Personal Trainers with Facial Piercings??

AnvilHead

RaeBeeBaby wrote: »

Super interesting and fun topic! I'm enjoying reading all the comments and opinions and appreciate the opportunity to share mine. I'm a 58 year old female who had a relatively conservative upbringing...

I think it is a generational/upbringing thing, at least to some extent. I grew up in the '60s and '70s, when tattoos were mostly for servicemen and/or convicts, and the only piercings you saw were in girls' earlobes. I got my left ear pierced in the mid-'80s (I worked in a very conservative, macho, male-dominated career field), and took enormous grief for it from my peers and superiors. It wasn't a common thing at all at the time - and this was in southern California, no less. I won't repeat the names I was called, but suffice it to say that my sexual preferences, masculinity and gender identity were strongly and repeatedly called into doubt, in no uncertain terms. The kind of stuff that would make an HR Director these days turn pale and pass out, but it was a different era. I wore it for a number of years, partly because it was so edgy at the time and partly just to mess with people, but eventually I outgrew it and took it out.

I don't have any tattoos or piercings to this day. I have nothing against tattoos (in fact, I admire really good, tasteful ink), but I haven't found anything meaningful enough to me that I want it permanently inked on my body, and I'm not going to get tats just because it's the trendy thing to do nowadays. Piercings? Nah - at 56 years old, I'm pretty sure I missed the bus on that one.

As far as the question in the OP - I'm personally not a fan of facial piercings, but I wouldn't NOT hire somebody as a personal trainer just because they had them (within reason). I don't live in a vacuum and I'm not trapped in the past, I understand that they're pretty commonplace nowadays. My decision to hire or not hire them would be based upon their competence/expertise and professionalism.

I think the target market has a lot to do with it also, as several others have said. Generally speaking, I don't think facial piercings would be a big hit in the market where I live, which is a small, very conservative town with a lot of retirees/senior citizens. In a younger, more hip, more liberal environment, I'm sure they'd be a non-issue for the vast majority of people.

kshama2001

Evelyn_Gorfram wrote: »

lynn_glenmont wrote: »

janejellyroll wrote: »

TheRoadDog wrote: »

First impressions matter. You may cause some people to look elsewhere and you may draw some people in. Not a fan of facial piercings myself, but that's just because I am 64 years old. But I have also learned in my many years that you should never judge a book by it's cover.

I know people in their 60s who are absolutely fine with facial piercings and I even know a handful of people in their 60s who have them. If you're not a fan, I don't think your age is the reason.

Some people generally have trouble accepting changes in trends, fashion, or social mores, but they can be found in all age groups.

Why can't someone just not be a fan of tattoos or piercings without it be about not accepting changes? I'm not a fan of lengthy fingernails (fake or real), fake tans, or large beards, and those were all common in my childhood and youth.

For me, with piercings, it's a squidge factor.

Tattoos don't bother me. But seeing holes in a human body in places where the human body is not supposed to have holes* conveys some sort of distress signal to me. My gut clenches up, and some sub-part of my brain keeps signaling "Human being in distress! Help fellow human! Or else run from whatever dangerous threat poked hole in fellow human! But no just standing there talking about whether clean eating is actually a thing! ...Human being in distress! Help -"

This makes it very difficult to stand there talking about whether clean eating is actually a thing (or whatever I might want to discuss with my trainer). I wish my system didn't do this, that I could just say "Nice poker chip you've got in your lip there" - or better yet, not say it - and you and I could go on about our business, but my system does do this. I can hide it if I have to, and I could probably get over it if I worked at it. But for me, for now, it means that it would, all other things being equal, affect my choice when hiring a personal trainer.

(*Yes, if you think your lip is supposed to have a hole in it, then your body is supposed to have a hole in its lip. My intellect knows that just fine, but my viscera and hindbrain have been really stubborn about learning it.)

Huh, I can't help but squidge at the really large ear or lip holes and I wonder if you've described what's going on in my lizard brain.

My brain finds those problematic, but not piercings.

OP - I might find your lip piercing a bit distracting at first but it wouldn't stop me, a middle-aged woman, from hiring you.

I had one good friend with a nose piercing and another with a lazy eye, and my brain eventually accepted them as normal.

kshama2001

hroderick wrote: »

To be truthful, I see an unresolved past of self-mutilation and not trust your judgement. I also see bling at work as unprofessional. You asked.

While I don't share your opinion, I really appreciate your honesty.

kshama2001

lynn_glenmont wrote: »

janejellyroll wrote: »

TheRoadDog wrote: »

First impressions matter. You may cause some people to look elsewhere and you may draw some people in. Not a fan of facial piercings myself, but that's just because I am 64 years old. But I have also learned in my many years that you should never judge a book by it's cover.

I know people in their 60s who are absolutely fine with facial piercings and I even know a handful of people in their 60s who have them. If you're not a fan, I don't think your age is the reason.

Some people generally have trouble accepting changes in trends, fashion, or social mores, but they can be found in all age groups.

Why can't someone just not be a fan of tattoos or piercings without it be about not accepting changes? I'm not a fan of lengthy fingernails (fake or real), fake tans, or large beards, and those were all common in my childhood and youth.

Yeah, I'm judgey about cashiers with lengthy fingernails and have been for decades.

rheddmobile

RaeBeeBaby wrote: »

Super interesting and fun topic! I'm enjoying reading all the comments and opinions and appreciate the opportunity to share mine. I'm a 58 year old female who had a relatively conservative upbringing. At age 40 I got a small tattoo on my ankle and have considered another one. I was thrilled when my mom pierced my ears for my 8th birthday. I tried a cartilage piercing on my upper ear when I was in my 30's but it would never heal right, so eventually I gave up. I kind of miss it.

Like others on this thread I try not to judge, but I'm a curious people watcher. I find other humans and their lives pretty fascinating. When I see someone with multiple piercings and/or tattoos I'm interested to look at them. I find myself sneaking glances without trying to stare. Why did they do that? On the one hand, people who are into that must (might?) want attention so maybe looking is ok? A lot of the tattoo work is beautiful and I want to check it out without being rude. On the other hand, it's a personal choice with individual personal reasons so not my business. A bit of a dilemma.

To OP's original question, it wouldn't bother me as long as you were a good trainer. For others, I'd say it will totally depend on where you get a job and the demographic of the clients. Do your research before an interview. Check out the place and the trainers in advance to see what the norm is there. You might consider removing the piercings for an interview. That's no different than choosing to wear a tie or conservative clothing. You can always ask about their policy if you get a job offer.

Re: body modification in general. People have been doing this in some form for millenia. Trends change. The future might be much different than now. My only recommendation for young people who haven't yet entered the job market is to really think about where they want to be/work in 10-20 years. Tattoos are pretty permanent. Some professions lend themselves well to body art, others do not. For example: one of my nieces has many tattoos including a skull on her neck. At 30 she is still struggling to get a decent job. She has said she definitely regrets the skull but can't afford to have it removed. Another niece had eyebrow, lip and nose piercings. After working as a hotel maid for years she went back to school to become a medical assistant. She just graduated and got a job at a hospital. All the facial piercings are gone (only the holes remain). I see many beautiful young people completely covered in tattoos. I do think about what they will look like when they get to be my age (and older). Again, not my business but something I have taken into consideration when thinking about another one myself. We don't stay young forever.

With the exception of gang tattoos commemorating a death, you are most likely not going to offend by saying, "I like your ink." As you pointed out, people get them to be seen, and mostly appreciate comments.