It's been a little over a week since I have decided to get two piercings and two tattoos.

I've been judged almost all of my life, but I believe that getting these body modifications have ultimately taken the cake. Older people will ignore me in the grocery store as if I'm a ghost, most people in my small town look down on me as if I am the "Antichrist", so to say.

Most people who confront me about my piercings say, "If you didn't want these negative comments, you shouldn't have gotten them," almost as if it was my choice to be judged and ridiculed.

Let me say one thing.

It was NOT my choice to have negativity surround me. It was NOT my choice to allow random strangers to stare me down, peer at me as if I am an alien. A freak, per say.

I wanted to do what made me happy, essentially. I have wanted body modifications since I was twelve years old. I am finally a legal adult who can make decisions.

I made the decision to make myself happy and to receive piercings and tattoos that made me feel more of myself.

Who are you to say it's my fault that people are quick to judge whenever I am not harming anyone?

I know what I am getting into. I just wish people would respect my wishes.

I have always been different from others, I have always been bullied, and I have always felt like the black sheep.

However, it's your choice whether or not to treat me like one.

I am happy in my own skin, I am happy the way I am and no one can change that. No amount of "you'd be a lot prettier without that"s, or "you look like a hog"s will make me decide to take my septum piercing out.

No amount of "you look like a whore"s or "I don't like that"s will make me decide to take my tongue ring out.

My self-confidence has only risen after getting my tattoos and piercings. Who are you to say I'm wrong for being happy?

Take this for example. You love the color purple. You think it compliments you greatly. Friends think you look great in it as well, so you wear it.

However, someone comes up to you in the grocery store and says, "Hey, I don't think you should wear purple. I don't like purple."

Are you going to take off your purple clothes? HELL NO.

So your irrelevant decision and opinion for me to take out my piercings and erase my tattoos are only a reach, and you're honestly wasting your breath.

I don't care what you believe. I don't care what you think.

My body is my body. And if you don't like it, don't look at it.