To think that babies with pierced ears is not a good idea?

[Blackbootswithredribbons]

I wouldn't trust a baby to not fiddle with their earrings, cleaning might be a difficult etc. And then there's the whole business of an infant not being able to say whether or not they want them done, the pain and having to hold a squirmy baby still while it's done.
I also cannot fathom a single reason to pierce a baby tbh, when they're old enough to fully weigh the risks and benefits, that's old enough.
What are your thoughts on this?

@WeDontShutUpAboutBruno 🙌🤣🤣🤣🤣

@Comedycook

No, we don't all think it. Only people who think they're somehow "better" than other people do. No one has the right to look down on people

If you don't make your feelings known and internalise them then no harm done.

So how do you know she thinks this if she’s never made her feelings known and only internalised it?

You much be incredibly intuitive. Or psychic.
Are you psychic?

If so, can you let me know 6 numbers between 1 and 59? Ta x

I agree.
I think there needs to be a minimum age limit of at least 5.
Every other piercing has a minimum age limit.

Animals have barely any rights and the penalty for violence or cruelty towards them is frankly pathetic and something that needs to be changed - however it’s still illegal to pierce your pets’ ears (apart from tags on farm animals) in this country as it’s deemed cruel - yet piercing a baby’s is fine apparently.

It’s one thing to do it for cultural reasons (which I still disagree with) but everyone I know had their baby’s ears pierced to make them look cuter or to make them look more girly.

I think there needs to come a point when "it's part of my culture" doesn't cut it. There are many traditional cultural practices which can't happen in the UK because they are in conflict with our standards for human rights and child welfare.

I agree.

FGM is illegal in this country even though it’s part of many cultures.
This shouldn’t be any different.

I had them done to me as a baby. I'm now on strike and refusing to wear any, aged 33. On strike for two years now 😹

I don't like seeing children with pierced ears...but then I think it looks ridiculous on adults as well.

@WonderfulYou

I think there needs to come a point when "it's part of my culture" doesn't cut it. There are many traditional cultural practices which can't happen in the UK because they are in conflict with our standards for human rights and child welfare.

I agree.

FGM is illegal in this country even though it’s part of many cultures.
This shouldn’t be any different.

Because brown people having their children's earlobes pierced are exactly the same as those who wish to remove a girl's ability to feel sexual pleasure and function for the rest of their life.

Aren't they lucky they can have the 'civilising influence' of the white middle class of Mumsnet to set them straight?

Nrt

I don't believe in cutting, removing or piercing any body parts of another human When they don't know what's going on, have no bodily autonomy and can't replace what's been taken.

I’m Indian and it’s in my culture to get a baby’s ears pierced. I had mine done as a baby and have never once resented my mum for doing so. In fact, I was glad they were already done.

Yes, babies will feel the pain and can’t consent but it’s temporary pain and not child cruelty otherwise surely it would be illegal already.

I personally didn’t get my own 2 girls ears pierced as I wanted to keep them looking as they did without having to keep earrings in. Now my eldest wants hers pierced (and has done since 6/7) but she struggles with pain and will probably only get one ear done then decide that’s enough so I’m holding off til she’s older.

Because brown people having their children's earlobes pierced are exactly the same as those who wish to remove a girl's ability to feel sexual pleasure and function for the rest of their life.

Aren't they lucky they can have the 'civilising influence' of the white middle class of Mumsnet to set them straight?

This isn’t about race or culture - it’s about consent.

If you can’t or haven’t consented to something and it’s not beneficial to you then it should be illegal.

I work with victims of FGM - many people try and call me racist or xenophobic because they say it’s part of their culture.
Honestly I don’t care.

Aside from being a gross violation of bodily autonomy, it's stamping gender stereotypes on baby girls, branding 'pretty' on them before they've had a chance to develop a single personality trait of their own. An utterly abhorrent practice that needs to be outlawed.

Looks cheap and tacky along with the sprout of hair wrenched up in a god awful bobble.

It's a bad idea, as it is totally unnecessary. Only certain types of young women subject their babies to this.. Also having those big bows put on a baby''s. sometimes bald head looks naff..

This

My last message didn’t make sense. I’m clearly not very good at this posting. I agree with pp. I find it common and vulgar to comment on and look down on other people’s choices. Ear piercing is a cultural tradition not a common thing.

It’s chavvy, lacking class, empathy and everything that comes in between. The baby takes all the pain , for someone else’s viewing pleasure. Zero choice. Adults abusing their power. SICK.

@Fairunibutterfly

I’m Indian and it’s in my culture to get a baby’s ears pierced. I had mine done as a baby and have never once resented my mum for doing so. In fact, I was glad they were already done.

Yes, babies will feel the pain and can’t consent but it’s temporary pain and not child cruelty otherwise surely it would be illegal already.

I personally didn’t get my own 2 girls ears pierced as I wanted to keep them looking as they did without having to keep earrings in. Now my eldest wants hers pierced (and has done since 6/7) but she struggles with pain and will probably only get one ear done then decide that’s enough so I’m holding off til she’s older.

Please don’t justify using the culture card. We did away with many cultural norms that didn’t have a place in a civilised society. Forced marriages, child marriages, sati , devadasi system etc.

@thebellsesmereldathebells

I think there needs to come a point when "it's part of my culture" doesn't cut it. There are many traditional cultural practices which can't happen in the UK because they are in conflict with our standards for human rights and child welfare.

Having holes made in your baby should surely fall into this category. I STILL haven't seen anybody actually try to engage with the question of how it is acceptable to perform a procedure on someone who is too young to consent to it, when there are NO behefits to that person and there are both risks and pain involved in performing it.

Absolutely ! 100%

@Waxonwaxoff0

I'd never go to Claires for piercings though, I've got 14 piercings and if my child wanted any done it would be a proper piercer.

The proper piercers I’ve been to have had age limits. 8 for one place, slightly older for another I think. I don’t know if that’s common, but if most proper piercers won’t do it and the only place that will is Claire’s (where they use a gun) then that should put people off more than anything.

@TimBoothseyes

I don't like seeing children with pierced ears...but then I think it looks ridiculous on adults as well.

I agree !

Unnecessary and just for vanity.

I don't subscribe to the 'not able to give consent' beliefs at all - up to parents how they raise their child. I don't like it but if it's not my child my opinion isn't relevant.

@Itsbackagain

I don't subscribe to the 'not able to give consent' beliefs at all - up to parents how they raise their child. I don't like it but if it's not my child my opinion isn't relevant.

No it's not entirely up to parents how they raise their child. You aren't allowed to take your baby to a tattoo shop to get tattooed are you? Fgm is illegal quite rightly. So, no, it's not entirely up to parents.

Which one is more empowering

It's our culture to pierce babies ears, but it's your body so I chose not to do it. If you want it done it's your choice? .. or it's our culture so I chose to do this too you?..

There are bigger things to worry about than this. Low numeracy rates among many children concerns me more, as does bullying at school at pretty much any other social issue that relates to children lol.

This is the norm in many cultures, it's snobbish to call it chavvy just because you don't like it and also quite ignorant.

Ear piercing is so inconsequential in the grand scheme of things that this thread is ridiculous. If kid doesn't like it when older they can just take them out...