I grew up with a very laid back mom.
Read more: Job Prospects & EmbodimentShe allowed me to gauge my ears in middle school, and I got my first tattoo, a large forearm piece, in high school (which I do sometimes regret). To this day, I still seek out that thrill of body modifications. It was yesterday that I stretched my ears to the next size up, 9/16″, just a few away from my goal of 3/4″. I have a helix and some facial piercings, and I only plan on getting more. The same can be said for tattoos. I have a list of ones I want, and my following list on Instagram is filled with artists who I want flash pieces from.
Some people ask about things like professionalism and job prospects with my visible tattoos and stretched ears, but at the end of the day, it’s all me. I don’t want to let some corporate entity control how I feel most at home with myself. I’m realizing more and more as I grow into myself that there are so many things that are inherent to me as a person, and tattoos and piercings are some of those things. They’re a part of my identity at this point. They’re how I embody myself.
All of that is to say, I think there is an art of making yourself your own. Creating your body and molding it how you please is a part of the human experience. It isn’t just our limbs that are extensions of ourselves – hair, mobility aids, tattoos, piercings, surgical scars – they’re all extensions of who we are. Piercings and tattoos are how I express myself, and my gender as a trans person. I am reclaiming a body that, as an AFAB individual, has been claimed by society.
There are a lot of ways people make their bodies their own. I think it’s very human, and very beautiful (regardless of job prospects).
Unruly Bodies 
I really like your perspective on this, and I completely agree with you. I think individuals should be able to make their own choices with regard to their own body, whether that be in regard to piercings, tattoos, surgery, etc. In addition to what you’ve said, I also think it’s important to note that the choices one makes about their own bodily appearance is not at all reflective of their personality or their work ethic. This statement seems self-evident to me, and hopefully many others as well, but this is unfortunately still a conversation that needs to be had in greater society.
I completely agree! There’s an art to shaping ourselves in ways that please us. I think tattoos and piercings are truly beautiful because they allow us to express our uniqueness and individuality ✨. I have a couple of piercings myself: a helix piercing and three lobe piercings in each ear, but I’m definitely interested in getting more! It can be frustrating how workplaces, especially corporate jobs, have strict policies regarding tattoos and piercings. I really don’t see how they could disrupt my work, but it seems to be an issue anyway. Thankfully, I believe that in recent years, some jobs have become more lenient about these policies, though this change is still limited to certain fields.
I totally agree with pretty much everything you wrote here. I also have gotten questions or even criticisms regarding my SINGLE slightly unconventional body mod of a septum piercing with a large-diameter ring — it almost feels comical to me (if not sad) that there are still people today that are concerned with any level of body modification, but just like you, it also doesn’t concern me at all when it comes to professionalism. Considering I now want to be a tattoo artist, I think it would be weird of me to show up to a shop asking for an apprenticeship with no tattoos or piercings at all, but I’m definitely an outlier in that situation. Regardless, I’ve always thought that I wouldn’t want to be employed somewhere where my appearance was restricted anyway when it comes to body mods. If they are willing to implement policies on my physical appearance, where else is my employer going to encroach on my abilities as an independent adult?
Excellent blog! My favorite part has got to be, “I don’t want to let some corporate entity control how I feel most at home with myself.” The topic of the workforce always slips into a conversation that’s solely about what piercings or tattoos one is planning on getting. The reason many people will judge others for having a certain modification will also be for the same issues this blog talks about. Conservatism is constantly being pushed onto us for the sake of finding a job or being the most suitable person for a certain career.