If you have been considering having your navel pierced, you may be concerned about how others will react to your decision. While there still exists some prejudice against people that dare to wear a belly button ring, a piece of jewelry can’t define you; especially not to those who know you.
As with anything, there are stereotypes surrounding those who wear certain types of body jewelry. You would think in our enlightened era when so many people have tattoos and body piercings in a variety of places that these stereotypes would have disappeared. Well, if the message and FAQ boards around the internet are any indication, there are still some unfortunate misconceptions lingering around. The word I most often see associated with a belly button ring is “trashy.” As the old saying goes, wearing a piece of jewelry doesn’t make you trashy anymore than going to McDonald’s makes you a hamburger.
If you decide to get a belly button ring, embrace the fact that it is not a stigma but rather a wonderful form of self expression. You now have another place on your body you can accessorize. Perhaps your choice of jewelry for that area can influence others opinion for good and bad but having a navel piercing doesn’t mean anything except that you are not afraid of needles. If nothing else, you are saying that you are a little out of the norm and that you don’t take yourself too seriously.
The nice thing about a navel piercing is that you can decide how and when you show off this area of your body. This can be done discreetly or overtly and your tactics may change with your outfit or the seasons. It is hard to hide your mid-section during bikini season and if you have jewelry highlighting the area, why would you want to?
Finally, the main point is to understand that your decision to pierce your navel can be misinterpreted. Maybe it is a good idea to step back and consider why you are taking this step. Decide what message you want to convey (because you are sending one whether you want to or not) to others with your belly button rings and display. But don’t forget that nothing as simple as a piece of jewelry in an unusual area can define any of us if we don’t let it.