Two parents with opposing views on piercing children’s ears have kicked off a debate online.
Mums Alley Einstein and Raj Gill appeared on ITV’s This Morning to talk about the issue – and things quickly got heated.
Alley, who has a seven-year-old daughter, said that children were “beautiful enough” without piercings.
“I think we should set the time and age when a child should have it done and it should be at least 10 years of age,” she said.
“We’re forcing our children to be sexualised too early.
“We’re slamming needles into their ears. We don’t need to do that. Our children are beautiful enough.”
She went on to liken piercing a young child’s ears to FGM (Female Genital Mutilation) and called it child abuse.
“Do you support female genital mutilation?,” she asked Raj, whose five-year-old has her ears pierced.
“Absolutely not,” Raj replied.
“Then how you can allow your child to have its ears pierced when there’s no medical reason to have that done?,” she said.
“Calling it child abuse is ridiculous,” said Raj. “Have you Googled child abuse?
Alley replied: “It’s inflicting unnecessary pain.”
Raj said that her daughter had asked to have her ears pierced.
“If she felt any pain we would have stopped.
“She’d been asking for a long time to have it done and it’s part of our culture.”
The debate divided viewers, with many taking to Twitter to share their views.
I 100% don’t agree with piercing babies ears. They should be able to make the decision for themselves when they’re old enough to & it shouldn’t be up to the parents but I also don’t agree with the parents being put in same category as people who beat their children! #ThisMorning
— Amy Hartman ?️? (@Amyyh18) May 8, 2018
It is not a parent’s perogative to pierce your child’s ears! Piercings are cosmetic – it should be a personal choice whether or not you have piercings. #ThisMorning
— Emma Lawson (@bybettybluebell) May 8, 2018
Basically just don’t pierce your babies ears for your own satisfaction. They are too young to care so it’s not for them. Plus is looks tacky as fuck ? #ThisMorning
— Kayte Kayte (@TayteKakes) May 8, 2018
#ThisMorning Get over ur self women; piercing is not child if done correcly. When children are being abused daily with neglect, sexual to physical etc.. how can u compare ear piercing to abuse. Focus on children actually getting abused not children loved.
— Amanda (@Amanda85474054) May 8, 2018
this woman has basically just said if you agree with piercing your child’s ears at 4 years old then you agree with genital mutilation? no words. #ThisMorning
— Alex (@alexblenkley) May 8, 2018
I’m tempted to pierce my children’s ears just to annoy this crank… possibly a couple of tattoos too. #ThisMorning
— Lee (@thorntinho) May 8, 2018
A number of those watching at home also took issue with the comparison between ear piercing and FGM.
That person comparing ear-piercing with FGM & saying it is sexulisation is a bigger worry than the procedure itself!#ThisMorning
— Mags Watson (@MagsWatson3) May 8, 2018
#ThisMorning The moment the woman compared piercing ears to FGM she lost the argument end of.
— PlacidMadness (@TheSpicyJoker) May 8, 2018
#ThisMorning ears compared to FGM how dare she! How about backing off and taking your colonial superiority with you. Or better still putting all that energy into actually focusing on FGM.
— Red (@redstyle100) May 8, 2018
Where do you stand, Mama? Let us know in the Facebook comments or on Twitter.
