Gender Differences among Self-Reported Genital Piercing Stories

Abstract

Through the investigation of a rich, qualitative dataset of 484 self-reported genital piercing stories, we significantly expand an understanding of the characteristics, motivations, experiences, and outcomes of persons with genital piercings. While many of our findings confirm and elaborate prior research, some of our findings also challenge this research. In particular, we find that contrary to the expectations of prior research, there is: (1) little evidence to support the frequently made claim that genital piercings are pathological and (2) little evidence to support the alternatively framed claim that genital piercings somehow offer resistance to traditional gender and sexual norms. Instead, we argue that, by and large, genital piercings are just another mainstream and fairly conventional type of body decoration and adornment.

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“…Consistent with the above cited literature, most academic considerations of sounding have been framed in terms of a medical model that clearly pathologizes the practice (Rinard et al, 2010; see Thomas et al, 2015). Yet, in recent years, there have been hints of scholarship (e.g., Ando, Rowen, & Shindel, 2014;Williams & Storm, 2012) that suggest that sounding may be better understood in terms of sexual diversity and/or as a type of leisure activity.…”

“…Typically performed by men in conjunction with masturbation and other sexual activities (Rinard et al, 2010), sounding involves the insertion of objects into the urethra, including not only metal or plastic dilators specifically designed for the purpose, but also any of an array of commonly available household items such as pens and pencils, spoon and fork handles, hairpins, and Q-tips (Hogan, Young, Gabbert, & Armstrong, 2011;Rinard et al, 2010). Related activities include recreational catheterization (Hogan et al, 2011), piercing the urethra for sexual or aesthetic purposes (Thomas, Crosby, & Milford, 2015), and the insertion of liquids into the urethra such as wax, alcohol, and baby oil (Hogan et al, 2011;Rinard et al, 2010).…”

Body Image: Body Modification Practices

“…An individual appeals to socially-approved practices in his or her desire to achieve the perfect body: sports and physical activities [8,9], a balanced diet [10]. At the same time, both men and women also embrace body modifications associated with health risk [11,12]: tattoos, scarification, piercing. These practices are focused on reducing the gap between the ideal body image and its real, given by nature, physical object.…”

Understanding body modification: A process‐based framework

“…There are four different motivations for becoming modified. The first, and probably most documented motivation, involves the ability to assert control over one's own body to create a more authentic version of the self or identity (Atkinson, 2003a;Ferreira, 2011;Mifflin, 2013;Romanienko, 2011), which is accompanied by aesthetic pleasure (Thomas, Crosby, & Milford, 2015). The second type of motivation consists of rituals or rites of passage (Gritton, 1988;Horton, 2013;Jonaitis, 1988).…”