Help with Ear Stretchers please

Fuzzy_Duck

He's 14, so you're perfectly entitled to stop him stretching his ears. Personally I wouldn't have a problem with it provided he didn't stretch them too much, as I can understand he may feel very differently about them in future. But the fact his ear was weeping concerns me. That suggests he's stretching them too fast and he may be causing himself permanent damage. If you want body modifications, you need to be mature enough to look after them properly, and it sounds like he's ready yet.

As always there seems to be a lot of ignorance on these kind of threads. Plenty of people have body modifications these days; in fact they are so common place few employers have an issue with them (and who want to work for a judgemental employer anyway?) Generally it's easy enough to hide a tattoo or a piercing if needed, but I know plenty of people with body modifications (especially stretched ears) in respectable, customer facing roles.

Personally I'm all for Sophie's Law- I think it's disgusting that in this day and age people feel it's acceptable to attack others for dressing/ looking differently. If you judge someone harshly for their body modifications, or indeed any aspect of their appearance, then that's your problem, not their's.

Lotus-eater

Fuzzy_Duck wrote: »

Personally I'm all for Sophie's Law- I think it's disgusting that in this day and age people feel it's acceptable to attack others for dressing/ looking differently. If you judge someone harshly for their body modifications, or indeed any aspect of their appearance, then that's your problem, not their's.
In case you are talking about me. I don't like the way they look, I think they look a little silly tbh, but as it's not me wearing them I don't care.

I'm talking of what they might stop this young person doing, I'm not judging.

Ravenlady_2

Lotus-eater wrote: »

They might be taken out in 2 secs, but the hole can't.
I don't believe you'd be allowed to a police officer or be in certain parts of the armed forces with them.

You wont be allowed to wear them on duty but as for not being allowed to become a police officer or serve in any area of the armed forces for having slightly larger than average holes in your ears is quite frankly a load of poppycock.

There is no H&S aspect, its purely discriminatory based on appearance.

Lotus-eater

Ravenlady wrote: »

You wont be allowed to wear them on duty but as for not being allowed to become a police officer or serve in any area of the armed forces for having slightly larger than average holes in your ears is quite frankly a load of poppycock.

There is no H&S aspect, its purely discriminatory based on appearance.

I thought that's exactly what it would be in those circumstances, H&S.

Police officers aren't allowed to wear earrings in case someone gets hold of it, a hole in an ear would do the same job to me.

Ravenlady_2

Well in that case ALL officers would have to tape down their ear lobes/nostrils and wear eye sheilds in case some one grabbed/poked them.
The hole left from even a 12mm+ plug wouldn't allow a finger through unless it was well aimed and lubed up.

MackemPunk

What a load of over-reactionary bollox on this thread, stretching doesn't permanently disfigure you, take the plugs out and it will return to normal size, he's a teenager, if he wants to express him self non permanently (mad hair colours, piercings etc) now's the time, if he wants to have a conservative job when older, he can take them out.

Lotus-eater

Ravenlady wrote: »

Well in that case ALL officers would have to tape down their ear lobes/nostrils and wear eye sheilds in case some one grabbed/poked them.
The hole left from even a 12mm+ plug wouldn't allow a finger through unless it was well aimed and lubed up.

Well lets see how many front line officers there are with ear stretchers... oh yes, that's right, NONE.

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

From the met:

Tattoos and body piercings
Your appearance should demonstrate that you are aware of the impression you make on other people, avoiding favouritism and offence at all times. While each case is judged on its merits, you should be aware that some tattoos (whether visible or not) and facial piercings might be in breach of this requirement and therefore, unacceptable.


So, if they have facial piercings, they may not like them. Further investigation shows that they don't accept people for uniform roles with neck or facial tattoos - or racist or offensive ones.

Ear stretching isn't even mentioned as being a potential issue.



From Sussex police, ear piercing is fine, tattoos are allowed if kept covered and not offensive.

Oh, and personal piercing is fine, apparently.

neverdespairgirl

Ravenlady wrote: »

I wouldn't judge a book by its cover and start the holier than thou approach on appearance.

People do judge by appearances - we all do it.

balletshoes

Lotus-eater wrote: »

They might be taken out in 2 secs, but the hole can't.
I don't believe you'd be allowed to a police officer or be in certain parts of the armed forces with them.

if the OPs son was intending having huge coke-can size holes in his ears I could see the point in this argument. But he's not, he's told his mum he's stopping at around 6mm, which appears to be perfectly do-able to let the holes close up without any disfigurement at all, if he decides at 18 that he wants to apply for a career where holes in his ears would not be looked on favourably.

FWIW OP, I also think your son will get bored before he gets much further with his stretching, and just forget all about it .