Poking Holes in the Piercing Law

Whose body is it, anyway? Teens have a right to have their ears pierced, but not any other body parts, according to a law passed by the California Legislature and signed by Gov. Pete Wilson. The new law, which takes effect Jan. 1, makes body piercing illegal for those under 18 unless a parent is present or provides notarized permission. Ears are exempt. JANE SPILLER talked with young people about the law and the requirement for parental consent.

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ROBIN PETCOFF

15, West Los Angeles

It’s stupid. You can put a ring in your ear, why not anywhere else? Adults who are more straight-edge don’t understand that piercing is not something weird or freakish. It’s just something that you like. It’s something you are doing to yourself. Why should other people ban that when it’s your own body?

I like the style. It’s kind of off the wall and kind of crazy. It spices things up. It’s kind of an addicting thing too, because when I first got my eyebrow done--like right when they did it--I was like “Oh man, I gotta get another one. What am I gonna get next?” It’s something you want to do over and over again. I got my belly done a week ago. I think I’m gonna get my tongue soon. When I’m 18, I’m gonna get my nipples pierced.

Piercing is not something totally permanent like a tattoo. I’d think you’d need to be older for a tattoo because until you’re older you don’t fully know who you are and this is going to be on your body for a long time.

I don’t think there should be any rules on piercing. I’d probably have somebody older say they were my guardian. I’m sure I could find somebody to do it.

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CANDY CASTRO

18, Hawthorne

If you’re under 17, you should have your parents’ permission, cause you know your parents will be like “Aahhhh, oh my God.”

But I did it myself. I pierced the little dip that’s in between your chin and your lip, at home, when I was 17. I got a needle and alcohol and numbed it with some ice and just poked it through myself. Some girl at school had it and it looked cute so I decided to do it too. But I had to take it out when I went to Mexico. My mom got mad; she didn’t want the family to see crazy stuff like that. I pierced the top part of my lip too, and I had to take that out also.

I pierced my tongue on a bet with my cousin to see if I had guts enough to do it. My tongue feels a little weird. I have to chew on the side and I sound like Sylvester, the cartoon character.

Piercing is a style, like tattoos were in but now body piercing is in. But kids under 16 or 17 should tell their parents, because they don’t really know how to take care of it, like clean it and stuff like that. It could get infected.

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ARISTIDE JAMON

16, Santa Monica

I can’t believe Gov. Wilson is trying to pull that law thing. A piercing is a piercing, it’s not like smoking cigarettes or something.

I have my left nipple and my bellybutton pierced. I’m thinking about getting the top of my nose between my eyes. A piercing that doesn’t hurt isn’t really a piercing. It’s kind of like an endurance test.

I got mine without my parents’ permission. I came home and said “Look Mom, I got pierced.” I was working and had money so she couldn’t really say much.

It’s true that if kids are irresponsible and they get a piercing they could get infected. Their parents could probably sue the piercer. The law’s kind of logical for kids who are irresponsible, meaning they don’t clean their piercing.

I would have asked for permission. She would have come down or I would have found my friend’s mom or something. I would have broken the law.

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DAISY MUNOZ

24, body piercer

I’ve been doing body piercing for more than three years and I always ask for proof of age. I don’t want some parent coming in here screaming at me.

Between 15 and 21 is the big age range for it. It’s like “Wow this is cool; we’re gonna shock everybody. We’re cool, we’re bad.”

It’s addictive, same thing like with tattoos. People get one and it really didn’t hurt and it’s cool and it’s fun to have and everybody comments on it and then they want to get another one right away. I’ve seen it.