# Conservative Dopers- would this bother you? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 10, 2011, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-dopers-would-this-bother-you/584938 "2011-06-10T02:52:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-dopers-would-this-bother-you/584938/21 "2011-06-10T04:26:02Z")
> [@YaraMateo](#): > > Where I live (on the East coast), you can’t get a professional job with facial body art. Even high end retail jobs will not hire you. Maybe in other parts of the country it’s different, but not here. I don’t consider bank teller to be a great job, but you can’t do that either here. Maybe I should start referring to the midwest as “half way to the left coast” then. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-dopers-would-this-bother-you/584938/22 "2011-06-10T04:30:37Z")
> [@Sierra\_Indigo](#): > > So what you’re saying is that “where I live” you can’t get a corporate job with a facial piercing. But then I gave him an example of people that work a corporate job with facial piercings and it was dismissed because he doesn’t consider it a good job. It’s hard to argue with a moving target. ---
**Author:** ![YaraMateo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/58f4c7/32.png) [@YaraMateo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YaraMateo)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-dopers-would-this-bother-you/584938/23 "2011-06-10T04:30:41Z")
> [@Sierra\_Indigo](#): > > So what you’re saying is that “where I live” you can’t get a corporate job with a facial piercing. > > Perhaps sweeping generalised statements aren’t the way to go. Hmmm. > > And you may not consider bank teller a “great job” but it’s still a corporate job in a traditionally conservative area. Most banks still have quite strict dress codes including uniforms, and suits for higher-up salespeople and managers. > > Incidentally, I also knew a guy who was a rocket scientist for the Defence Science Technology Organisation who had facial tattoos too. Interestingly the government thought his ability to, you know, work on rockets and defence projects was more relevant than what was inked on his face. Well, like I said, they seem immature. I wouldn’t want to deal with him. That’s just my opinion. ---
**Author:** ![YaraMateo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/58f4c7/32.png) [@YaraMateo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YaraMateo)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-dopers-would-this-bother-you/584938/24 "2011-06-10T04:31:43Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > But then I gave him an example of people that work a corporate job with facial piercings and it was dismissed because he doesn’t consider it a good job. It’s hard to argue with a moving target. No, I didn’t. I said I don’t consider it a good job, but they won’t hire you for that here if you have body art on your face. ---
**Author:** ![Sierra\_Indigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@Sierra\_Indigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sierra_Indigo)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-dopers-would-this-bother-you/584938/25 "2011-06-10T04:34:24Z")
> [@YaraMateo](#): > > No, I didn’t. I said I don’t consider it a good job, but they won’t hire you for that here if you have body art on your face. So where’s the line? A corporate job or a “good” job? You were given an example of a corporate job where it’s now no big deal to have a discreet facial piercing, and you dismissed it because it’s not a “good” job in your mind, despite that banks are corporate workplaces, which was your initial yardstick. ---
**Author:** ![Sierra\_Indigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@Sierra\_Indigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sierra_Indigo)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-dopers-would-this-bother-you/584938/26 "2011-06-10T04:36:33Z")
Oh and by the way, the rocket scientist? He’s a [Maori](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T%C4%81_moko). ---
**Author:** ![Farmer\_Jane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Farmer\_Jane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Farmer_Jane)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-dopers-would-this-bother-you/584938/27 "2011-06-10T04:37:08Z")
It’s still a sign of rebellion, so I can see the raised eyebrows. It is also kind of like my zebra bag or my Smashbox eyeshadow\*: I am trendy, therefore I am not conservative. I probably support gay marriage and have had sex outside of marriage. Hell, I’m not even married. Isn’t my figure nice?\* edit: Even though my son’s day school is pretty liberal, I am careful about what I wear. I’m actually pretty conservative by twenty six year old standards (I keep stuff covered - I rarely even show cleavage or wear sleeveless shirts) but certain colors or prints may set me apart. So…I keep that in mind. ---
**Author:** ![YaraMateo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/58f4c7/32.png) [@YaraMateo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YaraMateo)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-dopers-would-this-bother-you/584938/28 "2011-06-10T04:38:39Z")
> [@Sierra\_Indigo](#): > > So where’s the line? A corporate job or a “good” job? You were given an example of a corporate job where it’s now no big deal to have a discreet facial piercing, and you dismissed it because it’s not a “good” job in your mind, despite that banks are corporate workplaces, which was your initial yardstick. At all of the banks I’ve been to in my area, they don’t allow tellers to have body art on their faces. So, that’s my point. I’m not going to make a list of jobs I like and don’t like here. It was about nose piercings. My point is where I live, they don’t even allow you to have body art on your face even at jobs that don’t pay well. So, MOST people that have body art on their faces probably have low paying jobs. ---
**Author:** ![Sierra\_Indigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@Sierra\_Indigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sierra_Indigo)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-dopers-would-this-bother-you/584938/29 "2011-06-10T04:41:46Z")
You said > [@](#): > > "It would bother me on anyone, man or woman, of a certain age. I’ll say tha age is roughly 22. Facial piercings and tattoos are a turn off for me in general. I think at a certain age it shows a lack of maturity. What adults wants such a thing on their face. What job does such an adult work at? Not a corporate one. " It was only after being called on it that you backtracked with the “Oh, around here on the East Coast”, and tacked on “Bank teller is not a great job” when given a couple of examples of corporate jobs where people with piercings and facial art do/have worked. Perhaps it behooves you to be a bit more specific about your judgemental bullshit rather than throwing out sweeping generalisations that are easily proven wrong. ---
**Author:** ![antonio107](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7ea924/32.png) [@antonio107](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/antonio107)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-dopers-would-this-bother-you/584938/30 "2011-06-10T04:42:00Z")
Are you talking a stud or a full on nose RING, like a septum piercing? My girlfriend wanted to get a septum piercing a while back, and I managed to talk her out of it. It looks so stupid. If it’s a little “sparkly zit” stud, I still think that’s for girls under the age of twenty, but it’s no different than that lady who used to direct my church choir, who had the rainbow socks with the individual toe-holes. Just makes you look like a hippy, IMO. No real social stigmatism. ---
**Author:** ![Farmer\_Jane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Farmer\_Jane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Farmer_Jane)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-dopers-would-this-bother-you/584938/31 "2011-06-10T04:43:07Z")
> [@YaraMateo](#): > > At all of the banks I’ve been to in my area, they don’t allow tellers to have body art on their faces. So, that’s my point. I’m not going to make a list of jobs I like and don’t like here. It was about nose piercings. My point is where I live, they don’t even allow you to have body art on your face even at jobs that don’t pay well.\*\* So, MOST people that have body art on their faces probably have low paying jobs.\*\* …unless you are an engineer, a doctor, a writer, a teacher, a movie producer…or something that doesn’t require you to put on a prim, proper & boring appearance. Bankers look so fucking sad. ---
**Author:** ![YaraMateo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/58f4c7/32.png) [@YaraMateo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YaraMateo)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-dopers-would-this-bother-you/584938/32 "2011-06-10T04:46:13Z")
> [@Sierra\_Indigo](#): > > You said > > It was only after being called on it that you backtracked with the “Oh, around here on the East Coast”, and tacked on “Bank teller is not a great job” when given a couple of examples of corporate jobs where people with piercings and facial art do/have worked. > > Perhaps it behooves you to be a bit more specific about your judgemental bullshit rather than throwing out sweeping generalisations that are easily proven wrong. How many times do I have to go over this? I never said bank tellers don’t count because I think it’s a bad job. I said it’s a bad job, but they can’t have it (facial piercings) either. ---
**Author:** ![FloatyGimpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/floatygimpy/32/7750_2.png) [@FloatyGimpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FloatyGimpy)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-dopers-would-this-bother-you/584938/33 "2011-06-10T04:47:31Z")
> [@Sierra\_Indigo](#): > > I work for the Federal Government, actually. > > The responses to my nose piercing have ranged from “Oh, that’s cool!” to “Wow, I didn’t even notice it, when did you have that done?” (after I’d mentioned in an offhand way that the piercing was itching one day). I work for the government as well. In an office setting where clothing is business professional and there are a number of ladies with a small nose piercing. I’ve yet to ever hear a single person say anything negative about it at all. I think they look lovely. ---
**Author:** ![YaraMateo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/58f4c7/32.png) [@YaraMateo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YaraMateo)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-dopers-would-this-bother-you/584938/34 "2011-06-10T04:47:50Z")
This thread is going to make me rip out the next facial piercing I see. hehe ---
**Author:** ![Sierra\_Indigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@Sierra\_Indigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sierra_Indigo)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-dopers-would-this-bother-you/584938/35 "2011-06-10T04:49:51Z")
> [@YaraMateo](#): > > This thread is going to make me rip out the next facial piercing I see. hehe If that’s the example of a “grown up” and professional person you’d like to convey, go right ahead. I’ll continue being an “immature” “low-paid” drone with my rebellious facial art, thanks very muchly. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-dopers-would-this-bother-you/584938/36 "2011-06-10T04:53:38Z")
> [@antonio107](#): > > Are you talking a stud or a full on nose RING, like a septum piercing? My girlfriend wanted to get a septum piercing a while back, and I managed to talk her out of it. It looks so stupid. See, now this I can get behind. Personally, I don’t think they look stupid, but if you think they do, that’s totally fine with me, but come out and say it (like you did). I can’t stand it when people don’t like something (peircings, tattoos etc), but instead of just saying they don’t like it or that it looks stupid they say things like “it’s a sign of immaturity” or “unbecoming of a civilized human being” or it “indicates a psychological problem”. If you don’t like it, fine, just state your opinion. No one is going to call you on that. No one cares if YOU think it’s stupid looking, what people don’t like is when you try and tell them that they have a problem because they want to do something to their own body. [not directed at antonio] I have tattoos, you (in the general sense) are welcome to think they’re stupid and ugly, that’s fine, I don’t care, what I don’t get is when people seem to think there’s something wrong with ME for getting them. Personally, not that I’d actually say it out loud, but I think there’s a problem with the people who think there’s something wrong with me for getting them. Does that make sense? If my tattoos or her piercings are going to cause these great hardships in my life, wouldn’t that be my problem? Why are you so worked up over it? ---
**Author:** ![Sierra\_Indigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@Sierra\_Indigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sierra_Indigo)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-dopers-would-this-bother-you/584938/37 "2011-06-10T04:59:51Z")
What I find interesting about the whole “It’s so IMMATURE and REBELLIOUS” spitting from various people is that what’s on my body has nothing to do with the sum of my personality. Whilst I am in the process of separating, I was married for 6 years and I wasn’t the one who left the relationship. I’ve held a steady job for three years, and have worked consistently since I left school, supporting myself for 90% of the time except for a short period where I was out of work due to leaving the state and moving another city. I own my own house, I pay my bills, I drink the occasional glass of wine or vodka & soda but don’t go out partying and getting blasted. I’ve never accidentally fallen pregnant to an unknown partner, and have never contracted an STI. I don’t do drugs, I don’t show up to work hung-over or strung out, and most nights I’m in bed by 20:00 or so, to get up at 05:15 to head off to work. But apparently a small piece of metal and glass in my nose and some ink on the skin of my wrist negate every single other thing about me. Who knew? ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-dopers-would-this-bother-you/584938/38 "2011-06-10T05:06:04Z")
> [@Sierra\_Indigo](#): > > What I find interesting about the whole “It’s so IMMATURE and REBELLIOUS” spitting from various people is that what’s on my body has nothing to do with the sum of my personality. > > Whilst I am in the process of separating, I was married for 6 years and I wasn’t the one who left the relationship. I’ve held a steady job for three years, and have worked consistently since I left school, supporting myself for 90% of the time except for a short period where I was out of work due to leaving the state and moving another city. I own my own house, I pay my bills, I drink the occasional glass of wine or vodka & soda but don’t go out partying and getting blasted. I’ve never accidentally fallen pregnant to an unknown partner, and have never contracted an STI. I don’t do drugs, I don’t show up to work hung-over or strung out, and most nights I’m in bed by 20:00 or so, to get up at 05:15 to head off to work. But apparently a small piece of metal and glass in my nose and some ink on the skin of my wrist negate every single other thing about me. Who knew? The problem is, you say all that, but when you walk through the mall or take your kid to school the only thing people know about you is what they see on your skin and apparently to some people that means you have psychological problems, you belong in an African tribe, you’re immature or worse…you’ll never have a corporate job :eek: or a good job on the east coast (I don’t know which one we decided it you can’t get with a nose ring). ---
**Author:** ![Sierra\_Indigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@Sierra\_Indigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sierra_Indigo)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-dopers-would-this-bother-you/584938/39 "2011-06-10T05:07:11Z")
Someone needs to tell the Commonwealth Government that this isn’t a corporate job, coz damn but I’m sick of wearing business casual clothes, I wanna get me into some fetishwear! [ETA]: African Tribal Fetishwear! ---
**Author:** ![antonio107](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7ea924/32.png) [@antonio107](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/antonio107)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-dopers-would-this-bother-you/584938/40 "2011-06-10T05:12:07Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > See, now this I can get behind. Personally, I don’t think they look stupid, but if you think they do, that’s totally fine with me, but come out and say it (like you did). I can’t stand it when people don’t like something (peircings, tattoos etc), but instead of just saying they don’t like it or that it looks stupid they say things like “it’s a sign of immaturity” or “unbecoming of a civilized human being” or it “indicates a psychological problem”. If you don’t like it, fine, just state your opinion. No one is going to call you on that. No one cares if YOU think it’s stupid looking, what people don’t like is when you try and tell them that they have a problem because they want to do something to their own body. > > [not directed at antonio] > I have tattoos, you (in the general sense) are welcome to think they’re stupid and ugly, that’s fine, I don’t care, what I don’t get is when people seem to think there’s something wrong with ME for getting them. Personally, not that I’d actually say it out loud, but I think there’s a problem with the people who think there’s something wrong with me for getting them. Does that make sense? If my tattoos or her piercings are going to cause these great hardships in my life, wouldn’t that be my problem? Why are you so worked up over it? And that’s cool. You’re right that it’s none of my business _directly_. But insofar as humans are social animals, we’re all bound, to one extant or another, to others impressions of us. I shouldn’t wear sweat pants to my graduation tomorrow, for instance. My girlfriend (same gf who wants a septum piercing), just chastised her little sister who wanted to go on a date with some guy who “is a low life with a neck tattoo who prolly did time in jail.” No sense of irony whatsoever from her. But I looked at the picture on FB with the neck tattoo, and…yeah, he looked kinda skeezy. No question. Turns out he _did_ do time, as well. People are going to perceive you differently weather you get a nose piercing, new glasses, or change your hair color. I think the fact that the OP directed her question to “Conservative” and “Christian” minded posters acknowledges that a face piercing is a political statement, whether one intends it to be or not. Especially given your age. It’s not that you specifically want to convey a message with it, but it’s obviously imbued with all the cultural imagery people have already described. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-dopers-would-this-bother-you/584938.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-dopers-would-this-bother-you/584938.md?page=3)