Body Modification

A few years ago, my nephew made the choice to shave his head.  I was horrified.  To me, a shaved head meant Skinhead - racist, gay-bashing Neo-Nazi. Of course, he is of an entirely different generation and doesn't have those associations.  What's this got to do with the topic at hand, you ask? Bear with me.

Tattoos and piercings are the subject of much debate with more of the younger generation entering the job market.  To them, these things are a matter of choice and have no bearing on a person's job performance.  To an extent, I agree with them.  (I personally have no tattoos.  I wear one ear ring in each lobe.  I have considered ink, but the art I've decided on would be quite expensive, so it probably will never happen.)

The problem with body modification is one of perception, just like the shaved head.  Most employers belong to my generation, one taught that these things are unprofessional.  When I entered the work force, a visible tattoo or facial piercing made an applicant unemployable even as a janitor. The rules gradually relaxed - at one point I worked with a fellow who had (among other tattoos) an eyeball on his Adam's Apple.  Which brings me to my next point.

Eyeball Man worked hard and got along with co-workers.  He was the first to offer his jumper cables if your car wouldn't start.  But I couldn't stop staring at that eye.  It moved when he talked.  In short, it was distracting.  And he scared customers, usually the elderly and children, so he was on the overnight shift.  His ink limited his options.

The same can be said for piercings.  They don't stop you from working, from being a good person, or even from holding a PhD.  But to draw attention to your self-expression by constantly sticking your tongue out and manipulating the stud through it, to wiggle the ring on your lip with the tongue or sucking it in and out of the hole, is distracting and unprofessional.

When I worked, nearly every job I had required a uniform.  I used my ear rings to mark myself as an individual.  But what would it say about me if I toyed with my ear rings the entire work day?  Or if I insisted upon wearing life-sized human skulls?  The same applies to tattoos and piercings.  You have the right to individuality and others have the right to feel comfortable in your presence.  It is possible to express yourself without being an ass.