I don’t talk about my belly button ring all the time, but when I do, I like to have people guess how long I’ve had it because I get a kick out of their surprised reactions once I tell them I’ve had it since I was 8. No joke! My mom, bless her heart, she would go to some pretty extreme lengths to make me happy because I’ve had depression since I was a child. We were poor, so she couldn’t give me too much, but there was one thing she could do: for my 8th birthday, she pierced my belly button! One of her jobs was at a tattoo and piercing studio. She was a licensed professional, had all the proper equipment and everything, so she did it herself! And no, it didn’t even really hurt.

My mom said she did it to help me feel better about myself by being the envy of other girls who had to wait a few more years before their parents let them get one. She wasn’t wrong! Now I wouldn’t go around showing it off that much, but for my peers who knew about it, they sure were jealous! It made me feel unique from the other girls. But I loved the compliments most from relatives. All my cousins who were around my age thought it was the coolest thing ever. These were the same cousins who always had all the cool things I wish I could’ve had, so being the one to impress them for a change was nice and sweet. One of my aunts I’ve always been close to really liked it too. She’d go “It’s so cuuuute!” It would always put a big smile on my face.

Not all reactions were flattering though. My 4th grade teacher saw it poking from under my shirt one time and thought I was hiding something. When I showed him what it was, he about had a heart attack! He took me right to the office and tried reporting it, but piercing laws in our state say minors can get piercings so long as they have parental consent, so no one could do anything. I would also occasionally get those who would stare at it. One guy even touched it after my shirt rode up when I was reaching for something on a shelf. I didn’t mind it at the time, it just caught me off guard. Looking back on it though, just what a weirdo! I also had a nanny who was horrified by it at first. Only she came around later and did a total 180. She even bought me new jewelry for it. She’s always been a bit silly, lol.

I know what some of you who read this are going to be thinking: it was highly inappropriate for me to have my bellybutton pierced at 8 years old. I know belly button rings are considered “suggestive” or whatever but you know, that’s one of things that everyone only thinks so because everyone else does! If ear piercings were considered such, you’d be saying the same thing about young girls getting earrings. And again, my mom did to make me feel better about myself. Which it did! It wasn’t against my will either. She asked me if I wanted one and I said yes! So if it’s not hurting anybody in any way, what’s the problem? Have an open mind.

I still wear my belly button ring today and probably will for the rest of my life. Even though I still don’t show it off that much. But I don’t wear it to show off to others. I wear it for myself. I’m 21 now, so I’ve had it for most of my life. On top of that, it was a birthday gift from my mom who I owe everything for all the years she has struggled providing for me on her own. It’s not just a piercing, it’s something that has sentimental value to me. You can still state your opinions if you must, but if you’re going to judge, don’t waste your time. I’ve heard it all.