Why

Why? is a question everyone involved in body modification, on any level, is asked repeatedly. There are as many answers as there are modification varieties. All of them are valid; some are negative, while others are positive. Here are a few:

• "Why not?"
• "I like the way it looks."
• "I like the way it feels."
• "It was a ritual journey— I went through it, I survived, and I'm a better person for it."
• "I wanted to "reclaim" my body, and assert personal power and ownership over it. It was empowering."
• "I wanted to mark a significant moment in my life."
• "I wanted to set myself apart from others."
• "I wanted to make a sociopolitical statement."
• "I wanted to make an artistic statement."
• "I believe it will make me more attractive to my sexual partner(s)."
• "I wanted to 'align my external body image with my internal body image.'"
• "I believe body modification is the path to spiritual enlightenment. It teaches you about yourself and your role in the universe."
• "I believe that exploring the body and modifying it facilitates evolution."

etc.

See Also

• Pleasure
• Misconceptions