Genuine question, why is it legal to get a babies ears pierced?

[YellowEllis]

I can't fathom it. A girl I know has pictures on social media of her 5 month old getting her ears pierced and I was stunned and googled it and it's allowed? I can't understand it, I wasn't allowed mine pierced at 14 without my mother's consent, but her consent was additional to mine, to me even wanting it. A 5 month old can't ask, consent or would possibly want that. It's purely for the mothers vanity?

[Devlesko]

It's up to the parents, and none of your business.
None of my dc have theirs done, even my 16 year old dd, who has chosen not to.
But, in some cultures it's the norm, and if it's not cultural it's still the parents decision.
Why does everyone feel the need to start petitions against how others choose to live, it's pathetic.

[Burnthurst187]

I work with a Spanish guy, we both have a DD of the same age. He said to me last year that in Spain parents get the new born's ears pierced in hospital

[FourPlasticRings]

Why does everyone feel the need to start petitions against how others choose to live, it's pathetic.

Same reason smacking was banned in Scotland. And child labour. They're children, not dolls. You shouldn't be allowed to inflict needless pain on a child just because you think it looks pretty, or because it's just the done thing where you come from. There are plenty of cultural traditions that we don't allow people to carry out in this country. Cultural doesn't mean acceptable.

[CillaTape]

I'm with you OP and only discussing it with my tween yesterday.
We both thought that it amounts to abuse and also just.... Odd. Why put holes in a baby?! Why the need to adorn a beautiful child with bits of random metal. And that's aside from the consent, pain and infection issues. It's weird.

[HavelockVetinari]

YANBU, both piercing a baby's ears and non-medical circumcision are IMO abuse (the latter far more serious of course).

[BuggerOffAndGoodDayToYou]

Babies are possessions they have no rights. They are our own playthings to mutilate however we desire.

Personally I think it SHOULD be illegal.

[WorkingMule]

Most of the times is for vanity of adults and ethnic reasons. I come from an East European country and there is acceptable to pierce the ears of baby girls. It almost looks out of place if you say that won't be done until teenage years. People which I know have been trying to guilt trip me to do it to my daughter when she was 3 months old= told them to FO.
She was crying when was not getting her boob in the correct position and to break her skin????, for what?

[May09Bump]

Yes in Spain or Spanish culture they normally get them done really early - our family is half Spanish and I wouldn't dream of piecing their ears before they could decide for themselves. I would also find a decent place to do it - my piercings (got at 8yrs old) are wonky by a mile.

[Devlesko]

Cultural doesn't mean acceptable.

It does to the people of the culture, obviously not busy bodies like yourself, lol.

This thread is ridiculous, talking about what culture YOU live in where YOU don't think it's acceptable.
I don't know how people think they have the right to stop a cultural norm, entitled generation, much. But typical, lol.

[Quackersandcheese3]

I really don’t see it as a big deal. I come from one of the cultures where children’s ear piercings are very common.

I also worked in early years in a very multicultural area. Literally 80% of the African , South American and Asian girls came into the nursery with their ears pierced before the age of 2. I had mine done when I was about 3.

I had my daughters ears pierced for her first birthday . My husband is Scottish and he was totally fine with it. It was over in seconds, she cried for a minute and that was that.

[CannibalPanda]

I had mine pierced at 3 months for "cultural reasons" Really it was so mothers could dress their babies up in pretty gold earrings, just like everywhere else.

They are wonky. I never wear earrings now but have wonky holes that will never close up.

You are right OP, and I wish people wouldn't be so afraid of challenging dodgy cultural practices. I would say children should be at least 10.

[Enterthedragons]

Agree it is wrong and I do judge parents who pierce holes in their baby and put them through pain (plus the possibility of infection) just so they can have ‘pretty’ ears. Absolutely ridiculous.

[CannibalPanda]

South Indian btw

[Devlesko]

I wonder how the white mc UK residents would feel if other cultures started telling them they couldn't keep their culture.
Live in a house? No, that's wrong you can't do that we live in tents on mountains, I'm going to start a petition.
Leave your kids in a nursery to go out to work? What your husbands can't earn enough to keep you all? Well, we don't dump our kids in nurseries to cry for weeks before they settle, how cruel. I'll start a petition.
Has to be the gf thread of the year, this one.

[Bloodybridget]

Quackers you got your baby's ears pierced for her first birthday? Blimey, you make it sound like a nice present for her . .
Devlesko the examples you give of common practices that could be objected to are in no way comparable.

[TheLightSideOfTheMoon]

I thought it was 16 for piercings?

I assume many of the children/babies with pierced ears had them done at home by a family member.

I know a couple of trained peircers and I doubt they'd pierce a child. Dodgy AF.

[kenandbarbie]

The nurses in the hospitals do it in Spain as soon as the baby is born. My Spanish friends were amazed we don't do it here. Earrings are a traditional baby present. It doesn't really bother me tbh. I wouldn't do it but it's hardly child abuse.

[SidesteppinTheRona]

@Devlesko

I wonder how the white mc UK residents would feel if other cultures started telling them they couldn't keep their culture.
Live in a house? No, that's wrong you can't do that we live in tents on mountains, I'm going to start a petition.
Leave your kids in a nursery to go out to work? What your husbands can't earn enough to keep you all? Well, we don't dump our kids in nurseries to cry for weeks before they settle, how cruel. I'll start a petition.
Has to be the gf thread of the year, this one.

If there are any "white MC UK" cultural practices which involve the unnecessary mutilation of children then I'm sure most people would be against those too; I certainly would.

Your "tents on mountains" argument is ridiculous.

[Devlesko]

Bloodybridget

I've heard people from a different culture talk about white mc mummies and their nurseries, in just as much disgust as those against infant ear piercings, they find it just as cruel as it isn't one of their cultural practices. They can't understand how a loving caring mother would do that, can you see? That's the culture here it isn't everywhere else, or every other culture.

[Devlesko]

Your "tents on mountains" argument is ridiculous.

No more ridiculous than starting a petition against another culture. It's certainly not ridiculous to those who live on mountains, who think living in bricks n mortar is weird.

Each to their own, cultures differ, it's what makes the world such a diverse place. Or should we all have to live as mc white British?

[SidesteppinTheRona]

No more ridiculous than starting a petition against another culture. It's certainly not ridiculous to those who live on mountains, who think living in bricks n mortar is weird

Those who are considering petitions or backing bans are only seeking a UK ban, not a worldwide one.

Again, your tent dwelling on a mountain argument is ridiculous: we don't have such a population in the UK.

[BeingATwatItsABingThing]

Circumcision is sometimes necessary for medical reasons. It will then be carried out my a medical professional under anaesthetic. The benefit to the child is that they are more comfortable after the operation. Only in medical circumstances should it be legal.

Sending your child to nursery can benefit them through socialisation with other children and allowing the family to earn more money for the things they need.

Vaccinations protect children from potentially deadly diseases.

Pierced ears do precisely nothing to benefit the child. The only thing they benefit are the pockets of piercers and the vanity of the parents. Babies are not toys to be dressed up and mutilated for our enjoyment.

[BeingATwatItsABingThing]

*by a medical professional

[whichteaareyou]

It's disgusting and should absolutely be made illegal!

[Quackersandcheese3]

Bloodybridget , it was a nice present ! Better than toys . I’ll ask her in a few years time if she hates us for it though .