The ability to conceal the tattoo with a shirt comes in handy when I want to pass without incident, be taken seriously by an audience, etc. I mention this more below.

Are your body modifications symbolic?

I think this is covered by my description of inspirations below.

What, if any, were your inspirations (visual and otherwise) for your body modifications?

An inspiration for getting tattooed is the sight of other people’s art. My particular tattoo is taken as a quote from Joyce’s Stephen Dedalus. The top-most meaning of the tattoo is its direct translation “I will not obey” as voiced by Stephen. The tattoo also engages with Stephen’s failures as an artist, which are tied into his obsession with this credo.

Do you ever feel you are stereotyped or judged for your body modifications?

Yes and yes. Relatively few people see my tattoo because it is usually under a shirt. I’ve been more shy about going shirtless since getting the tattoo because I often don’t enjoy the attention that comes with displaying it. The people who see my tattoo are generally people of my own age, class, etc. I feel that these people form judgments based on it but not stereotypes. This is fine by me. It’s there, on some level, to be looked at and thought about. With older people, though, I sometimes feel stereotyped. And I am frankly happy that I do not have a tattoo showing when I sit down in a professor’s office hours.

What further body modifications are you considering? What is holding you back from getting them?

I’ve considered various piercings, but my interest at the moment is either getting a more extensive tattoo or exploring my feelings around body modification as performance art. In the case of the latter, there’s an issue of access (or a perceived issue of access) that holds me back from learning as much as I might like.

Anything else you would like to add?

Have I ever regretted getting a tattoo? Sure. I think body modification, particularly tattoos, particularly textual tattoos, is fundamentally irrational. There is probably no idea that is so important that it deserves to be inked on us in black. Or at least, I don’t know one. But there’s a draw towards it that I haven’t resisted and probably won’t resist.

jana

Sun, 04 Dec 2011 15:38:51 -0500

Tell me about your body modifications.

My body modifications consist mostly of piercings in my ears (3 in one earlobe, 2 in the other, and 2 in my carilage) as well as one in my nostril and a small tattoo on the inside of my wrist that reads “veritas” in script.

Why did you decide to get your body modifications? Why in those particular locations?

I have always liked how piercings look and got the ones in my ear lobes in high school. I got an industrial in high school that I recently had re-pierced. They pierce with two hoops and later replace them with the industrial (bar through both holes), but I will probably keep the two hoops instead because they are in unique places - I haven’t seen anyone else with two cartilage piercings where mine are, and I like being unique. I remember wanting to get the industrial in high school because I liked feeling unique and edgy - an industrial is not something that many people have. I decided to pierce my nose because I think nostril piercings (specifically hoops, rather than studs) are popular among queer women and I feel that it is a marker of my queer identity. It is both a signal to other women in the queer community (kind of like how having very short hair is a marker) and a symbol of my own identification with that community. I got the tattoo because “veritas” is Harvard’s motto and it is a reminder of how I have changed and grown as a person as a result of being here. It also reminds me of the hard work I put in in order to get where I am today. I got it on the inside of my wrist because I know it is there, but it does not have to be visible to everyone I meet.

Are your body modifications symbolic?

Yes, in some ways (see above).

What, if any, were your inspirations (visual and otherwise) for your body modifications?

They were just inspired by seeing them on other people and finding them aesthetically pleasing.

Do you ever feel you are stereotyped or judged for your body modifications?

No.

What further body modifications are you considering? What is holding you back from getting them?

I am considering another tattoo. The only thing holding me back is finding a design that is meaningful enough to me that I know I will be happy with it forever.

Martha

Sun, 04 Dec 2011 15:36:20 -0500

Tell me about your body modifications.

I have my ears pierced (which I don’t really consider a “mod”), and a nose piercing.

Why did you decide to get your body modifications? Why in those particular locations?

I got my nose pierced as an act of rebellion after I graduated high school. It struck me as “cool,” and I wanted to be a little out of step from the norm.

Are your body modifications symbolic?

Nah.

What, if any, were your inspirations (visual and otherwise) for your body modifications?

I had a friend with a nose piercing I just adored.

Do you ever feel you are stereotyped or judged for your body modifications?

No. I almost never notice it. Mine’s pretty minor, though. I guess my grandma commented on it negatively, but my grandma still uses the word “negro,” so I don’t tend to take her seriously.

What further body modifications are you considering? What is holding you back from getting them?

I might get a cartilage piercing or a tattoo. The obstacle is cost and deciding exactly what I want.

Anything else you would like to add?

I feel a little silly participating. A nose piercing hardly seems like a body mod. It’s almost as accepted as hair dye, these days.

JANE

Sun, 04 Dec 2011 15:34:12 -0500

Tell me about your body modifications.

I used to be a competitive fencer, and did intense training to make sure that I was in the best physical fitness possible. My body, my balance, my carriage, etc. changed immensely.

Why did you decide to get your body modifications? Why in those particular locations?

I think this question is more directed towards tattoos and piercings, but fencing did change the balance of muscles in my body and to this day, my right side is more developed than my left. I enjoyed the process of intense training—the exercise coupled with a focus on nutrition was a process that really showed me how physical and mental health are interconnected. I think people should always be responding to their bodies and modifying their behaviors and habits to make sure that what they are eating and doing makes them feel really good.

Are your body modifications symbolic?

Yes and no.

What, if any, were your inspirations (visual and otherwise) for your body modifications?

I like fencing because it’s given me strength and the confidence that if I were ever dueling someone, I have a good chance of coming out of it alive.

Do you ever feel you are stereotyped or judged for your body modifications?

Yes and no.

What further body modifications are you considering? What is holding you back from getting them?

I would like to get a tattoo on my scalp. I would like to also get a micro tattoo on the inside of my wedding finger when I get married. I hear the scalp is very painful, so I am hesitant about that, but plan on making the finger tattoo happen when I meet the right person.

Tenley

Sun, 04 Dec 2011 15:30:21 -0500

Tell me about your body modifications.

My body modification is on my upper right shoulder and is a tattoo of 8 Mayan hieroglyphs that translate to mean “Alan my grandfather and Copan, Honduras fill up my heart”

Why did you decide to get your body modifications? Why in those particular locations?

I’ve always known that I wanted to get a tattoo, but I also wanted it to be meaningful. I am obsessed with Mayan Hieroglyphic writing, which is what I was studying in Honduras during the summer that my grandfather died. I wrote a sentence in Mayan Hieroglyphs that says “Alan my grandfather and Copan, Honduras fill up my heart” and got it turned into a tattoo.

To be honest, I wanted to get it in a place where it would not get really fat and stretched out when I got older. The place I could think of that would not be seen in a corporate or work environment was on my upper right shoulder.

Are your body modifications symbolic?

As I said earlier, my tattoo means “Alan my grandfather and Copan, Honduras fill up my heart” in Mayan hieroglyphs. I wanted to dedicate it to my grandfather because I was very close to him and he is the only family member of mine that has died. Copan, Honduras is the most wonderful place I have ever lived in and definitely plan on moving there when I am much older.

What, if any, were your inspirations (visual and otherwise) for your body modifications?

Mayan Hieroglyphs were my inspiration because they are so beautiful and exotic, and only I and a few other people can read them.

Do you ever feel you are stereotyped or judged for your body modifications?

No- most people think it’s really cool. Even my parents were fine with it and I was nervous that they were going to disown me!

What further body modifications are you considering? What is holding you back from getting them?

At this moment, I am not considering any further modifications.

Beth

Sun, 04 Dec 2011 15:25:00 -0500

Tell me about your body modifications.

I have a tattoo on the inside of my right ankle. It’s a tree, right over my ankle bone, with the roots going down towards my foot and top creeping towards my calf. It has 207 (Maine’s only area code) on the trunk.

Why did you decide to get your body modifications? Why in those particular locations?

I was sitting around sketching one day and drew a tree there. I just fell in love with it. One of the perks of it being on my ankle was that I knew it would be wicked painful. For me, that served as a way to check my commitment to this tattoo.

Are your body modifications symbolic?

Well how could it not be? Ceci n’est pas un arbe. It’s highly symbolic. As an act, it was symbolic of me taking ownership of my body. As a piece of art, it’s a reminder of that sense of belonging crossing the state line gives me. I also just think it’s beautiful.

What, if any, were your inspirations (visual and otherwise) for your body modifications?

I was playing with types of trees because I was painting one on my wall. That’s all.

Do you ever feel you are stereotyped or judged for your body modifications?

My family was pretty horrified and some of my cousins were offended. My mom wouldn’t even let me get my ears pierced as a kid (I still don’t have any piercings), and then I went and got inked. I train in a Japanese style of karate, and given the sentiments that tattoos can conjure up in Japan (Yakuza…) I’m always a bit nervous going to the dojo.

What further body modifications are you considering? What is holding you back from getting them?

I don’t know if either of you have tattoos, but it’s addictive. You get such an endorphin rush. Of course I want more. I would like the word “magis” on my left shoulder blade, and the dojo kun on my ribs when I earn my shodan.

Anything else you would like to add?

A few years ago, I never thought I would be some tattooed biddy.

Chelsea

Sun, 04 Dec 2011 15:11:00 -0500

Tell me about your body modifications.

I have six piercings, three in each earlobe.

Why did you decide to get your body modifications? Why in those particular locations?

I saw other people with lots of ear piercings and liked the way they looked?

Are your body modifications symbolic?

Not really. They’re pretty boring. Sorry I don’t have an interesting tattoo or something, haha.

What, if any, were your inspirations (visual and otherwise) for your body modifications?

People who seemed cooler than me when I was 13.

Do you ever feel you are stereotyped or judged for your body modifications?

Nope. They don’t really stand out since I just have little silver studs in them.

What further body modifications are you considering? What is holding you back from getting them?

I kind of want a tattoo of my favorite Shakespeare quote: “There is nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so.” (It’s a line from Hamlet.) But 1) you can’t donate blood for a year after getting a tattoo, 2) I’m hoping to lose weight and worried it might look weird if my weight changed after I got it, 3) tattoos are expensive, 4) they hurt.

Tili

Sun, 04 Dec 2011 15:08:00 -0500

“Hi there. So I mostly answered this survey as a “control” - I don’t have very significant body modifications. I have pierced earlobes, which have closed up because I didn’t wear earrings very much in high school. I got them pierced when I was 12, because I’d wanted to be able to wear earrings for a long time but my parents wouldn’t let me get my ears pierced until then. They’re very mainstream and typical, and therefore even when I did wear earrings, they weren’t especially personally symbolic and they certainly didn’t expose me to any kind of public scrutiny or judgment. I have thought often about getting my ears repierced, but generally feel apathetic about earrings - I’m sure if I got my ears pierced, I’d wear them, but maybe not enough to prevent my ears closing up again, and I know I would find the healing period annoying as I did the first time. I’m also interested in getting a tattoo, but in this I’m held back by the fear that I would pick an image that lost its significance for me over time, and eventually regret it. I’m also worried about the possibility that it would make some people not respect me as much, or make it harder to get a job, although for this reason I want to get a tattoo on my upper arm, a place I can conceal easily, especially with professional clothing. I’m also afraid of the pain.”

A picture that shows my stretched lobes with a tunnel. It also...

Sun, 04 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0500

A picture that shows my stretched...

My first tattoo. I got it when I was...

A picture that shows my stretched lobes with a tunnel. It also shows my nose piercing: I had my nose pierced for several months, but one night while I was sleeping the ring fell out and I decided to just say, “fuck it” and not have my nose pierced anymore.
My first tattoo. I got it when I was seventeen (my mom had to take me and sign the forms because I wasn’t old enough). It’s the first line of the John Donne poem known by the same name, or as Holy Sonnet X. We studied this poem my Sophomore year of high school, and it’s fascinating to me how the tattoo has evolved and taken on layers of significance.