In defense of body modification

If you're an American, the odds are good that you're at least to some degree a practitioner of body modification. Braces, teeth whitening, LASIK surgery, earrings, waxing, shaving--pretty much everyone I know, including the most straitlaced people, does or has done something to modify his or her body. Despite that, however, I routinely have to listen to people bash others for their modifications:

I can't believe he pierces that!

Her tits are obviously fake.

and on and on.

I usually listen and say nothing. After all, we're all entitled to our opinions.

The problem is, many times the folks saying these things are unaware that they're hurting the feelings of someone else in the room: the woman with breast augmentation, the man who secretly uses face cream that is supposed to alter his skin, the woman who had breast reduction, the guy with the earring (I'm one of those), the woman who plumped her lips, the couple who have matching split tongues.

I think it's time for us all to be a bit more sensitive on this topic. I know some people modify their bodies for the wrong reasons: insecurity, fear of age, and so on. Some, though, do it because they think it looks good and they don't mind altering their bodies. Similarly, some folks buy sports cars and fancy watches and expensive books for reasons that are at least arguably wrong. Yes, in some situations we may mock those folks, but if we do, it will either be away from them or with the understanding that we're choosing to attack them to their faces. People ridicule the body mods of others without thought and without ever realizing they've just hurt someone they call a friend.

I have friends with every single one of the mods I mentioned. As with all such things, I have my own opinions. (For example, I think augmented breasts frequently look awesome, and some piercings and tattoos are amazing.) Those opinions don't matter, however, when it comes to someone else's body; only that person's opinions matter then.

By the way, the prejudice against these changes is likely to vanish in a generation or two. People my age care a great deal more about such things than most younger folks.

Until that day, however, I have decided not to sit quietly any longer. If I hear you mock someone for an alteration that I know someone else in the room also has, you can expect me to call you on it.