Body Piercer interview-Brandon

Quick Overview

Body piercer Brandon from Los Angeles, who grew up in Kentucky, discusses how his body modifications, including subdermal implants and tattoos, are a form of rebellion against the conservative religious upbringing he experienced, which he now views as a source of hurt and a skewed perception of God, though he doesn't regret the modifications themselves.

Key Points: Brandon, a body piercer from Los Angeles, grew up in Northeastern Kentucky where his father was in the military, leading to an unstable childhood. His childhood environment, shaped by conservative religious views, fostered a feeling of being unwanted and unable to control his own body, leading to rebellion. He joined the US Coast Guard after high school but left after two years, realizing that law enforcement was not for him. He has subdermal implants on his forehead, described as similar to breast implants but not as deep, and a tattoo of his children's names on his chest. He attributes his early body modifications, like getting his eyebrows surgically removed, as a way to gain internal control over his body when external control was absent. He notes that while he loves his children dearly, his mother's mental health issues and favoritism towards his sister caused significant hurt. He is now focused on living with gratitude and working through past issues rather than regretting his body modifications.

Context: This is an interview segment featuring Brandon, a body piercer based in Los Angeles, as part of the 'Soft White Underbelly' series by Mark Laita. Brandon recounts his challenging childhood in Kentucky, influenced by a religious environment and parental instability, which shaped his path toward body modification as a means of asserting self-control. He discusses specific modifications, his relationship with his parents, and his current perspective on his life and choices.

Detailed Analysis

Brandon, a body piercer in Los Angeles, details his challenging upbringing in Northeastern Kentucky, marked by his father's military career leading to instability and frequent moves. He describes his childhood as confusing and filled with feelings of being unwanted, largely due to the conservative religious environment imposed by his grandparents, who raised him after his mother lost custody. He notes that his grandmother, a devout Christian, portrayed a harsh image of God, which caused him to hate religion and instilled a feeling of needing external control. This feeling of lacking control directly influenced his path toward body modification, which he views as taking control of his own body. He mentions specific modifications, including subdermal implants on his forehead resembling horn implants and a tattoo of his children's names on his chest. He joined the Coast Guard after high school but left after two years, realizing it wasn't the right fit. He also reflects on his difficult relationship with his mother, who had mental health issues, and how she favored his sister, which caused him significant hurt. Although he acknowledges that some of his past decisions, like removing his eyebrows, were impulsive, he doesn't regret them, viewing them as part of his journey. He emphasizes that his primary focus now is living with gratitude, working through past trauma, and being a good father to his children, even though he fears he may never fully regain the close relationship he had with his mother.