The Following Story is brought to you by Mexican Silver
Recently the wife and I moved from Erie into Hoboken. Obviously one of the main components of moving from city to another is finding new employment. Emily was immediately hired during her first interview. Her employer made one request of her, though.
She has to lose her nose ring.
This made me chuckle for a couple of reasons. Emily and I come from rural part of northwestern Pennsylvania. She worked two separate jobs in the area in the last two years and neither one of those places were concerned with the pin-sized ring on the left side of her nose. It's somewhat funny to me that any place in the New York/New Jersey area would find her facial jewelry to be offensive.
It struck me as odd in general that her employer would ask her to do this. As I've said her ring is a very small one. It is not a hoop or anything of the sort. She has had it for years and quite frankly I don't even notice it anymore. I find it hard to believe that anybody looking at her would be distracted by it.
I began to wonder about facial jewelry and body art in general. We are always told as young Americans about the importance of self-expression, yet the minute we are “adults” things like body art and facial jewelry become taboo. In this day and age just what is so offensive with facial jewelry or body art?
I for one don't find facial jewelry to be that attractive. However, I don't find them offensive or distracting. Body art has become almost commonplace anymore. Everywhere you go tattoos are seen on people of all ages and races. It doesn't matter if you are in a small town or a large city. Seeing a young man have a tribal tattoo across his arm or a young woman with a tattoo on her lower back is almost commonplace anymore.
Haven't we come to the point in American society where we no longer judge an individual because of what they choose to do with their appearance? This is 2007, after all. There are a lot of things in society that I don't personally like. I don't find these things so offensive, though, that they would upset my everyday life.
Obviously there is a line that can be crossed. Any body art that advocate violence, racism, or any other social norm should be covered up in a place of employment. As for the face I feel that the only real offensive thing would be to have a tongue ring. I could see how somebody would be bothered by this because of the sexual innuendo that has evolved from having one.
I have always found it hypocritical that it is never a big deal when somebody gets their ears pierced yet the world stops if anything else above the neck has jewelry. People have always told me that this has to do with the fact that hair often blocks earrings being seen in plain sight. Not everybody with earrings has short hair, though. If Em were to cut off her long hair I doubt very much that anybody would make her remove earrings on the job.
It's about time that companies, no matter what business they are in, begin evaluating individuals based upon qualifications and experience. Besides, if it were to be known that a Fortune 500 company were refusing to hire individuals because they were “ugly” a public relations nightmare would ensue. The simple truth of the matter is that not everybody with either facial jewelry or body art is a criminal, punk, or rock-star wannabe. It's time that we as a society finally come to that realization.
More info on Mexican Silver can be found on our main site!