Body modification, whether in the form of piercings or tattoos or brandings, is becoming increasingly common.
"It seems like piercings and tattoos are moving toward acceptance," professor of Psychology at New College of Florida Dr. Jonathon Roberti said. "Over 25 percent of college students had tattoos back in 1999, and body modification numbers have probably continued to rise."
Roberti has done a great deal of research concerning the reasons why people have their bodies modified.
Psychological Reasons
Body modification for the sake of a loved one is not uncommon, Roberti said.
"It helps some people deal with traumatic events. Piercings and tattoos are therapy for some people," Roberti said.
In his research, Roberti said he has noticed a strong correlation between the amount of piercings a person has and the number of past traumas that person has experienced.
"Sometimes these are sexual traumas but not always. The reasons really do vary from person to person," he said.
After her dog died, Ball State sophomore Ali Zuidervliet got a tattoo to remember him by.
"I got a paw print on my hip," Zuidervliet said. "I couldn't emotionally deal with it. I had to give myself physical pain."
Ball State sophomore Ryan Carney got a tattoo because he said it brought him closer to his father.
"My dad has this tattoo of a mouse smoking a cigarette. He's had it for a long time. I wanted to have the same tattoo he had," Carney said.
Performance Reasons
With gaping 1.625-inch ear piercings, dreadlocks and a forked tongue, Ball State senior Allen Diamond -- pronounced "Dumond" -- is a sight to behold.
Despite his eccentric appearance, Diamond said he has yet to experience any significant discrimination.
"Back when I was an education major, I got accepted to student teach at a local middle school," Diamond said.
Diamond said he also got a job working at a tractor supply company.
"The ones in my ears weren't as big back then, but I still had my Lebret pierced," he said. The Lebret is the lower lip.
The Lebret and earlobe piercings are not the end of Diamond's body modification. He has also experienced the king cobra of body piercings, the suspension.
At a recent exhibition, Diamond was suspended by hooks that were put through the skin on the sides of his knees.
"I'm not sure why I did it; that's a good question, " he said. "It's fun; I enjoyed it."
At the same performance, Ball State junior Katie Romanowski's performance was a little more on the mundane side.
Romanowski attached chains to her earlobes and pulled some friends of hers around in a wagon.
"I couldn't do a suspension; it wasn't an option. I did a pull because I plan to suspend, eventually," she said.
Sexual Reasons
In his research, Roberti has found that the type of people who have multiple body modifications almost always have a high sensation-seeking impulse. This is especially true in females, he said.
Ball State sophomore Annie Devery is the president of the BSU Body Modification Community. She has numerous modifications including tattoos, brandings and piercings. Most notable of these is the piercing on her genitalia.
"I got it done after my boyfriend and I broke up. It was just something I wanted to do," she said.
But sensation seeking is not restricted to just females. Some males get body modifications in the hopes of pleasing their partners.
Ball State sophomore Brandon Klinefelter said he got his tongue pierced for two reasons.
"I got it done really just because I could, also for my girlfriend. She says it makes a big difference," he said.
Religious Reasons
In American culture, getting a body modification has historically been seen as an act of rebellion but in some cultures it is an act of extreme submission.
The Rev. Nabil Hanna is pastor at St. George Orthodox Church in Indianapolis. He is also a Spiritual Advisor to the BSU Orthodox Christian Fellowship.
Hanna said body modification has a long history among certain Christian groups.
"It's an ancient tradition that stems from slavery; that's what it was invented for," Hannah said.
Hannah said that in ancient times having a tattoo meant a person was a slave, and tattoos helped to determine ownership.
"By having themselves marked with the symbol for Christ, it showed that these people considered themselves Slaves oxf God," he said.
In Ethipoia, this custom has held on to some degree. Although the practice has fallen out of favor in modern times, facial tattoos can still be found among some members of the Ethipoian Orthodox Church, Hanna said.
Read More
Three Air Jam teams take home the win
October 12, 2012Nineteen teams shimmied, shook and flipped for a sold out John R. Emens Auditorium on Thursday night during the 25th annual Air Jam.
Bill Clinton Speaks at North Central High School
October 12, 2012Former President's Speech Could Have Effect on State Senate Race
