Why is having your ears pierced more acceptable than say, your nose?

i just think everything has a time and place.

That's just it, you see this is where the problem lies. In our society today white people STILL have the best jobs and best pay. Women are still paid less trhan men, mothers are discriminated against, disabled are discriminated against, so are fat people it goes on and on...............people ARE still judged on how they look.

It has been proved time and time again that if you have two candidates going for the same job with the exact same qualifications but one is more pleasing on the eye than the other, the attractive one will usually be the one who gets the job.

My personal view on this is everyone should have a right to dress and look how they want to (in a perfect world) unfortunatley we do not live in a perfect world therefore their comes a time in our lives (usually when we have responsibilities and a mogatge to pay) where we do have to conform to socities expectations otherwise we will have no quality of life at all

I don't like any stereotyping but I have to say that I don't put body piercings on the same level as race. You are born the colour you are but you choose to have body piercings or tattoos. I'm not saying I assume someone with body modifications is stupid or lazy or anything else but that person has chosen to portray a certain image and must accept that people may view them differently as a consequence of their decision. Race is very different because you get absolutely no choice in the matter.

Interesting points

Dee - I agree, I just HATE the fact that people HAVE to change. It is like being in school, and the only way to make friends is by having the designer shoes or something. We tell our children not to make fun of these things, yet embrace these stereotypes ourselves: "smelly hippies" or "scary tattoo'd men".

Minda - I do agree with what your saying, but judging someone by their race is judging someone on their looks. So it is all one and the same, whether you choose to look one way or are born looking one way. You shouldn't feel put off looking how you want to look.

We would not ask a black person to put white make up on to get ahead in society, to get a better job.

So why should we ask people to have a particular hair cut, or look?

well speaking as someone who has a lip piercing, tongue pierced (used to have belly and eyebrow) more than the standard two ear piercings and a tattoo...I've not got much to say...Sorry but I don't see the difference in getting served by someone with acne or a visible piercing...Actually I do see the difference, I would rather I get served by the person with a piercing than someone with oozing puss...lol

I'm clean and tidy, yes I wear jeans with holes, but they are clean, yes I choose to have piercings and tattoos but I respect my body and take care of my self...How can you say someone doesn't have respect for themselves because they choose to have a piercing or whatever...So your ok if you don't have any but say stink of b.o. or greasy hair something...lol

I take care with my appearance but I don't think I have to look a certain way to acheive that.

I know I'm 'different' in more than one way, not just because of piercings or tattoos (which isn't really that out of the ordinary lately) but I don't think I or anyone else similar needs to be judged negatively for being different...

I know what you mean with where you are going with your post Bodhi.

Ah good, I wasn't sure if I was making much sense

I may seem a little crazy letting this bother me, as I have "normal" brown hair, "normal" clothes etc, but I am who I want to be. And to be fair, it is only "normal" relative to my friends, who most would consider "not normal".

To my sister and brother I am the weird hippy one in the family

I will also add that I am JUST as guilty of stereotyping as the next person.

I see "chavs" and probably automatically think - vandals. Because that is all we see on the news/media.

I am probably one of the more accepting people in society though, and pride myself on seeing people's abilities rather than their looks etc. At least I try.

I work in a lower school - have my ears pierced 3 times and have 2 tattoos. My tattoos are only covered because I wear clothes, everyone knows I have them but they don't think I can't do my job.

A few years ago in a cafe, my youngest son - then aged 3 - told me he thought the lady on other table was really pretty, she heard him and we all got chatting. She was covered all over in tattoos and piercing, face included. She was so happy he had said it and that we took the time to chat with her as she was used to negativity. He thought she was pretty because she took the time to put pretty things on her face.

I don't know if that makes any sense, but I know what I mean!