Traditional initiation is a rite of passage into manhood for young males that is practiced by various ethnic groups in Africa, including parts of South Africa. Among them are the Xhosa, Ndebele, Sotho and Venda communities.
Is not doing things to children’s (or anyone’s) bodies without their consent (which they may not be capable of, depending on what for) is a cost? Like, if you were designing a society, would the ‘stuff done to the bodies of children (or fucking anyone) without their consent’ number be one you’re proud of making smaller?
Did the kid want their ear pierced, with decent understanding of the cultural weight that’s pushing them?
Or is it only allowed because it’s the thing that their parents did? Could the kid as easily get a genital piercing? Full back tattoo of Richard Nixon’s face? Cool face scar?
One could argue that alfeeling that ear mutilations is ok is a cultural thing. Many very young children have their ears pieced, and probably more than half of girls get their ears pierced before they are at the age of consent.
Personally I don’t agree with very young children having their ears pierced, nor do I necessarily agree they need to reach the full age of consent to do so. Definitely it should be done at the child’s request and not the parent’s desire, after careful consideration and not on a whim.
There’s also a world of difference between a small hole that will usually close over if left unused and irreversibly cutting a chunk of a child’s genitals off, while these two things both raise questions of informed consent they should not be seen as equivalent.
Is not doing things to children’s (or anyone’s) bodies without their consent (which they may not be capable of, depending on what for) is a cost? Like, if you were designing a society, would the ‘stuff done to the bodies of children (or fucking anyone) without their consent’ number be one you’re proud of making smaller?
How does this apply to kids getting ears pierced?
Did the kid want their ear pierced, with decent understanding of the cultural weight that’s pushing them?
Or is it only allowed because it’s the thing that their parents did? Could the kid as easily get a genital piercing? Full back tattoo of Richard Nixon’s face? Cool face scar?
One could argue that alfeeling that ear mutilations is ok is a cultural thing. Many very young children have their ears pieced, and probably more than half of girls get their ears pierced before they are at the age of consent.
Personally I don’t agree with very young children having their ears pierced, nor do I necessarily agree they need to reach the full age of consent to do so. Definitely it should be done at the child’s request and not the parent’s desire, after careful consideration and not on a whim.
There’s also a world of difference between a small hole that will usually close over if left unused and irreversibly cutting a chunk of a child’s genitals off, while these two things both raise questions of informed consent they should not be seen as equivalent.