So to not derail the rants thread anymore (like it has a topic ), I'm going to open this up.

As you may have read, the library has changed their dress code. No more non-earlobe piercings (that they can see). I feel that this is overkill, and am instead advocating a more open, "let my supervisor decide" policy.

From my own experience, from talking to my friends, and from actually reading some of the research that's been done on body piercing in America, I have to come to the conclusion that body piercing is fundamentally different then dress or makeup, or other ways of decorating or expressing yourself.

Body piercing hurts. And while it can grow shut if you decide to leave it be, in many cases it's a permanent mark on your body. It's used as everything from a right of passage to a way of pissing off your parents, but it is rarely done on a whim.

With my eyebrow, it pretty much marks the line between high school and college, and the vast changes I went through in the process of making that transition. Asking me to remove it feels in some ways like asking me to give that up, like I'm a child again who stepped out of line.

My piercings are not just decoration. I don't wear them to match my outfit, or to showoff my new jewelry. I like how they look, true, but they mean more than that. To me, at a very basic level, they say that I had the balls to pierce my flesh, to suffer the pain, and mark my body as my own, as belonging to me and no to the culture at large. And that sounds like angsty crap sometimes, but it's how I feel and it means a lot to me.

I love my job, and I loved that they let me be. I've worked there for the better part of five years, in various jobs, at various branches. I know almost everyone. I'm on committees. No one has every complained about my service. And I want to make this my career. This feels like a betrayal, especially since it affects, as far as I know, only me. It was tacked on to the new dress code with no discussion, no feedback, just tossed in there like they didn't even think about it and just assumed it was the right thing to do.

I'll be content to wear a clear retainer if they let me. If not, well, there are other jobs, and maybe I'll like them too.

There are limits to everything I suppose, but I don't think an eyebrow piercing/labret piercing/nose stud (etc) crosses any sort of sensible line these days. I personally have been thinking about getting my labret pierced or a stud put in my nose for some time. The only thing holding me back is my own indecision.

I am getting a tattoo, but no one will see that unless I take my shirt off.

It's becoming more mainstream, but it's been shoved into the "youth culture" category, which is pretty much anathema to "business casual."

I agree there's a line. Even if it all does have meaning to you, if you have a pierced septem, split tongue, three lip rings, and a chain between your eyebrow and ear, you can't expect people to take that lightly. On the other hand, one or two piercings shouldn't make people even blink nowadays. Leave it up to the supervisor; strict lists of yes and no items serves to do nothing but inflame people and cause trouble.

I am not sure I quite understand.

You say you are piercing yourself to show that only you own you and society doesn't, but then you are upset when your job (i.e. society) tells you they don't want it.

I have my own individual stances on things, and generally if there is ever a hint of my job not wanting me to do it, I leave the company, cause isn't that the point of the statement?

And it is stigmatized as the youth culture, precisely because, most adults realize that they are as much reliant on the society as they are on themselves, and standing out for the sake of standing out doesn't get you very far.

A movie I just happened to see last night that says this same message is "The Devil wear Prada"... ironic how when I don't see movies for months at a time, when I do see something, it always pops up the next day.

Oh, and my comment in the rants thread was a bad pun and a joke, not to be taken seriously... sorry.

I would predict that you are more likely to see the acceptance of a person who is totally pierced and tattooed, and defines themselves by those markings, then you are a person who has one or two subtle piercings and tattoos in out of the norm, but visible places.

I have three "non-earlobe" piercings...navel, tongue, and eyebrow so far. The post office didn't mind them at all, but I am faced with finding a new job...and the fact that everyone wants me to take them out. Actually...my supervisors at the USPS found my blue hair awesome and my pink hair adorable while I was working there...and also an easy way to spot and track me down while I was on the keying floor.

Piercings do have meaning to them. I had no real rebellion intent when I had mine done. A body is your own possession...a three dimensional canvas that is about the one thing in the world that you actually own. Tattoos, piercing, scars, even just hair, nails and makeup...they are yours and yours alone. Each tattoo has a meaning, each piercing...just like scars. My first body piercing was my navel...my best friend and I went in and had ours done together, right after we both moved out of our parents houses. We picked out matching jewelry for them. We had these done the day before she had her 'In memory of' tattoo done for her two friends killed in a horrible car crash. My tongue piercing was done because I could...it was a spontaneous 'I can do this, and it sounds neat' decision, made after sitting on my friend's front porch chainsmoking from 2am to 8 am one morning, that I don't regret. I'm actually considering getting a second one done behind that one on my tongue and just having two. I had my right eyebrow done just a little under a year ago. I have a tiny scar there from when I was younger and got myself in the way of a rock some moron was trying to throw at my little brother. I had the piercing put just behind it. I had always wanted one and been afraid of getting a visible facial piercing...and one day, I decided it doesn't matter. It's on the side where I part my hair, it shows off nicely, and most don't even take a second glance at it, unless to tell me how great it turned out and how naturally it falls in place with my facial features. I don't wear flashy jewelry, just simpler pieces, because it's not my intent to shock-and-awe little old ladies, but to claim my body as my own.

As far as body art concerned, I am looking to enter cosmetology school fairly soon, and with it, also pick up my piercing license (I can't draw for nothin', or I'd want to do tattoos too)...because the human body is a piece of art. I respect it.

As an aside, I feel very negatively about body piercing. Personally, I think it's silly and would never shove a needle through me in some heavy-handed attempt at proving something to myself.

Because we need to crush all individual expression, and employers (Particularly, a government employer - If I understand correctly, Sylphas works at a library which is presumably owned by the government) have the right to set policies based on things utterly unrelated to job performance. I don't see why an employer has a right to curb self-expression in the workplace based on societal norms that have no practical function, and I think it's Sylphas' right to demand respect for his ownership of his own body and right to do whatever innumerable silly things he wants to his appearance and himself, as long as it has no bearing on his ability to work. I don't see how reliance on society necessitates being identical to everyone else; particularly, society is specially reliant on people who aren't. Democratic societies are founded on the right to dissent, and taking conformism as a sign of maturity is just plainly idiotic.

I do get upset, because they were so good about it for so long.

I don't stand out for the sake of standing out. I "stand out," as you say, because it makes me feel more human, like I actually have some say in what I do.

These policies irritate me to no end, actually. Perhaps I find white-blonde, orange-skinned bimbos offensive. However, I see them working everywhere. It's not like our faces would peel off if someone ran electromagnets past them. A couple facial piercings shouldn't be offensive at all. If people are so anal and uptight that they are going to avoid a place or complain because -gasp- SOMEONE HAS AN EYEBROW PIERCING, then society as we know it has officially gone down the toilet. What was this whole freedom thing, eh? I don't see any customer's rights being imposed upon by someone having piercings or tattoos...however, I don't see the rightness in denying employment because of piercings or tattoos. It's a lesson in tolerance, and the world's getting an F.

Yes, its all one big government plot. It has nothing to do with allowing people to focus on their work, and not having ill feelings towards their co-workers. Conformity does not equal your loss of individual expression or opinion. Its not really about conformity, its about assimilation. Nobody is telling anybody how they have to dress during their free time. (well maybe disneyland does)


Sorry to be so blunt, but one has to wonder why a person needs to do things to thier body to feel more human. Plenty of people feel more human by doing simple things like helping other people, or filling thier home with artwork.

But that second pargraph I wrote, was not a statement about you or any individual person, I was simply remarking that in today's world, it seems to me like the more over the top you go, the more likely you are to be accepted for being over the top.

I'm sorry.. but one thing caught my eye.. you think your piercings show that you were brave and had the balls to pierce your flesh? Damn, that must make highschool teenagers the bravest group of people in the world.

Piercings are no different than clothing or hair. You can argue that they are, but you're wrong. It effects the way you look, and as such, effects how people who interact with at your job view the place that you work. And, if you didn't know that a library would have a decent segment of prudesville visiting, then wow, you're pretty naive.

The fact, it is highly unlikely the library would suddenly make that policy change unless there were more than a couple comments or complaints made, either by other staff or by patrons. More likely patrons.

Now, if you think them asking you to remove your piercings is somehow removing your balls, then you have a serious self-image issue. Its like saying that if you work at a restauraunt, to be asked to wear a uniform is horrible. Or if you work in a kitchen that you shouldn't have to wear a hairnet if you have long hair. The fact is, you work for them. And anything they feel that effects their business is under their control.

Basically, you're being seriously immature and need to grow up. In the future if/when you have a family, you won't have the conveinence of throwing a tantrum and telling them you quit because they won't allow you to visibly showoff your ginormous tesiticles. So you migt as well learn to suck it up now, because life isn't going to get any easier, or any more fair.

Ok, I am an officer in the Navy, so I probably have a different view on piercings. (Havn't worn a set of earrings since my wedding, and they had to be repierced just for that day, which I wont do again...) My view on them is that most piercings are unprofessional in appearance. There are exceptions, if I goto places like Hot Topic, coffee shops, tattoo parlors, etc... I expect to see them. That is the problem right there... when someone goes to library, they do not expect to see symbols of individualism and rebellion against assimilation, they expect a clean, neat looking person, who lends an air of professionalism to their work.

Sorry to say this, but appearance is just as important as ability. Furthermore, the ability to follow a dress code, even with 'stupid things' tells your employer how well you can follow rules, and policies. Now in a library, it may not be as important in every day operation, that you follow these guidelines, but your employers do want to see that you can follow rules and respect the chain of command.

But oh well, if you want to keep a piece of metal in your face, then fine, but understand that the library is trying to present a professional appearance, and pieces of metal sticking through your eye brow is not a professional appearance, it is the appearance of social rebellion.

I love how I get kicked into a social rebel sort of pile for having body piercings. I don't take it as an insult, no worries, I just find it amusing. Not everyone who has a piercing is a punk teenager with extreme political views and a bad attitude. Not every piercing constitutes idiocy or intent to stick out like a sore thumb. I worked with a forty year old woman at the post office, previously a secretary, mother of two, college graduate, who had an eyebrow, her nose, and her lip pierced, along with four tattoos. She was not a social deviant, but a normal, intelligent, aware citizen, who happened to like and have piercings and tattoos. Perhaps that isn't the norm, but realize that having a piercing doesn't make someone a not-person.

Fallen, you took that maybe a smidge too far. That's the feel to it, sure, but I'm not saying that I'm going to be unmanned if I have to take it out. I cut myself because I like the taste of blood, but I don't think that makes me badass or anything. But there's a joy to being able to overcome fear and pain, and pride in knowing you can handle it. Some people climb mountains, or run, or lift weights. It's just another way of testing your own limits.

Also, try not to assume so much. The dress code change was mainly to keep us from wearing jeans, if talking to admin and my boss is to be believed. Half of the patrons here are homeless, mentally disturbed, or otherwise off kilter. The other half are state workers I'm on a first name basis with. I doubt it was patron complaints. However, when they worked on the new dress code, they talked to a consultant, which is where I'm assuming it comes from. My supervisor is talking to the head of HR about getting my an exception to at least wear a clear retainer. Last time they had a job opening, they called me before I could even apply, knowing I was pierced. I highly doubt it was them thinking I look like an ass.

Also, using the "life isn't fair" argument is asinine. Should I say, "Hey, children are starving and dying of AIDS. Really sucks to be them, but life isn't fair"? That's ludicrous. Life isn't fair, but humans have always fought to make it so, for themselves, at least.

At least half of my anger is because the entire feedback was, "Uniforms or business casual?" It amounts to asking us what shirt we'd like to wear. Everyone is pissed about some aspect of it, and this is just mine. I'm putting it on the agenda for the next Internal Communications Committee meeting, because regardless of how we feel about the dress code itself, the communication involved was terrible.

Why is it that people usually equate maturity with conformity? If I don't do what you tell me to, I'm immature. Bull . If I can pay my bills and keep myself fed and clothed and housed, I can do whatever the hell I want. Last I checked, piercings aren't illegal. If you think I'm immature and incapable of raising a family because I like having a metal bar in my eyebrow, I really have no absolutely no respect for your opinion.

What.. really?

Yes. I make sure never to do it if I'm not feeling happy, same as I don't drink when I'm sad, because I don't want it to become a problem. But every so often I'll make a careful cut on the back of my hand, in the fleshy part near my thumb, and suck on it for a while. No scars, little pain, and tasty sanguine goodness. It's rarely even deep enough to need a bandage or anything.

Yeah its terrible, we force our kids to be potty trained and everything. We should respect their individuality and let them decide if they want to wear diapers for the rest of their life or not. Let Freedom Ring!

No scars at all?

I would be a happier person if I was the one to choose where and when I want to poop and pee.