For francophones: "Perspectives Psychosociales Et Cliniques Du Piercing"

Hana: As a follow up to the video I posted, here is an article demonstrating the French perception of why people get body modifications (specifically, piercings and tattoos). It is very rare for a French person to get a piercing on their face, or to dramatically change their appearance; therefore, French people either react with disgust or with awe (gaining a connection, respect, and understanding). One explanation for body modification in adolescence is being a right of passage. This generation has moved farther away from spirituality, and gives them an identity. Along those lines, if someone has suffered a great loss, like becoming an orphan, parents divorcing, and it allows them a way to get what was inside to the outside, to help them move on with their lives. "La motivation principale au piercing semble porter sur la recherche de l’individualité, voire de l’identité personnelle." (The main motivation to get a piercing seems to be the search for individuality or personal identity). They can also be used to as an autobiography. Personally, I can relate, when I was in Israel I met a girl from near where I lived, and when we returned to the States, we got piercings together to commemorate the trip and out friendship. The article finishes with the possibility of people becoming addicted to the feeling they get when they get a tattoo or piercing. I have heard this is true, many of my friends say they were planning their next tattoo right after they got their first. Again, I can also relate, because after I got my second earlobe piercing I wanted to get my cartilage pierced, but I waited for a special occasion (going to Israel). 

This article is very interesting, but how does it relate to FGM? My intent was to show what kind of modifications are legal, and the justifications behind them. From what I am understanding, piercings and tattoos are about self expression, and are voluntary. Where, FGM, is perpetuated by culture (the group), but it is (within the culture) for their girls own good and future prospects. FGM helps a girl fit into her nuclear culture, where over tattooing and piercing isolates them from the larger culture, but gives them a subculture to thrive in. However, the main difference (that I find to be the most important) is the matter of choice. Girls do not have the choice of getting a FGM, where I have the choice of getting a tattoo or not. Now, having this emphasis of choice, is this a Western Ideal? Can I keep this ideal and still consider myself a cultural relativist? For right now, I'm going to say it's a Western Ideal, and by not being able to shake this ideal, I cannot claim to be a cultural relativist, and may have found a limit. 

http://piercingoral.wordpress.com/perspectives-psychosociales-et-cliniques-du-piercing/