For those who pierce their baby's ears...

[Username7654321]

Would you see it as okay to pierce their nose? Eyebrow? Tongue? Why is it okay to stab a needle through the ear lobe, when presumably most people would be horrified by any other piercing on a baby?!

Albertschair - but the difference is your daughter is probably aware of what you're doing and why, and presumably (i hope) agrees to what you're doing?

Not only do I not personally know anyone negatively impacted by infant ear piercing, I am not aware of anyone complaining about it anonymously or on the Internet where there are groups for everything that it possible to complain about.

The only people who seem to have a problem with it are those who don't do it. So I just think that it's a non issue dreamt up by the terminally judgy.

Just out of interest how many people would think it ok to do to an animal ? A cat say ?

Someone did this and was arrested.

You can’t do it to a cat but it’s fine to do it to a baby ?

Just out of interest how many people would think it ok to do to an animal ? A cat say ?

People cut genitals off their cats!

where do I stand with applying body lotion, sticking them on the naughty step, smacking them on the bum? - well I think if any of these things physically hurt them then you shouldn't be doing them. However I doubt they do.

All the people moaning about sticking a needle in babies without their consent - so where do you stand with vaccination?

Fishfingersandwichnocheese good point!

The only people who seem to have a problem with it are those who don't do it.

Funny that!

YoloSwaggins your question has already been answered several times - vaccinations save lives/protect against deadly viruses. How many lives do ear piercings save?

People “cut the genitals off cats” for to protect cat their health for the most part.

Otherwise as a domesticated animal it would likely suffer.

It’s not done to make them look aesthetically pleasing.

User she's 2. She disagrees with everything on principle.

But she certainly has no idea why I'm doing it. And right now would be far happier if I never made her comb her hair, brush her teeth or bathe.

I still do it to her. And did it to her when she was 6 months old and couldn't even express her disagreement

So I just think that it's a non issue dreamt up by the terminally judgy

It makes it really hard to have an intelligent debate when you insult people, you know? I understand that you don't agree that there is a genuine issue of consent around babies. For my part, I'm genuinely interested in what other people are saying, but this ^^ kind of comment means that the opposite point of view is lost in juvenile insults.

If it was such an issue - all the people whose parents did it to them as kids would set up some internet website and campaign against it (like they do for infant circumcision).

But there isn't one, because no-one that's had it done cares, usually they are glad they have pierced ears but no pain to remember.

As @Dione said, it is just people being overly judgy.

Look at this kitten. Would you do this ? Are you horrified that someone did ? To make it look “pretty” ?

People “cut the genitals off cats” for to protect cat their health for the most part.

I thought they neuter them just so they can't have kittens?

Which is sort of cruelty...forced sterilisation would not fly in humans.

A cat is not a baby. Our cat was sterilised as a kitten, my DC weren't. And can you get cat ears pierced? I think ours would look very swish indeed in a pair of filigree drop earrings.

Are you being deliberately obtuse ?

Keep having kittens is not healthy for a female cat. Neither is it a good thing for a male to go around impregnating any strays or unneutered cats.

It’s a decision made for the animals welfare. It’s not purely for fun.

People don’t forcibly sterilise their children no. But they can and do make decisions that are difficult to protect their long term health.

Parents immunise their children to prevent them being very seriously ill, disabled or dead.

The only justification of piercing the ears of a baby seem to be "well, it's cultural, innit". Quite.

I think it's a very useful marker to see if the parents are a bunch of fucking chavs personally.....

But there isn't one, because no-one that's had it done cares, usually they are glad they have pierced ears but no pain to remember

You know all of this, do you?

It is an ethical point. It's not about 'did you mind having your ears pierced? No? Everyone STFU then.'

Morphene explains the issue really well.

Does a baby's body belong to the baby or the parent. If you believe in respecting a baby as a whole independent person then it is inconceivable to decide to pierce their ears

So whether or not its trendy, cultural, painful or not, whether you think it is harmful or worth the risk of infection or not, the really important point is do you respect your baby's body as their and not yours to modify

That is way the debate is heated - because its the ethical line that matters, not the severity of harm done

It’s a decision made for the animals welfare. It’s not purely for fun.

Actually, it's also so cat charities and shelters don't get overwhelmed with unwanted cats. You have to sign a contract saying you'll neuter your cat if you buy from a shelter. So really it's more for our benefit. Stopping an animal reproducing is never "for them".

"well, it's cultural, innit"

Ah yes because everyone who does it must be a commoner.

It’s horrible I don’t know how people can be so cruel.

But if you truly believe the baby's body belongs to them and not you, vaccines are also out of the question. After all, you wouldn't pin down a 15 year old to make them have a vaccine they didn't want to?

Actually, there is probably more of a risk of a vaccinated kid growing up to be an anti-vaxxer and feeling annoyed by their parents decision, than someone with pierced ears annoyed they have pierced ears.

I've never met anyone who minded.

What is there to have an intelligent debate about SheGotBetteDavisEyes? Some people like it, others think it's "chavy". It's a matter of personal taste. No one is emotionally scarred, physically debilitated or victimised by it. If they were, they would tell their therapist, form a self help group or even start a thread on MN to talk about it. They don't because it is a non issue.