Willow Smith photo via Instagram

Willow Smith recently posted a startling photo of herself wearing a tongue ring, via her Instagram account. The 11-year-old’s latest stunt has left many of her fans wondering if the “Whip My Hair” singer has gone too far.

Some observers have been quick to suggest the piercing is a fake, while others are outraged that her parents, Will and Jada Smith, would allow their pre-teen daughter to get her tongue pierced. According to California state law, Willow would have needed her parent’s consent to get the piercing.

During a recent interview, Will Smith revealed that he believes his daughter has the freedom to make choices about her appearance.

“When you have a little girl, it’s like how can you teach her that you’re in control of her body? If I teach her that I’m in charge of whether or not she can touch her hair, she’s going to replace me with some other man when she goes out in the world,” Smith said. “She is used to making those decisions herself. We try to keep giving them those decisions until they can hold the full weight of their lives.”

Whether the piercing is fake or real, Willow has ignited a debate as to whether or not an 11-year-old should be allowed to have a tongue piercing.

Would you allow your 11-year-old to get their tongue pierced?

Follow Chris Witherspoon on Twitter at @WitherspoonC