Cultural significance of ear piercing

Liz4444

So I have been trying to get an answer to this on 3rd tri and no one seems to want to give one. To those of you who say ear piercing is culturally significant to you, why is it? Where did it begin?

I'm honestly trying to learn something here and either no one there knows the answer or they are just holding out on me. I just want an explanation of how and why ear piercing is significant in your culture to better my own understanding.

Help me be a smarter person!!!!

KikiCohen

MrsErinH:

Okay, this is not my culture, but this is what has been explained to me by my aunt (whose ex-H is from Spain).

Basically, it is culturally significant in Spain because they do not dress their kids in pink or blue to denote what sex they are.  They pierce the little girls' ears.  That way people basically know what gender the child is.  I'm guessing they also might believe that it is less painful for a baby to have their ears pierced than an older person (similar to the idea that circumcision is less painful for a baby).  

I could be all wrong, but that's my understanding of it. 

My aunt is Honduran, and this is the same explanation that I've heard from her. 

mrschristinalou

MrsErinH:

Okay, this is not my culture, but this is what has been explained to me by my aunt whose exH is from Spain. Basically, it is culturally significant in Spain because they do not dress their kids in pink or blue to denote what sex they are.nbsp; They pierce the little girls' ears.nbsp; That way people basically know what gender the child is.nbsp; I'm guessing they also might believe that it is less painful for a baby to have their ears pierced than an older person similar to the idea that circumcision is less painful for a baby. nbsp;I could be all wrong, but that's my understanding of it.nbsp;

This is it. I'm Cuban, and plan on piercing my DDs ears as early as the pediatrician will allow.

ceechie

My husband is Indian and his family could not believe I wasn't piercing my DD's ears when she was born. My MIL even questioned me about why the pediatrician wasn't just doing this for us. I said because he is an older Jewish gentleman and I don't think he has the eye for it. And insurance doesn't really cover. Aunties from India even sent beautiful gold and diamond earrings for her as birth present. They just see it as an aesthetically pleasing ritual for baby girls. It's more of a celebration than to make her more beautiful. Adornment more han enhancement.
While I am a Midwestern and catholic. We always got our ears done when we got good grades and it was a reward. I figured that's what we'd do with our dd.
In the end, I broke down at 2 and half yo for my SIL's wedding. DD had begged her dad for them. And of course he didn't have an issue with it.

iriscarmendiaz

I dont recall a specific reason in our cultures Cuban and Jamaican, but unless my husband seriously objects, our daughters ears wilk be pierced sometime before 2, just like I was.

eggymaye

mrschristinalou:

MrsErinH:

Okay, this is not my culture, but this is what has been explained to me by my aunt whose exH is from Spain. Basically, it is culturally significant in Spain because they do not dress their kids in pink or blue to denote what sex they are.nbsp; They pierce the little girls' ears.nbsp; That way people basically know what gender the child is.nbsp; I'm guessing they also might believe that it is less painful for a baby to have their ears pierced than an older person similar to the idea that circumcision is less painful for a baby. nbsp;I could be all wrong, but that's my understanding of it.nbsp;

This is it. I'm Cuban, and plan on piercing my DDs ears as early as the pediatrician will allow.

I'm Dominican and the reasons are twofold to denote gender of the baby and because it is thought to be less painful and easier to manage than when the child is older.

PrimRoseMama

maryannespier:

I just wanted to say that I'm thrilled that SunnyMuffin just showed up on your post on 3rd Tri, and excited to see where it will go from there.

Penis Crusader! Buwhaha!

[Deleted User]

PrimRoseMama:

maryannespier:

I just wanted to say that I'm thrilled that SunnyMuffin just showed up on your post on 3rd Tri, and excited to see where it will go from there.

Penis Crusader! Buwhaha!

Hahaha...going to check this out now...

luvmyducks

I don't have much to contribute--just an observation.  It seems that when our generation were babies/toddlers, it was common for us to have our ears pierced no matter the culture.  At least that seemed to be the case where I grew up and pretty much everyone I know who has their ears pierced told me it was done as a baby (all different cultures).

In my area today, it seems like Hispanic baby girls are almost the only baby girls that I see with ears pierced.  So I've always assumed it was part of their culture, but didn't know any reasons behind it.  I'm in MOMs Club, so there are over 75 families that I am around on a fairly consistent basis--I actually have not seen any of the baby/toddler aged kids with their ears pierced, and there are all different cultures in our club.

FancyFrenchie

EAGUIRRE2:

eggymaye:

mrschristinalou:

MrsErinH:

Okay, this is not my culture, but this is what has been explained to me by my aunt whose exH is from Spain. Basically, it is culturally significant in Spain because they do not dress their kids in pink or blue to denote what sex they are.nbsp; They pierce the little girls' ears.nbsp; That way people basically know what gender the child is.nbsp; I'm guessing they also might believe that it is less painful for a baby to have their ears pierced than an older person similar to the idea that circumcision is less painful for a baby. nbsp;I could be all wrong, but that's my understanding of it.nbsp;

This is it. I'm Cuban, and plan on piercing my DDs ears as early as the pediatrician will allow.

I'm Dominican and the reasons are twofold to denote gender of the baby and because it is thought to be less painful and easier to manage than when the child is older.

I am of Mexican background and for our family its also what eggymaye  said. Cultures in Asia, the Middle East and many others, can have similar or different reasons to do it also. I don't think there is just one reason for everyone and just like anything some practices can change in significance with new generations.....I hope that is helpful.

 

I live in Mexico and it's definitely not the case. People definitely dress their babies in blue/pink depending on the sex. People pierce their babies' ears just because they want to and probably has to do with the whole culture of "looking nice" - nails, hair done, etc...

Liz4444

Thank you ladies, it has been very informative. I appreciate it.

Now, why is it the ladies here don't hesitate to answer a straight forward question, but on 3rd tri I repeated myself three times and still nothing?

kathleen02

mystererae:

mrschristinalou:

MrsErinH:

Okay, this is not my culture, but this is what has been explained to me by my aunt whose exH is from Spain. Basically, it is culturally significant in Spain because they do not dress their kids in pink or blue to denote what sex they are.nbsp; They pierce the little girls' ears.nbsp; That way people basically know what gender the child is.nbsp; I'm guessing they also might believe that it is less painful for a baby to have their ears pierced than an older person similar to the idea that circumcision is less painful for a baby. nbsp;I could be all wrong, but that's my understanding of it.nbsp;

This is it. I'm Cuban, and plan on piercing my DDs ears as early as the pediatrician will allow.

Yep, I'm Filipina and I will pierce my little girl's ears some time in the first year assuming it's allowed. One of my friends (also Filipina) did not get her ears pierced as a baby and was too scared to do it until a couple years ago. She wished her parents had followed the cultural tradition and gotten it out of the way as well. 

Well, that's a little silly she was scared for so long. It's not that painful. Waxing is more painful IMO.

I also don't get that if it's culturally to indicate a baby girl vs. baby boy then why do most baby girls who do have theirs ears pierced wear the frilliest of pink outfits?

eggymaye

Liz4444:

Thank you ladies, it has been very informative. I appreciate it. Now, why is it the ladies here don't hesitate to answer a straight forward question, but on 3rd tri I repeated myself three times and still nothing?

Sorry I replied to your post there too, but then I forgot which one I posted on and posted clarification on this one thinking it was the other one. 

eggymaye

kathleen02:

Well, that's a little silly she was scared for so long. It's not that painful. Waxing is more painful IMO.

I also don't get that if it's culturally to indicate a baby girl vs. baby boy then why do most baby girls who do have theirs ears pierced wear the frilliest of pink outfits?

My niece kept on backing out on it until she was 14.  She was a little scared, and I am pretty sure that if she waxed my brother would have a fit of epic proportions.  As for the second part of your response: back in the day all babies wore white, where my mom comes from anyway.  There was no way to differentiate, now it is just tradition like when "American" families have turkey for Thanksgiving. The original reason for the turkey is long gone, but you have it at Thanksgiving dinner because that's just the way it has been done for so long. 

ETA: I put American in quotes because while I am American, we do a Dominican Thanksgiving and there is no turkey in sight.  

Jasmineeelizabeth

kathleen02:

Well, that's a little silly she was scared for so long. It's not that painful. Waxing is more painful IMO.

I also don't get that if it's culturally to indicate a baby girl vs. baby boy then why do most baby girls who do have theirs ears pierced wear the frilliest of pink outfits?

I wouldn't brush my hair when I was a kid so my mom gave me a mushroom cut. Everyone started mistaking me for a boy, everyone. Kids were really mean at school, one time they stood around chanting "You're a boy, you're a boy!" So she took me to get my ears pierced. I got one done and was too scared to get the other one done so everyone was sure then I was a boy.

True story. 

Liz4444

EAGUIRRE2:

eggymaye:

Liz4444:

Thank you ladies, it has been very informative. I appreciate it.

Now, why is it the ladies here don't hesitate to answer a straight forward question, but on 3rd tri I repeated myself three times and still nothing?

Sorry I replied to your post there too, but then I forgot which one I posted on and posted clarification on this one thinking it was the other one. 

Lol, I posted on there too but clarified on here because I saw it on here before returning to the 3rd Tri post. So as you can see some of us from there did give you a straight answer.

Thank you!

sparkymcgeee

maryannespier:

I just wanted to say that I'm thrilled that SunnyMuffin just showed up on your post on 3rd Tri, and excited to see where it will go from there.

I loled at this too. 

EagleWife

Jasmineeelizabeth:

kathleen02:

Well, that's a little silly she was scared for so long. It's not that painful. Waxing is more painful IMO.

I also don't get that if it's culturally to indicate a baby girl vs. baby boy then why do most baby girls who do have theirs ears pierced wear the frilliest of pink outfits?

I wouldn't brush my hair when I was a kid so my mom gave me a mushroom cut. Everyone started mistaking me for a boy, everyone. Kids were really mean at school, one time they stood around chanting "You're a boy, you're a boy!" So she took me to get my ears pierced. I got one done and was too scared to get the other one done so everyone was sure then I was a boy.

True story. 

 

Nooooooooooo. How long did you go with one pierced ear? And which ear was first?

 Can't comment on the cultural significance as I did not pierce my ears until I was 22 and don't plan on piercing LOs ears for her. She can decide if she wants them when she is old enough ( though I have no idea when that would be.)

i personally don't love wearing lots of different earrings and probably wouldn't have minded if I never got them pierced. DH did get me some nice studs that I wear all the time, but I rarely change them out.