We live in a world today where in most places we can pretty much express ourselves in whatever manner we sit fit (within reason).
There are exceptions to the rule, of course, but for the most part, people can experiment with trends, hairstyles, clothing and more freely than at virtually any other time in human history.
This is all to the good: no one should ever be persecuted for the way they choose to dress or decorate themselves, just as no one should ever face stigmatism or demonization for opting for a certain piercing or tattoo (providing it’s not hateful or provocative by design).
That said, like it or not, there are limits to what the majority of us are prepared to accept as it pertains to body modification and expression of oneself. One man, 35-year-old Anthony Loffredo, may have reached that limit.
You see, when Anthony goes out to eat or simply take a walk, he draws the attention of virtually every single other human that passes by. Not only that, but reports state that he can’t so much as land a job interview, let alone a job, while taxi drivers turn him away and some establishments won’t even let him in through their doors.
Why, you ask? Well, it has a great deal to do with his pursuit of becoming a character he calls the “black alien”.
While even the most adventurous among us are usually satisfied with outlandish tattoos, piercings in unconventional places, and perhaps bright, unnatural hair colors, Anthony Loffredo, from France, set his bar significantly higher. He’s undergone a nose amputation, had both ears cut off, his eyeballs and skin tattooed black, his tongue sliced in two, his teeth filed, and two of his fingers surgically removed.
He’s also had demonic symbols burned into his flesh and horns implanted beneath his skin to give him a more monstrous appearance.
According to the Daily Mail, Loffredo, who used to work as a nightclub bouncer, claims he’s only 65 percent finished with the adjustments he plans to make. One planned future modification would see him cut off one of his legs in order for it to be replaced by a biomechanical one.
Speaking on his body before he started to have surgeries (of which he’s lost count), the 35-year-old told the UK’s Channel 4 show last year: “Yes, [I was] happy, but not in the right body. It [wasn’t] my body, my real body.”
Speaking to the Club 113 podcast, meanwhile, he added: “I’m fascinated, it fascinates me — everything, the human body.
“[My look is inspired by] a bit of everything, because no one knows what is out there.”
Despite his wild look, Loffredo says his parents were supportive of his decision after an initial period of shock. What’s more, he’s found love, with it revealed last December that he was dating model and tattoo enthusiast Melina Shakur.
Loffredo often has to travel to other countries in order to undergo certain procedures, this because they are illegal at home. As per the Daily Mail, said surgeries involved receiving general anesthesia in shady underground clinics and tattoo shops.
Yet according to the latest reports, the extreme body modifications community member said earlier this year that he doesn’t want any further procedures at this time.
“Right now, I am going to focus on something real,” he said in Spanish, “not more on how to live life.”
On top of that, he and girlfriend Melina Shakur have reportedly even discussed the idea of Loffredo having some of his tattoos removed.
In any case, we wish him well moving forward. His is certainly a unique looks, and while it may be unconventional – to say the least – the most important thing is that he’s content.