Body modification discussion activity question 2

- Which of the ancient body modification practices involved agency/choice and which ones
did not?
- At what age do you think a person is old enough to make decisions about permanently
modifying their bodies and why?
- What kind of control should parents have over the modification of their children’s bodies?
I personally do not think any of the ancient body modification practices mentioned (dental,
corseting, cranial, and footbinding) allows a person to have complete agency/autonomy/choice
regarding. While I realize these practices were done to reflect one’s, or their family’s social
status, and were used to achieve a physical trait of belonging, most of these practices (all but
dental modification, perhaps) are only possible to do during the receiver’s youth. What makes
dental modification slightly different from these other practices is the fact that dental modification
needs to, and should be done later on in a person's physical growth/development. The other
practices present strategies of having the person ‘grow into’ what is desirable, versus dental
modification, which may stand at risk of having the person ‘grow out of’ the ideals. Another
factor is that all these other modification practices present an emphasis on progress (achieving
desired results through a long period of time), whereas dental modification may be shorter in
duration.Corseting could be taken on as a personal aesthetic modification, in a way, I find it
similar to the wearing of waist trainers in modern times. However, in the 1800s, a higher class
French woman may have been under social and/or parental pressures to wear corsets, because
she is essentially a representation of her family’s status and wealth, and presents to others her
father/husband’s capability to provide. Now, this is likely not true in theory or in modern day
beliefs, but a woman’s beauty has long been tied to not only her worth as an individual, but also
to the ableness/capability/welfare of her provider(s) (father, husband, other dominant male
figures in her life). Likewise, foot binding may have been under (or encouraged) similar social
atmospheres as corseting. As for cranial modification, it is probably the one practice (out of all
the practices that we discuss) that requires the person to be young (infancy) and completely
without autonomy. Cranial modification is solely in control of the person’s parents and/or
tribe/culture.
It is hard to determine by what age a person should be able to decide whether or not to pursue
these body modifications. Since many of these practices need to be done at a young age, they
all result in inevitable changes to the human body, and that they may demonstrate much more
health risks and physical suffering as the person grows and develops out of that youth/infancy
stage of life; it is perhaps not so provocative an idea to believe that these practices should be
outlawed, or at least discouraged to be practiced in modern times. Although it may take some
extreme measures for a fully grown person to modify their skull into a cone shape, it is only at a
mature age (21 or older, at least, after a series of mandatory medical consultation) should a
person be legally allowed to pursue such body modification. Our modern physical aesthetics
present an emphasis on health and one’s well-being (generally speaking), all these ancient
body modifications present considerable health problems, physical risks, and social discourse.
This being said, I personally do not believe parents should have the authority to decide what
happens to their children’s bodies. I do not agree with parents who try to raise their children ‘as
naturally as possible’ (not vaccinating children and treating flus and colds with tea tree oil etc.),
but I firmly believe that parents should focus on bringing up children that are physically and
menatlly healthy, and with as least unnecessary modifications and/or major medical
interventions as possible. Especially in modern times, where aesthetic ideals change so rapidly
over such short periods of time, it is irresponsible to decide for a child what is to be done to their
body.