Having my ears stretched has been a personal journey for me. I have been stretching them since high school, before I even knew of things called "plugs". I crammed in multiple hoops into one hole and just kept adding another one in every so often. After high school I ventured into actual body jewelry (it was just starting to become a little "bigger" - this was mid 90's) I had many piercings which I won't divulge the entire list for fear of making my mother faint if she were ever to read this..but lets just say I had a lot. My ears were always one of my favorites and that obsession to go larger is never ending.
At different points in my life I would stop and stay at a certain gauge for a while (sometimes even years) before stretching up again. It really becomes this obsession. Literally minutes after stretching I am already planning the next stretch because they still seem too small.
Over the years I have taken out the majority of my piercings, even ones I said I would never take out. Only things left are my two stretched holes in my lobes, both my tragus and my septum in which I just wear a constant retainer. I never compromised. If someone didn't like them, that was their problem. If a job didn't want me because of them, again, their problem not mine. Having piercings does not make you any less intelligent or able to perform a job. But there are still far too many people stuck on appearances and "it's not normal". Or my favorite.."What are you going to do when your 80?" My response. "Well lets see. Hopefully at that time I won't be working anymore and I'll be traveling, hanging out and crocheting until my fingers fall off. What are YOU going to do when you are 80?! Oh, you mean because I have LARGE HOLES in my ears..Oh..that..yeah..I'll just have BIG holes in my ears, maybe they'll be a little more droopy. Next question."
What is wrong with people that they feel they have the right to judge others by appearance. Just like I MUST be into drugs and drinking because I have piercings. Yup, you pegged me correctly! The girl that doesn't even put caffeine in her system...OI!
Today I experienced a real annoyance and frustration. I grew more and more flustered as time went on.
During a job interview I had a woman staring at my ears. Simply just fixated on my ears. I grew more and more flustered and started repeating myself and couldn't even focus on what was being said. I completely botched the interview (or at least I'm 99% sure I did). I am a very open person. If you ask me a question I will answer. Had this woman just taken a moment and gotten it out of her system to ask me about them. Even if she doesn't agree with them. Even if she is grossed out by them. Whatever the issue. At least we could have moved on. I would have been cool, answered any questions and then we could move on being able to both focus on q&a. Instead I was spoken down to and treated rudely. You know, because all of us with stretched piercings are hooligans.
I was never asked about what I bring to the table. I didn't get a chance to say "I have two degrees. I am always a team leader and excel in my positions I'm placed. I have had a prior business, currently have one and am opening a second this fall and then a third will be opened next year. I am an overachiever and a workaholic"
Nothing was able to be said because I was simply pre-judged before even opening my mouth. Sad. Very, very sad. I have nothing else to say except that I am extremely disappointed in how grown adults that should know better treat others.
