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....Ignorance is not bliss

At first my parents hated the notion of body modification. I first began stretching my ears in 8th grade, and reached 10g when my mother decided to rip one of them out of my ear. I stopped until I reached 10th grade, when I began stretching again. From there on out, whenever I got larger, and my mom questioned me about it, I just told her I changed jewelry. Haha. By the time I was a senior in high school, I was already at about 1/2" or 5/8" I can't even remember. It was then that the whole, "I just changed jewelry" story didn't work anymore.
But by my senior year, I had already gotten a tattoo {that my dad went with me to get - he was the first out of my parents to accept my physical changes}, and had some more piercings.

Nearing the end of my senior year {I was 18 at this point}, I was decked out in long black dreads, two tattoos {the one my dad went with me to get, and a second on my neck that my mom went with me to get - she got one while we were at the parlor as well hehe}, two lip piercings, a septum piercing, several in my ears, and bridge piercing. At around this time, the struggle between my mom and me about my appearance had reached its end and my mother decided to accept me for who I was and supported anything I did full heartily. It came as a huge surprise to me, as I figured the rest of my life, she would be hounding me for how I looked. But that wasn't the case, thankfully. razz

I'm now 20-years-old, with 5 tattoos and 12 piercings. I've since retired a lot of my piercings due to healing issues as well as school-related issues {after high school I entered cosmetology school, and we had a strict facial piercing rule. I removed three - 'snakebites'/2 lip piercings and my bridge, and flipped my septum up my nose}.

I'm at the point now where I'm content with the piercings I have, and am focusing more on my tattoos. I might get more piercings in a little while, however. I'm planning on getting two lip piercings on the right side of my lip and possibly removing my center lip, or at least wearing a retainer for the majority of the time unless I feel like putting in jewelry.

My parents, as well as the majority of my family have finally accepted my physical appearance, even though now it's not as dramatic looking as when I was in school {omg talk about being a total goth in school haha}, and I'm really pleased that they've come to terms with themselves and gotten over it. I'm still the same person as I've always been, and no matter how many body modifications I get, that won't change. I think they've finally realized that.

My parents are finally okay with piercings. They can be taken out so they've just given up on trying to stop me.

When my mom noticed I was stretching my ears she just tried to warn me that I can never go back once I get too big but she was okay with it. "Just dont let your grandma see" is what she said.

I just got my first tattoo though so they sort of freaked about. My dad hates tattoos. He thinks Im the biggest idiot but I don't care.

My mom actually likes it but she thinks its a bit too big and she is disappointed because according to her now I can't wear a strapless wedding dress. But I'm 18 and single with marriage far off in the future, so that sort of creeped me out.

They say nothing.

I only have my ear lobes stretched to an 8g (3mm)
So.. they shouldn't really say much to me.

I'm not allowed to stretch my ears any farther.
And.. I can't say anything back to my Mother.
I'm only 16, so.. yeah.

I'm hoping she'll let me get some piercings I want.
But.. she's so strict with piercings.

:C

My parents raised me in a pretty liberal, "punk rock" kind of way, so mods have never really been a problem in my family. My mom has always been really supportive of what I do, I mean hell, I started stretching my ears at 11/12 (over ten years ago... I feel old now). She even took me to get my second tattoo. My dad is apathetic. He doesn't have any piercings or tattoos (my mom has piercings, no tattoos). They really don't care what I do with my body as long as I'm not hurting anyone.

On the other hand, my grandparents (mom's parents) are suuuper conservative and Catholic. Every time I get a new tattoo, piercing, or change my hair they ask, "Why do you want to do that to yourself?" I suppose it boils down to the difference in generations. My grandfather is almost 90 and he was in WWII so he still thinks of tattoos as only being for whores and sailors.

A funny story about my grandparents the first time they met my husband (when he and I first started dating):

My husband has his septum pierced and didn't flip up his jewelry when he went to meet my grandparents. My grandparents seemed to like him and they talked for a while.

A few days later my grandfather was driving me to my drawing class (I don't have a car) and he said, "That boy you brought over seemed nice; he seemed like a good ol' country boy. I felt so sorry for him, though. He had big hairs growing out of his nose."

"Grandpa," I said, "that wasn't hair, that was jewelry from a piercing."

My grandfather replied, "Piercing?! Like a bull ring? Oh how ugly can people get! You hang out with some real freaks."

Now my grandparents love my husband (my whole family does) but I thought that situation was just hilarious.

My mother hated it when I got my lip pierced. She finally accepted it, on the grounds that it was the only piercing I wanted at the time, and I wouldn't be getting a tattoo (as far as she knows anyway...)

My dad doesn't really care about piercings, but he hates most tattoos...

My grandfather hates that I got my lip pierced... every time I see him he threatens to rip the jewelry out of my lip. My grandmother never said anything about it, other than asking why I got it... The rest of my family just asked what was on my lip the first time they saw it, with the exception of one of my cousins, who just said he liked it, lol.

My parents and my family in general is completely against it. It's gotten to the point where I don't even bother to tell them what I have planned to get done anymore. They just get pissy, tells me I'm ruining my life and stuff.
My father is the one who hates it the most. He's like "no one will want you when you look like that!", etc.

My siblings are more supportive, but they still believe it's all just a phase I'm going through.

But it's alright, I can deal with it.