A little poke of a needle and a moment of pain in the name of what? Beauty? Wealth? Tradition? Maybe all of the above? The history of body piercings is a long one, dating back millennia and spanning many civilizations. In this week’s episode, we dive into why Egyptian pharaohs would execute anyone with a belly button ring and how in Ancient Mesoamerica, shamans would pierce their tongues as blood sacrifice. Beyond the ancient histories of piercings, this form of body modification is now also a part of modern life--in some ways as a very accepted practice and in others, not so much. Join us as we talk about all things piercings and the ways that gender plays a role in our understanding of this age-old practice! 

Check out our Feminist Corner discussion questions after listening and send us your thoughts! 

• When you think about body piercings, what do you associate them with? What comes to mind? 
• Why do people get piercings? What piercings are “acceptable” and why?