Tongue bifurcation, or splitting, is exactly what it sounds like: a surgical procedure to split the tip of the tongue so that it becomes forked like a snake's. Long a counter-culture phenomenon, it is now being seen more often among main stream modification enthusiasts, and recently had a huge surge of popularity with the release of X2: XMen United, which features a brief scene in which a small mutant child sticks out his forked tongue. Members of the Gothic, Vamp, and Mutant movements, all counter-culture groups heavily involved with body modification, have been getting their tongues split for years.

The first question that leaps to mind, of course, is why? Very little has been written about the procedure that is not critical or reactionary. The most obvious answer is sheer shock effect: similar to pierced noses and eyebrows, a forked tongue gets an instant response from others. Vague references to sexual benefits appear in most articles on the topic. The easiest way to get direct answers is to find a modification studio or group and ask.

According to a young man at Crazy Chameleon in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, who asked not to be identified, sexual benefits are the chief reason to bifurcate. Tongues that have been split retain their movement and sensory qualities, but the forked sides can move independent of one another. This proves highly beneficial in kissing and, more dramatically, during oral sex.

"Nobody wants to come out and say it," he said, "but that's the big plus. You can give oral like nobody's ever had it before. You can use your tongue on both sides of the 'hot spot' at the same time, if you know what I mean."

But the state of Illinois is currently on the road to banning one form of body modification: tongue bifurcation, or tongue splitting, has come under fire. The Illinois House of Representatives voted unanimously to band the practice, and the bill is now awaiting Senate approval. A similar bill failed to pass in Michigan last year, and the United States Military has banned the procedure. Some soldiers have had to reverse the procedure in order to remain in the service. Body modification supporters say this is a violation of their civil liberties and will force those wanting the procedure to go "underground" rather than having a qualified dentist or surgeon perform the surgical split.

So what is the beef? Critics say that the procedure is dangerous and there is a high risk of infection. Supporters say that the same can be said of any cosmetic procedure. Certainly there are horror stories out there of splitters who have lost their ability to speak, become seriously ill, and had long term damage to their tongue. But in fairness there has never been a reported fatality, even due to post-operative infection. The same can not be said of breast augmentation or even liposuction and rhinoplasty, procedures performed regularly without criticism.

The danger seems to be in who does the procedure. Horror stories inevitably involve non-medical practitioners, either at a piercing parlor or private home, that went terribly awry. Cost seems to be a factor quite often in these cases. Consider: having tongue bifurcation done by a dentist or doctor costs anywhere between $1,000 and $5,000, while having the procedure done in a body modification parlor (using a scalpel heated with a blow torch) costs a mere $500.

When the procedure is done responsibly through a doctor or dentist the patient will normally have swelling and pain for 3 to 7 days, and frequently speaks with a lisp for a short period afterward. The young man from Pittsfield reported that he had to suck on ice cubes for a few days, refrain from eating solid food for 5 days, and did speak with a lisp for a short time. "But after a few months nobody could tell unless I told them. In fact, it was not as bad as when I got my tongue pierced. Talking was easier with the fork than [the] tongue bolt I had before."

While most average, middle class folk certainly find the practice strange, perhaps even disturbing, the idea that government is attempting to regulate it is disturbing. How can a society that endorses larger breasted women at any cost make illegal a personal choice such as tongue bifurcation? That the procedure seems crazy or pointless is not really the issue. Most people think Michael Jackson is insane, but few of us would consider making plastic surgery illegal. A better choice would be to make the procedure safe by imposing legal limitations on how and where tongue bifurcation can be performed, and by whom.

In a society that endorses breast implants, stomach stapling, nose jobs, tummy tucks, botox, and anything else the cosmetics industry can dream up, it is simply duplicitous to claim that counter-culture tongue splitters are taking too great a risk when they make changes to their own bodies. That there are risks is undisputed. But procedures are done daily in the interest of mainstream beauty that are just as risky, and often more-so. Critics of body modification in all its forms are reacting to its difference, not its validity or safety, and outlawing the practices will prove far more harmful in the long run than regulating its safety by imposing strict regulations. Regulating choice is a far more dangerous act than tongue bifurcation, and critics who claim to be acting in the interest of public health are speaking with forked tongues.