University of Michigan - Michiganensian Yearbook (Ann Arbor, MI)

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m uzanne Sauser tattoos a client at her tattoo parlor on East Liberty. Sauser was cautious to use latex gloves and properly sterilize her equipment to avoid the possibility of infection. Transmission of HIV and Hepatitis B were potential health hazards of getting a tattoo. toos and Body Pierci

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the wild tninq eveiujbodq s doinq it AIDS sex onc-niqnt stands condoms layout and stoptj bi| emma cartwriqht Peter Nielsen Hooking up, getting some, or scoring no matter what it was called, students had sex. Yet, complicated issues surrounded sex. Not only was there the chance of unplanned pregnancy, but there was also the risk of contracting HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases. It was no longer simply a question of whether or not to have sex. Rather, one was forced to evaluate the risks. An anonymous LSA sophomore echoed the senti- ments of many: Screw the diseases, the sex just feels so good. While the sex may have felt good, sexually active students were still candidates for sexually transmitted diseases. According to University Health Services (UHS) statistics, 875 students were tested for sexually transmitted diseases in 1995. UHS reported 11 cases of gonorrhea, 96 cases of genital herpes, three cases of syphilis, and 187 cases of genital warts. In an effort to minimize the rate at which these diseases were spread, UHS offered free condoms, up to five a day, for students ' use. Even though college was stereotyped as a place of frequent, promiscuous sex, not all students were sexually active. UHS worker Polly Paulson stressed, It ' s important to realize that not every- one is having sex. In a recent study of students living in the residence halls, UHS officials found that only about 50% of students were sexually active within the last six months. Many students decided to wait to have sex. Some waited for religious reasons, others for the right person, and others simply hadn ' t had the opportunity. I ' m not against premarital sex, but I ' m not for promiscuous sex. either. said one University sophomore. Health risks aside, finding a place to have sex wasn ' t easy. In both the residence halls and in olT- campus housing, students had to deal with room- mates and neighbors. A first-year student stated. The walls were very thin. The girl next door to me got written up by our RA because she and her boyfriend made too much noise. Many students had stories about walking in on their roommate having sex, or waking up and hearing their room- mate having sex. Relating an embarrassing experience, one sophomore said. My freshman year, I lived in the dorms and my girlfriend was up for the weekend. All of the sudden I heard the door open and my roommate walked right in on us. Peter Nielsen unplanned pregnancies and I K irth 1 ually transmitted diseases, condoms are readil avail -nversity students. Condoms 101. Shaman Drum, and Un [ H HS limit of five condoms per day perstuaern ptik, tht: contraception of choice, are available to tad of le to female students though Univerisly Health Sen-ices at a discounted rsit price of$l 1 a month. To qualify to receive pills through UHS. women fS set had to both view a video explaining other birth control methods and be examined by a doctor. Sex + 17

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df H ; story by sarak smudier layout by emma cartwrigfit Tattoos and body piercing had become almost commonplace at the University. They were a conversation piece at times, but for those who had them, they were GM wi j i l pa it fr tk iSi ideriuuj,. What was the attraction? Were the tattoos and piercings worth the pain involved, or did the pain actually enhance the idea? IGAtQQd ' 3 l VGAM G MAQUu , said LSA creative writing concentrator Jeremy Chamberlin. Not having one, but getting one. The first 15 minutes are about as painful as a cat scratchi ng you, but after that, it can be a real high. Professional body piercer Rob Petroff of Insane Creations, a piercing parlor on East William, found piercing very energizing. I ' ve been doing this professionally for seven years, and I love the energy and excitement I get from piercing. It ' s an adrenaline rush. Tattoos and piercings were no longer viewed as out of the ordinary. Jt y(WM, Q telfr- A young man displays his nose and tongue piercings. While many students simply pierced their ears, others resorted to more exotic places. Whether it was a tongue, belly button, nose, lip, or eyebrow, students decorated their bodies with metal. Some men and women even pierced their nipples and genitalia. Sarah S mucker Sarah Smucker like any art form, ex- plained Suzanne Sauser, a tattoo artist at Creative Tattoo by Suzanne, a tattooing parlor on East Liberty Street. Tattooing and body piercing an art form? Both Petroff and Sauser agreed that both mediums were two of the mfril OMoietit a iti Uc jjQSiwiA- known to mankind. Students ' self-expressions had a price, though. Tattoos cost a mini- mum of $100, depending on the size of the tattoo and the amount of time spent on the design. Contrary to the stereotype that ob- taining a tattoo was a spur of the moment whim, Chamberlin put years of thought into his two tattoos. Getting his first tattoo was a mutual experience with his younger brother. The two decided to be 2W 70700 Z4 fc but with the same design, a whale from the Haida culture of the Northwest United States. Whales and wolves in the Haida culture represent the same animal. I believe in balance so this is why I wanted my second tattoo, which is also another of my favorite animals. Similarly, in many cases, the decision to have a body part pierced was M t MCMa iiLf a tekeluon against an established norm but just a way of being decorative. I got my nose ring because I always thought it looked pretty, said LSA junior Sarah Johnson. School of Natural Resources senior Karin Mueller got her navel pierced for similar reasons, I just thought it looked cool. Neither student regretted their piercing in any way. Piercing represented a myriad of things for many people. Though being pierced is t l wly, these days, for many people it represents a part of their identity. The more personal the piercing, the more emotional the experience, said Petroff. Students ' tattoos and piercings signified more than just rebellious decisions made in haste. They spanned cultural lines and for many represented an integral part of their identity. Tattoos and Body Piercing + 19