As part of my introductory Sociology class, I have to do an empirical research project.  I chose to study body modification because it is something that I am particularly interested in.  So, I need your help =].  I've included ten open-ended interview/survey questions for you to answer.  If you don't want to post on here for any reason but do want to participate, then feel free to pm me or e-mail me.

Anddd here are the questions:

1. How many body mods (piercings, tattoos, etc.) do you have?

2. How many “visible” body mods do you have? [Assume that “visible” body mods are mods that cannot be easily covered up with clothing and that piercings with retainers, tattoos covered up with band-aids, etc. are still considered “visible”.]

3. Which visible body mod(s) do you have?

4. Why did you choose to get your mods?

5. Have your mods affected your ability to obtain/maintain a job?

6. Have your mods affected your relationships with other individuals (parents, friends, acquaintances, strangers, etc.)?

7. Have there been any other instances where you have been treated differently or discriminated against because of your mods?

8. How would you define your area/community: Liberal, Moderate, or Conservative?
    
9. Do you feel that your area/community’s social climate (liberal, moderate, or conservative) has affected how you have been treated, in regard to your body mods?

10. Do you have anything else you would like to share about your body mods?

 oh, putting off studying for finals, here are the results of my procrastination

 1. How many body mods (piercings, tattoos, etc.) do you have? seven (i counted each hole in my body)

2. How many “visible” body mods do you have? [Assume that “visible” body mods are mods that cannot be easily covered up with clothing and that piercings with retainers, tattoos covered up with band-aids, etc. are still considered “visible”.] six

3. Which visible body mod(s) do you have? 2x lower lobes, 2x upper lobes, conch punch, helix

4. Why did you choose to get your mods? my ears were pierced because everyone had them, and being a girl i really wanted to get and wear pretty earrings. i got the upper lobes because i like the way they accented my lower lobes. i got my conch because its my favorite mod. and i always wanted one, i think its very pretty. and i got my helix also because i like the way it looks. i also have my tongue pierced, i really like this and i think it suits me well. i was looking for something else to get done and i knew tongue was right for me.

5. Have your mods affected your ability to obtain/maintain a job? i have a job, and the policy is specified, and i thought long and hard  before getting permanent mods or ones that i wouldn't want to take out for a job and such. I have a job, then i went away to college, and the job was kept for me when i come home, and while away got two of my most visible/out of the ordinary piercings (conch and tongue). I went back to work over Christmas and they didn't care about my conch, but i got my tongue after that and i don't know what they are going to say. I'm willing to put in a retainer or clear balls, if they will work with me on that, if not, then i will take it out.

6. Have your mods affected your relationships with other individuals (parents, friends, acquaintances, strangers, etc.)? Only my grandmother because she is old fashioned and doesn't want holes in my body. As i respect her views, and wont wear extravagant jewelry choices around her. It doesn't affect our relationship, she still loves me. I cant think of anyone else.Oh and my boyfriend doesn't really want my lobes to be stretched past 10mm because he dosent like the way it looks.

7. Have there been any other instances where you have been treated differently or discriminated against because of your mods? Not really. Most people just want to know if it hurt.

8. How would you define your area/community: Liberal, Moderate, or Conservative? Its a college campus in the center of a middle sized PA town. I guess i would say Liberal based on your options.   
9. Do you feel that your area/community’s social climate (liberal, moderate, or conservative) has affected how you have been treated, in regard to your body mods? Not at all. I don't see why that would change it.

10. Do you have anything else you would like to share about your body mods? Not really. I cant wait to get my other conch pierced and finish stretching my lobes to 9mm.

1. How many body mods (piercings, tattoos, etc.) do you have? 10 2. How many “visible” body mods do you have? [Assume that “visible” body mods are mods that cannot be easily covered up with clothing and that piercings with retainers, tattoos covered up with band-aids, etc. are still considered “visible”.] 2 3. Which visible body mod(s) do you have? 8g double nostrils 4. Why did you choose to get your mods? Mostly for aesthetics 5. Have your mods affected your ability to obtain/maintain a job? Nope, i got hired with all my mods(except tongue and conches) and im still working there. 6. Have your mods affected your relationships with other individuals (parents, friends, acquaintances, strangers, etc.)? friends/family no, strangers/ acquaintances probably. I live in a pretty conservative area so im sure my mods may be strange to a lot people here. 7. Have there been any other instances where you have been treated differently or discriminated against because of your mods? Not that i can think of. 8. How would you define your area/community: Liberal, Moderate, or Conservative? conservative 9. Do you feel that your area/community’s social climate (liberal, moderate, or conservative) has affected how you have been treated, in regard to your body mods? like i said before, im sure it has affected the way the older generations look at me. 10. Do you have anything else you would like to share about your body mods? EDIT: sorry but enters dont work and html doesnt work so this is the best i can do

 1. How many body mods (piercings, tattoos, etc.) do you have?

I have 16 piercings and 5 tattoos.

2. How many “visible” body mods do you have? [Assume that “visible” body mods are mods that cannot be easily covered up with clothing and that piercings with retainers, tattoos covered up with band-aids, etc. are still considered “visible”.]

My super visible ones are on my face and ears. I keep my septum hidden most of the time, and my vertical labret is the most visible, since it is right there on my lip. I can cover all my tattoos with clothing, or shoes... 

3. Which visible body mod(s) do you have?

Depending on how I dress, most can be hidden or visible. My ears and my vertical labret are the most visble.

4. Why did you choose to get your mods?

I just wanted them... It felt right

5. Have your mods affected your ability to obtain/maintain a job?

Nope, not in any any whatsoever...  

6. Have your mods affected your relationships with other individuals (parents, friends, acquaintances, strangers, etc.)?

Depending on what you can see it has affected how strangers look at me. I think most people ask in my tattoos are real, because they are pretty bright.

7. Have there been any other instances where you have been treated differently or discriminated against because of your mods?

Not that I can think of. Im pretty quiet and dont draw a lot of attention to myself if I can help it.

8. How would you define your area/community: Liberal, Moderate, or Conservative?

Def a mix. I live right outside of Atlanta, so there are still the crazy hillbillies, but I live close enough that its a really good mix.

    
9. Do you feel that your area/community’s social climate (liberal, moderate, or conservative) has affected how you have been treated, in regard to your body mods?

Im sure it has. Ive gotten some comments both ways, but most people are at least semi respectful if they get it or not. 

10. Do you have anything else you would like to share about your body mods?

Not really... 

 1. How many body mods (piercings, tattoos, etc.) do you have? six

2. How many “visible” body mods do you have? [Assume that “visible” body mods are mods that cannot be easily covered up with clothing and that piercings with retainers, tattoos covered up with band-aids, etc. are still considered “visible”. I would say five, i think my septum counts as visible even if it is easily flipped up

3. Which visible body mod(s) do you have? helix, industrial, nose, septum, and my 00g lobes

4. Why did you choose to get your mods? I've always loved the way piercings have looked, septum was my first piercing other than ears and i got it mostly because I heard it wasn't very painful, and its different then a regular nose piercing like everyone has. That one was easy so I was able to get my favourite piercing i've wanted since the first time i saw it, the industrial. After that I just started to get piercings I've always considered nice, and still have a few more I want to get in the years to come :) 

5. Have your mods affected your ability to obtain/maintain a job? I've had the same job for 2 1/2 years already, and when I first got the job the only mods I had were regular 18g lobes, I hide my septum at work because my boss doesn't like it and always says something when I do try to leave it out, probably because he knows it can be hidden so why not. Oh and one time I wore my earskins to work in my 0g holes and he told me that i had to wear different earrings that didn't show my hole so much.

6. Have your mods affected your relationships with other individuals (parents, friends, acquaintances, strangers, etc.)? When I first started to get my piercings so many people started calling me a poser and so on, I think I lost maybe 2 friends over it all, but it was nothing that really bothered me because it just showed me how fake and superficial they were, not someone I want to be friends with anyways. My parents have never really liked my piercings, but they know I'm mature, and I waited until I was 16 (legal age in Canada) to get any piercings

7. Have there been any other instances where you have been treated differently or discriminated against because of your mods? Well whenever I walk in the plaza near my house (it's ALL older people who go to this plaza) and I get a lot of dirty looks, one guy even came right up to my face to look at my septum, it was the creepiest thing thats ever happened to me because of piercings. Also my principal will call me out on any tiny little thing I do because she hates my piercings so much (I'm literally the only person at my school with visible piercings, other than ears or nose. OH and the worst was twice i've been stopped by security guards at stores who have thought I was stealing! I was doing absolutely nothing suspicious that should get my stopped but its happened to me twice now! I can only assume its because of my piercings/hair

8. How would you define your area/community: Liberal, Moderate, or Conservative? My area is liberal, but theres a fair amount of conservatives as well

  
9. Do you feel that your area/community’s social climate (liberal, moderate, or conservative) has affected how you have been treated, in regard to your body mods? I don't think its so much that people are liberal/conservative, its more just I live in an area with a lot of old people who are not as open to body mods as younger people are

10. Do you have anything else you would like to share about your body mods? Not that I can think of, but I enjoyed doing this survey and good luck with your project :D

1) 2

2) 2

3) 1/2" lobes

4) I have always been interested in native culture and history and I always liked the way stretched lobes look.  

5) I have been at my place of employment for 11 years and stretched to this larger size while here at work. Luckily for me, I do not interact with the public or clients so my company has allowed me to do so though they do not encourage it.

6) I've gotten plenty of comments and weird looks by family and friends. But overall, they know I'm a bit 'different' in my interests and they just shrug it off. I do in fact catch strangers gawking at times.  (and its only 1/2" !)

7) I dont think I've been treated differently or discriminated against.  

8) I guess I would describe my area as moderate.  I see plenty of mods at the malls etc etc.. 

9) No

10) I'm personally very happy with them.  I do feel 'held back' from going larger in size due to my employment and overall public image.  I guess thats a personal feeling but I am a professional credit manager in an office and I dont think I'd get away with 1" for example.  

1.  I have eight piercings. 

2. I have zero visible body mods

3. n/a

4.   I have gotten all my mods at particularly special times in my life.  Each represent a different time and moment that I always want to remember.

5. No.

6. My mods have stirred up issue with my mother and father, but minor issues. 

7.  At one point in time I had several visible mods, and I found that people did look/treat me differently because they assumed they "knew" what kind of person I was.

8. Moderate
    
9. Yes.  I live in an area with a lot of elderly people, they do treatly me differently than the average 17 year old.

10. I do not regret a single one of them :)

1. How many body mods (piercings, tattoos, etc.) do you have?

3 tattoos, 7 earlobes and 1 helix. So that makes 11.

2. How many “visible” body mods do you have? [Assume that “visible” body mods are mods that cannot be easily covered up with clothing and that piercings with retainers, tattoos covered up with band-aids, etc. are still considered “visible”.]

9

3. Which visible body mod(s) do you have?

All my piercings. My arm tattoo is visible most of the time but I can hide it if I want to.

4. Why did you choose to get your mods?

I just felt that I needed them.

5. Have your mods affected your ability to obtain/maintain a job?

No. 

6. Have your mods affected your relationships with other individuals (parents, friends, acquaintances, strangers, etc.)?

No

7. Have there been any other instances where you have been treated differently or discriminated against because of your mods?

No

8. How would you define your area/community: Liberal, Moderate, or Conservative?

I would say liberal
    
9. Do you feel that your area/community’s social climate (liberal, moderate, or conservative) has affected how you have been treated, in regard to your body mods?

No

1. How many body mods (piercings, tattoos, etc.) do you have? 4 2. How many “visible” body mods do you have? [Assume that “visible” body mods are mods that cannot be easily covered up with clothing and that piercings with retainers, tattoos covered up with band-aids, etc. are still considered “visible”.] 4 3. Which visible body mod(s) do you have? 2 0g lobes, 1 conch piercing, 1 wrist tat 4. Why did you choose to get your mods? my ears were for aesthetic reasons, and my wrist tat was for a personal reason (in memory of my mother) 5. Have your mods affected your ability to obtain/maintain a job? no 6. Have your mods affected your relationships with other individuals (parents, friends, acquaintances, strangers, etc.)? my father doesn't like it...but he still accepts me, so not really. 7. Have there been any other instances where you have been treated differently or discriminated against because of your mods? nope 8. How would you define your area/community: Liberal, Moderate, or Conservative? liberal, but we are governed by conservatives 9. Do you feel that your area/community’s social climate (liberal, moderate, or conservative) has affected how you have been treated, in regard to your body mods? nope 10. Do you have anything else you would like to share about your body mods? the stretching process has taught me a lot. i am now more patient and willing to take care of my body. it's the journey, not the destination.

1. three.

2. three.

3. septum (i rarely wear it up), industrial, 0g stretched lobes.

4. i've always found the septum fascinating and beautiful. industrials always appealed to me. and i liked the look of stretched lobes but i've always learned a lot about my body from stretching.

5. since i can flip up my septum, that's not a problem. i wear solid plugs at work, and they can't tell i have my ears stretched. nobody really notices my industrial :p

6. My family definitely isn't fond of them, but they don't mind anymore. they've gotten used to it. i get strange looks from strangers (mostly adults) on a daily basis though. and also, a lot of strangers/kids at school ask me questions about my mods.

7. not that i can think of, honestly.

8. home area: i think in a tiny town (3,000 people), and it's pretty moderate. school area: very conservative. it's a preppy school, main focus is sports. so, ya know.

9. i sometimes feel treated different by kids at school, but you can't garuntee that's from mods.

10. mods aren't about looking cool, it's about expressing yourself and learning about yourself.

1. How many body mods (piercings, tattoos, etc.) do you have? 15

2. How many “visible” body mods do you have? [Assume that “visible” body mods are mods that cannot be easily covered up with clothing and that piercings with retainers, tattoos covered up with band-aids, etc. are still considered “visible”.] 13

3. Which visible body mod(s) do you have? 9 piercings in ears, wrist/hand/forearm/nape tattoo (nape can and cannot count, as I keep my hair down and covering it mostly)

4. Why did you choose to get your mods? Either designs I fell in love with, or to mark special occasion. Each has a story behind it.

5. Have your mods affected your ability to obtain/maintain a job? Somewhat, yes. Lately though, it's been more scheduling conflicts with my program at school among other things.

6. Have your mods affected your relationships with other individuals (parents, friends, acquaintances, strangers, etc.)? Most seem to not care, but there have been a few who have been openly rude to me without any reason. As for parents, my family has been indifferent for the most concerning them. 

7. Have there been any other instances where you have been treated differently or discriminated against because of your mods? Yes. Best example would be my clinical rotations for veterinary medicine last summer. 3 of the clinics I went to were indifferent, as long as I could do what was required of me and maintain efficiency, but one clinic in particular was VERY rude to me concerning them, treating me as if I was a delinquent (which I'm usually quiet and very soft spoken... anything but ill mannered basically). Two weeks of publicly getting harassed about them, and eventually I just gave up and stopped showing to that rotation, I could not handle the harassment any more.

8. How would you define your area/community: Liberal, Moderate, or Conservative? Moderate to Liberal.
    
9. Do you feel that your area/community’s social climate (liberal, moderate, or conservative) has affected how you have been treated, in regard to your body mods? It depends where I go. Some areas of Houston are very open, others are not.

10. Do you have anything else you would like to share about your body mods?  I only regret one of them, and am saving to have it removed. It's my "told ya so" problem, because it's the only one I had done hastily.

 1. How many body mods (piercings, tattoos, etc.) do you have?

2(Ears & Septum)

2. How many “visible” body mods do you have? [Assume that “visible” body mods are mods that cannot be easily covered up with clothing and that piercings with retainers, tattoos covered up with band-aids, etc. are still considered “visible”.]

1

3. Which visible body mod(s) do you have?

Stretched lobes

4. Why did you choose to get your mods?

Liked having better-looking & more jewelry choices at larger sizes.

5. Have your mods affected your ability to obtain/maintain a job?

No.

6. Have your mods affected your relationships with other individuals (parents, friends, acquaintances, strangers, etc.)?

No, although some people think it's "weird", if they even notice at all at my small size.

7. Have there been any other instances where you have been treated differently or discriminated against because of your mods?

No.

8. How would you define your area/community: Liberal, Moderate, or Conservative?

Liberal

9. Do you feel that your area/community’s social climate (liberal, moderate, or conservative) has affected how you have been treated, in regard to your body mods?

Probably, yes.

10. Do you have anything else you would like to share about your body mods?

Nope.

Vanadesse:

1. How many body mods (piercings, tattoos, etc.) do you have?
9

2. How many “visible” body mods do you have? [Assume that “visible” body mods are mods that cannot be easily covered up with clothing and that piercings with retainers, tattoos covered up with band-aids, etc. are still considered “visible”.]                                5

3. Which visible body mod(s) do you have?                                                                                                                                          both nostrils, stretched lobes.

4. Why did you choose to get your mods?                                                                                                                                                I like the way they look. i enjoy the process. better jewelery.

5. Have your mods affected your ability to obtain/maintain a job?                                                                                                          not at all.

6. Have your mods affected your relationships with other individuals (parents, friends, acquaintances, strangers, etc.)?                     my parents dont really like my facial piercings, but let me have them. some friends dont like them, or think they are odd. I dont care what they think.                 

7. Have there been any other instances where you have been treated differently or discriminated against because of your mods?          family get togethers.

8. How would you define your area/community: Liberal, Moderate, or Conservative? liberal.
    
9. Do you feel that your area/community’s social climate (liberal, moderate, or conservative) has affected how you have been treated, in regard to your body mods? definitely.

10. Do you have anything else you would like to share about your body mods?

1. How many body mods (piercings, tattoos, etc.) do you have?

I have 9 piercings; my left tragus fell out, and I took out my septum a week ago. I have 4 tattoos.

2. How many “visible” body mods do you have? [Assume that “visible” body mods are mods that cannot be easily covered up with clothing and that piercings with retainers, tattoos covered up with band-aids, etc. are still considered “visible”.]

I only have one truly visable tattoo, because 8 months out of the year I wear pants and the one on my back is almost always covered. All my piercings are visable.

3. Which visible body mod(s) do you have?

1g lobes, 2nds and 3rds, double nostrils, and right tragus, fighting irish tattoo on my left calve (calf?), John Lennon siggy on my arm, Yellow Subarine on my right leg, portrait of my dogs on my back.

4. Why did you choose to get your mods?

I thought that they would look nice on me.

5. Have your mods affected your ability to obtain/maintain a job?

No. I work for the city and they dont care how you look, and even less so for me since Im in a 'call centre' environment.

6. Have your mods affected your relationships with other individuals (parents, friends, acquaintances, strangers, etc.)?

With my current bf, yes. He doesn't like a lot of mods, he doesn't like certain ones, he doesn't like large areas of bodies covered in tattoos. Hes old and thinks mods are weird. He hated my septum and was always hassling me so I took it out on the condition he lose weight. I got my eyebrow pierced and he felt 'bratrayed' because I had taken my septum out that morning, and he felt I replaced my septum with an even more visable piercing. Hes weird that way so mods and me and him dont mix too well.

7. Have there been any other instances where you have been treated differently or discriminated against because of your mods?

Not really.

8. How would you define your area/community: Liberal, Moderate, or Conservative?

Conservative. People already look at me weird because oh my bf, so I am use to it. Hopefully when I move to a little less *rich* neighbourhood there will be less snobs.
    
9. Do you feel that your area/community’s social climate (liberal, moderate, or conservative) has affected how you have been treated, in regard to your body mods?

Not really. Certain people look at me weird, but I only really notice it around old people.

10. Do you have anything else you would like to share about your body mods?

Not really :P

 1. How many body mods (piercings, tattoos, etc.) do you have? 7/8 first holes, 6g second holes, 10g navel (goal of 8g) and tongue. 4 tattoos

2. How many “visible” body mods do you have? [Assume that “visible” body mods are mods that cannot be easily covered up with clothing and that piercings with retainers, tattoos covered up with band-aids, etc. are still considered “visible”.] My tattoo on my wrist and the back of my neck, as well as my ear piercings. 

3. Which visible body mod(s) do you have? Ears, & 2 tattoos (isn't this the same at question 2?)

4. Why did you choose to get your mods? I got my piercings for looks, i enjoy the appearance. All my tattoos having a emotional meaning.

5. Have your mods affected your ability to obtain/maintain a job? Yes, only at one of my previous jobs which was one reason why I quit. My current job however is mod friendly =) 

6. Have your mods affected your relationships with other individuals (parents, friends, acquaintances, strangers, etc.)? Well for piercings my dad thinks i'm crazy sorta (with stretched lobes) but doesn't really care and i get weird comments from strangers and some good compliments. So it does vary a lot. My girlfriend didn't approve of my stretched lobes at such a large size at first but she understand it's my personal choice now. As far tattoos go, my dad doesn't like me "wasting" money of them but i'm over age so that really doesn't matter. I figure if someone has a problem with it they don't need to be a part of my life =)

7. Have there been any other instances where you have been treated differently or discriminated against because of your mods? Not really, besides rude comments sometimes. I don't care what strangers or anyone for that matter thinks of me. As long as i'm happy with myself.

8. How would you define your area/community: Liberal, Moderate, or Conservative? Liberal/Moderate
    
9. Do you feel that your area/community’s social climate (liberal, moderate, or conservative) has affected how you have been treated, in regard to your body mods? Yes, conservatives tend to not approve. USUALLY

10. Do you have anything else you would like to share about your body mods? That I wouldn't be me without them!