"Sense of Community is a feeling that members have of belonging, a feeling that members matter to one another and to the group, and a shared faith that members' needs will be met through their commitment to be together." –McMillan & Chavis
Me and my partner Genia have chosen BODY MODIFICATION for our activity and we plan to create an online community building system for people interested in body piercing and tattoos. Roughly, this will include a networking website for people involved in this unique culture of modifying the body with piercings or ink who want to connect with others by sharing pictures, stories, knowledge and contact information with each other. Our audience will be able to login to their profiles, share experiences and communicate with other members. The website will also include polls and surveys about favorite and most popular piercings/tattoos, contests to enter for best and most unique, ratings of local parlors, etc.
Our targeted audience, or community, will range from approximately 17 to 27 year old Americans who are involved in the culture of body art and alterations. Many people are interested in tattoos and piercing, but we will be focusing on the individuals who are serious about multiple and ongoing modifications to their bodies in an attempt to express themselves in an artistic and creative manner. Our website will be advertised at tattoo shops and piercing parlors, on other social networking sites, and in magazines.
The world of body modification can be extremely painful, expensive and addicting, but to many, it is seen as a beautiful art. Piercing the skin on the human body with needles has become very popular. Most piercings are done with specially designed needles and tools that allow for the safest and cleanest penetration. Equipment, such as piercing guns, are necessary for most of the popular body piercing. Most commonly done on the ears, nose, eyebrows, lips, nipples and navels, any part of the body can be pierced. Piercings are seperated into three main categories: soft tissue, cartilage, and surface piercings. Soft tissue are by far the most common. Soft tissue piercings will penetrate the thickness of the body segment, with the jewelry protruding from opposite sides (earlobes, eyebrows, nipples). Soft tissue piercings tend to heal easily for most, with proper care. They are usually done with a ring (captive), but after the piercings heal properly, can adorn an assortment of jewelry. Cartilage piercings such as septum (inner nose), and ear cartilage are generally more difficult to heal, and are prone to infection if not cared for properly. Surface piercings are usually the least common piercing. They tend to be more painful, and are not permanent. The life span of a surface piercing will depend on the area pierced. A corset (back piercing) can usually stay inside the skin up to 48 hours before the skin will start to tear.
Tattooing is just as popular as piercing, but allows for even more creative expression. According to Wikipedia, a tattoo is a marking made by inserting ink into the layers of skin to change the pigment for decorative, cosmetic, memorative or other reasons. People are drawn to this form of body modification because of the endless possibilities of what can be inked onto their body's canvas. Most people decide what they want to get a tattoo of and then bring their design to a shop (or choose something they find while at the shop) and then it's up to the tattoo artist to recreate their idea on his or her customers skin. Tattoo artists are usually highly trained and very experienced with their skill. Parlors have equipment for the tattoo artists to use, such as tattoo guns, needles, tubes,machines and inks.
A Harris Poll, done in 2003, nearly triples those numbers and estimates that 16% of Americans now have one or more tattoos. Thirty-six percent of those ages 18 to 25, and 40 percent of those ages 26 to 40, have at least one tattoo, according to a fall 2006 survey. . The highest incidence of tattoos was found among the gay, lesbian and bisexual population (31%) and among Americans ages 25 to 29 years (36%) and 30 to 39 years (28%). Regionally, people living in the West (20%) are more likely to have tattoos. Democrats are more likely to have tattoos (18%) than Republicans (14%) and Independents (12%) while nearly equal percentages of males (16%) and females (15%) have tattoos.
Among Americans with tattoos, 34% (over one third!!) said having a tattoo has made them feel sexier. Interestingly, more tattooed females (42%) feel this way than males (25%). Additionally, those with tattoos said that having a tattoo has made them feel more rebellious (29%) while others said a tattoo makes them feel more attractive (26%). But tattoos apparently won't do much for your intelligence or your physique, as few Americans reported that tattoos make them feel more intelligent (5%), more healthy (4%), or more athletic (3%).
Tattoos tend to be more expensive than piercings because of the labor and time that goes into creating tattoos compared to the quick execution of a piercing. Both of these forms of body art have become huge components of a culture that continues to push the limits of what can be done to the human body.
Among Americans with tattoos, 34% (over one third!!) said having a tattoo has made them feel sexier. Interestingly, more tattooed females (42%) feel this way than males (25%). Additionally, those with tattoos said that having a tattoo has made them feel more rebellious (29%) while others said a tattoo makes them feel more attractive (26%). But tattoos apparently won't do much for your intelligence or your physique, as few Americans reported that tattoos make them feel more intelligent (5%), more healthy (4%), or more athletic (3%).
Tattoos tend to be more expensive than piercings because of the labor and time that goes into creating tattoos compared to the quick execution of a piercing. Both of these forms of body art have become huge components of a culture that continues to push the limits of what can be done to the human body.
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