It all began when I was about 12 or 13, I wanted my ears pierced. Of course my Mom didn't approve of this at all but that didn't stop me. The summer after I turned 13 I finally asked my Dad if he would take me to get my ears pierced. He told me that he didn't want any trouble from my Mom, so I was only allowed to get my left lobe pierced. My Dad lived in Wisconsin at the time; I was visiting him over the summer, so I had time to figure out how to approach my Mom with the news. When I returned, I just flat out told her. She definitely didn't like it but she let me keep it.
At A Glance Author Alexander the Great Contact Alexander the Great@bme.anon When N/A Artist Bethra Szumski Studio Virtue and Vice Location Atlanta, GA Well of course I couldn't suffice with just one ear; I wanted my other ear pierced as well. So I asked my Dad a second time if he would take me. Once again he told me he didn't want any trouble from my Mom but he took me anyway. This was the Winter break right before my 14th birthday, so he kind of considered it my birthday present. That was fine with me because it is what I really wanted. This time I didn't tell my Mom about the new piercing for fear that she would make me take it out. Now I have had really long hair since I was 13, so I was able to get by with it for about a week or two after I got back. Everything was fine and I thought I had gotten away with it. Then to my surprise, I got sick. I had to go the doctor to find out I had an ear infection, not from the piercing, but in my ear canal. So the doctor had to flush my ears out to get rid of the build up of ear wax. She pulled back my hair and began. At first I thought my Mom wasn't going to notice but sure enough a fter a couple of minutes she said something. When we got home this was the choice I was left with: I could keep the piercing and lose my allowance (which was a big deal at the time because I wasn't old enough to have a job) or take the piercing out. Well I chose to take it out. I was so frustrated because I didn't understand why she cared so much. If a girl can have her ears pierced, why can't I? Her answer was that it was rebellious for a guy to pierce his ears. So I just had to deal with it.
A couple years went by and I was a sophomore in high school. I had a new girlfriend that was obsessed with piercing. She told me she would pierce my upper cartilage on my right ear for me. Of course I wanted to do this because I knew my Mom would never see it because of my long hair. So one day when she was over, I let her do it. Boy I tell you what, piercing your cartilage with a safety pin is horrendous. I will never do that again for sure and neither should anyone for that matter, bad idea. Anyway, when she was done she stuck a girly looking 20g ring in the piercing. I didn't really care because I had a new piercing and that was awesome. I kept it hidden for a good six months, I suppose. Of course one time when I was running my hand through my hair, not thinking about it, she saw it. She told me once again if I didn't take it out she would take away my allowance and I couldn't get my driver's license. So of course with that threat I immediately took it out.
Once again a couple years passed. I had stretched my only piercing, my left lobe, to an 8g size. I kept it that way until my 18th birthday finally arrived. At this point I had already told my Mom that I was getting my other ear pierced even if she didn't like it. So the day I turned 18 I went to a place called Virtue and Vice in downtown Atlanta. This is a strictly piercing shop, no tattoos. My friend Noel came with me because I didn't want to go by myself. I had already decided I wanted to go ahead and get my labret pierced as well. I told Bethra, the shop owner, I had my left lobe already stretched to 8g. So I got my right lobe pierced at 6g and my left lobe stretched to a 6g. I cannot tell you how excited I was to finally have both my ears pierced for the first time since I was 14. On the way home I had to drop Noel off at work. Most of my friends work there as well, so I got to show off my new piercings for the first time. So when I got home finally, I got to show my Mom. Amazingly enough she really had nothing to say. It didn't surprise me because I know she didn't like it but she knew that's what I wanted and she finally couldn't stop me from doing it.
My lobes are currently stretched to 7/8ths (22mm) and my labret, which was pierced at 14g, is now currently stretched to 8g. I also got my septum pierced not too long ago at the same studio. I really like the place and plan to go back for the rest of my piercings.