There has always been judgment regarding body modifications, whether they’re tattoos, untraditional piercings, or any other out-of-the-ordinary body art.

However, judgment has reached a new level in Arkansas, since the Senate recently passed a bill to ban certain body modifications.

In a nutshell, the bill, sponsored by Senator Missy Irvin, states that scarification (the scarring of skin into a certain design, essentially tattooing without ink) and subdermal implants (jewelry placed under the skin) will be banned in the state of Arkansas.

Initially, the controversy that surrounded the bill was caused by its ambiguity. When the bill was first passed, it banned “dermal implants” and “non-traditional body art.” Both of these terms were easily misconstrued: dermal implants could simply mean any sort of body piercing, while there was no clear definition as to what would make body art “non-traditional.”

This is what led to the amendment of the bill, which defined specifically what procedures would be banned. Despite supporters’ claims that the practices were prohibited simply for the avoidance of the infections they could cause, there was no actual medical evidence to back them up.

Obviously, any sort of body modification has the potential to cause some sort of damage. Piercings can be very susceptible to infections if not cared for properly, and it’s even more difficult to care for those inserted under the skin. Tattooing and scarification is literally damaging skin to create art.

But does that mean they are harmful to everyone? No.

Banning the modifications could be seen as simply prohibiting a “dangerous” practice. However, Senator Missy Irvin did not present any evidence that showed that these modifications led to health difficulties.

Besides, aren’t people supposed to be able to express themselves in America, no matter how unconventionally? The fact that no one provided actual proof that these procedures were dangerous just begs the question: Are these modifications banned because they’re dangerous, or just because the Arkansas Senate thinks they’re weird?

It’s definitely been said millions of times, but what someone does to his or her own body should be his or her own choice, not the government’s. It’s not as if scarring your body for the sake of expressing yourself is going to pose an immediate threat to society. Sure, it may creep some people out, but they’re entitled to their opinion, just as you are entitled to make your own choice.