11.08.09
Culture conflict: Nose piercing
Written by Janet
Nose piercing is quite common in some cultures, so to 12 year old Suzannah Pabla, piercing her nose was a way to connect with her roots in India. To Suzannah’s school, it was a dress-code violation worthy of a suspension.
To other Indians, the incident was emblematic of how it can still be difficult for the American melting pot to absorb certain aspects of their cultural and religious traditions. Suzannah last month was briefly suspended for for violating a body-piercing ban. School officials – who noted that nose piercing is an Indian cultural choice, not a religious requirement – compromised and said she could wear a clear, unobtrusive stud in her nose, and Suzannah returned to her seventh-grade class.
It shouldn’t have been, said Suzannah’s father, Amardeep Singh, a Sikh who was raised in the United States and works as an English professor at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pa.
“It’s true that the nose ring is mainly a cultural thing for most Indians,” Singh said. “Even if it is just culture, culture matters. And her right to express or explore it seems to me at least as important as her right to express her religious identity.”
There are about 2.6 million people of Indian decent living in the United States, including immigrants and natives, according to a 2007 U.S. Census estimate. The Indian population increased rapidly after a 1965 change to immigration law, which ended preferences given to specific European nations.
But differences – like Savannah’s pierced nose – are part of what make the world interesting.
hexiemystique said,
11/08/2009 at 1:17 pm
I can’t see why Indians or those of Indian descendency living in another country ‘need’ to pierce their noses for “cultural or religious beliefs” – everybody can see they are of Indian origin. Being sarcastic now, but wearing symbol of religion through the nose doesn’t sound very nice!
I think piercings are revolting.. I see people with piercings through their nose/lips, eyebrows, and God knows where else…….. they are not expressing ‘religious beliefs’ – they are Whites! I always wonder how they manage to shave around those piercings! Very carefully I suppose.
However, a 12 year old school girl shouldn’t be wearing any piercings when not living in India and maybe she does not understand she may have been very lucky not to have experienced the other ‘tradition’ ——– circumcision!
hexie
Tom Sayers said,
11/09/2009 at 12:55 am
Maybe I am just oldfashioned but what makes me wince is when I see men wearing ear rings, some have several in a row in both ears!
Tom
Faith said,
11/09/2009 at 11:25 am
All I can say is yuck…..it looks too eerie
Grace053 said,
11/09/2009 at 12:15 pm
Ouch….that’s one thing I would never do, but I understand it being a part of culture…
Michelle said,
11/10/2009 at 12:17 pm
In her defense, I think the school overstepped their bounds….it was just a simple piercing of the nose….
Grace053 said,
11/10/2009 at 12:49 pm
In her defense, I think the school overstepped their bounds….it was just a simple piercing of the nose….
Perhaps, but if they make exceptions for one student, others will expect it.
Jill said,
11/10/2009 at 8:44 pm
Hold on, I’ve seen kids with worse piercings that this, yet they are in school…sorry but I’m with the family on this one…if it was causing a problem with school or her studies, then yes….
Elisa Hamilton said,
11/11/2009 at 9:06 am
I can recall a few years ago a stewardess was sacked (yes) for wearing a cross and refusing to take it off, saying it was an expression of her belief.
Maybe they should just throw a black cloak over that girl’s head, then nobody sees the piercing? Just a thought.
Elisa
Dave said,
11/11/2009 at 8:43 pm
It sounds painful to me….but if there’s a school dress code, that means all must obey it….no exceptions….