Ear piercing for boys - For or against?

thorsoak

Lotus-eater wrote: »

I hope you're right and maybe I'm wrong about an earring having a chance to change a young boys life, but I don't think I am. Funny thing is that for 2 pins I could argue that people should be allowed to have whatever piercings they like without anybody judging them. Because that is what I truly believe.
In fact I like most piercings on women, not too keen on bellybutton tbh, seen a couple go all manky, but other under clothing ones, are alright in my book

I have spoken about this today to both DS and SIL - who regularly conduct job interviews now - and they said that if a candidate is suitably dressed (finance/banking for one, meeting clients for the other) it would not occur to them to hold back for what is such a petty thing - SIL said that he is far more concerned about their capabilities to carry out a stressful role than to inspect to see whether or not the candidate has ever worn an earring! And these men are both in their 40s and their professional attitudes are going to be more and more than people like the 12 year old will see than any antiquated attitudes experienced by thee or me, Lotus Eater!

Lotus-eater

I suppose if they've taken it out by that time. But what about all the other people on the thread that thought it looked cheap, tacky, chav like and like you come from a wrong neighbourhood?
Isn't that going to colour peoples thoughts toward this young man and what if they don't talk to him, so they can't make up their own mind? Couldn't you see a possibility where something somewhere could change this guys life?

thorsoak

Yes, in my opinion they do look tacky ...but an earring at 12-16 is not going to damage a young man's chances in academia/professions
forever!

Incidentally, both SIL and DS played rugby for their respective schools, were both prefects, etc etc etc. The wearing of earrings did not disturb their scholastic/academic/sports activities. At the time it almost seemed to be the norm - along with the Kevin Keegan perm :eek: !

jetta_wales

Lotus-eater wrote: »

I suppose if they've taken it out by that time. But what about all the other people on the thread that thought it looked cheap, tacky, chav like and like you come from a wrong neighbourhood?
Isn't that going to colour peoples thoughts toward this young man and what if they don't talk to him, so they can't make up their own mind? Couldn't you see a possibility where something somewhere could change this guys life?

It's not soldered on you know, you can take them out for any occasion when it might be necessary or if you decide not to wear it any more.

Yes it can look tacky and chavy but so do addidas tracksuits, all other jewlery, stupid patterned shaved hair do's, chewing gum and certain accents. If the kids going to be a chav he'll be a chav be it with a pierced ear or not.

Lotus-eater

Now all I need to do, is convince myself that 90% of the young men with earrings round here aren't the annoying rough ones who come from the bad families. That's a very difficult thing to do, considering I know it to be true. And around here I'm considered a bad family by alot of people For various double std reasons lol

thorsoak

Lotus-eater wrote: »

I suppose if they've taken it out by that time. But what about all the other people on the thread that thought it looked cheap, tacky, chav like and like you come from a wrong neighbourhood?
Isn't that going to colour peoples thoughts toward this young man and what if they don't talk to him, so they can't make up their own mind? Couldn't you see a possibility where something somewhere could change this guys life?

When did I ever say that I come from the "wrong neighbourhood"??:eek:

A very respectable village in fact! :j

renowen

Sorry but I think that thinking 1 earring is going to harm a mans job opportunites is outdated

Ok yes if he had more piercings than Pinhead you would have a point but one earring?!

Piercings and tattoos are so commonplace now that it's becoming unusual to NOT have someting done!

My brother has his eyebrow pierced - he works for a London PR company, I have piercings and 2 tatoos, I work with in the NHS with children and neither of us have even had it mentioned.

If he was a 'little' boy I could understand, but he is almost a teen and the way I see it is I'd rather allow him this and know he is getting it done somewhere registered and clean, than do what my friend did and do it with an ice cube and a sewing needle!

xxx

jetta_wales

Lotus-eater wrote: »

Now all I need to do, is convince myself that 90% of the young men with earrings round here aren't the annoying rough ones who come from the bad families. That's a very difficult thing to do, considering I know it to be true. And around here I'm considered a bad family by alot of people For various double std reasons lol

Are you the same person you were at 12? Did you never go through any phases at all? I am absolutely not the same person I was at that age and this lad likely won't be as a grown up either.

I'm no longer into boy bands, I think girl power is a load of feminist bulls***, I don't wear baggy boys surfy clothes and don't hate the English any more either (grew up and fell in love with one lol).

Then I got to college, I'm not that person anymore either. I don't have black hair now (though it is purple but was brown for about 10 years before now) I don't wear a bar in my belly button or several piercings in each ear including a little hoop in the top of one any more either. I don't bite my nails, I don't get drunk, I don't want to be a programmer, I don't think I might like girls more than guys (but Jessica Alba is definitely hot) and I don't listen to heavy metal much any more.

See what happened is I grew up, I even wear skirts now and everything, I own dresses and paint my nails too lol. I'm a happy little housewife who'd like to have a business on property with my partner soon.

Completely different person to all the silly assumptions that could have been made from my previous appearances and attitudes, totally different even from my own assumptions of who I'd be back then.

It means nothing, absolutely nothing.

JBD

Lotus-eater wrote: »

I suppose if they've taken it out by that time. But what about all the other people on the thread that thought it looked cheap, tacky, chav like and like you come from a wrong neighbourhood?
Isn't that going to colour peoples thoughts toward this young man and what if they don't talk to him, so they can't make up their own mind? Couldn't you see a possibility where something somewhere could change this guys life?

Why would it matter what random strangers think? As long as he's not going to be discriminated against for jobs ,which doesn't seem to be the case,then why worry about other people's opinions?

Lotus-eater

JBD wrote: »

Why would it matter what random strangers think? As long as he's not going to be discriminated against for jobs ,which doesn't seem to be the case,then why worry about other people's opinions?

You know what, my biggest break in my life came from someone putting me forward for a job when I was 17, I'd only spoken a couple of words to him. I later found out he thought I'd looked right for it. He was right I was. Had I had an earring, would he have put me forward? I don't think so. In fact I'm almost certain he wouldn't. A one off, sure, but it's those one off's which are often the way.

I'm bored with this now, you're all ganging up against me :D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D and I'm fighting a losing battle on something I don't care that much about and I'm not even sure I'm on the right moral side.

So you've convinced me, everyone who is a lad who wears an earring is a cherub in chavs clothing, who wouldn't damage my car or steal my motorbike and has excellent job prospects. Phew, I'm glad that's over.