Rethinking Tattoos

400px-Tattoo_artist_with_latex_glovesAmong some groups in the U.S. today, having a tattoo is becoming more and more commonplace (not unusual; ordinary). A tattoo is permanent writing or drawings made under your skin. Tattoos can be made in almost any shape and size, from a fierce (dangerous; tough fighting) animal or other symbol to words or phrases (often, comically, misspelled or incorrectly written).

About one in five (21%) of Americans have at least one tattoo, up from 16% in 2008, according to a 2012 Harris poll. A separate poll found that among people 18 to 29, the figure (number; percentage) is closer to 40%.

While it’s true that tattoos have become more socially accepted in some parts of American society, there’s still one place where you might want to keep them covered: the place where you work.

Many employers (company owners or bosses) prefer to hire workers without tattoos. That’s almost certainly because, for many people, tattoos continue to carry a stigma (negative views and opinions). According to the Harris poll mentioned above, 45% believed that people with tattoos were less attractive, 27% thought they were less intelligent, and 25% thought they were less healthy.

(Apparently (It seems), companies don’t want to give jobs to people who they think are ugly, stupid, and in poor health. For those like me who are all three of things and who don’t even have a tattoo, this is very bad news indeed!)

Many workplaces actually have policies for people who want to get tattoos or already have them. The U.S. Army, for example, issued new restrictions (limitations; rules on what is allowed) last year on tattoos. The new rules say that tattoos are not allowed on parts of that body that aren’t easily covered, such as the arm below the elbow (where the arm bends) and above the neckline (skin area below the neck and above a shirt). Many hospitals require that employees cover their tattoos, especially ones that may offend (insult) people or frighten children.

Do you have tattoos? Are there rules about tattoos in your workplace? What are your opinions of people with tattoos?

– Jeff

Photo Credit: Tattoo artist with latex gloves from Wikipedia

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12 Responses to Rethinking Tattoos

  1. Dan says:

    Hello everyone,

    I have never considered having a tattoo done and I do not like it either, especially on women.

    Over here the same rules apply for job seekers.

    Even though I do not like tattoo, I do not think those who have it are less attractive,intelligent or healthy. They just have a tattoo, that’s it.

    By the way, I do not like piercings as well especially on the face, and I cannot stand women that smoke. I could never date a woman that smoke.

    Thank you Jeff

  2. kurocyan says:

    ~this is very bad news indeed!

    Me too!!

  3. Alan AS says:

    Well, we have the same rules here, that’s why I have never got a good job. I have two 🙁
    Very good post.

    thank u my great Jeff

  4. emiliano says:

    Mind changes along the years the same as feelings, what you like being a young could be not what you like as an adult,
    the tattoo you like on your skin when living a particular situation in life could be not nice once living another or being
    an adult or a old person.
    When you are a single everything is different than having a couple and children that could see your body with the tattoos
    this could be uncofortable of the person and even dislike factor for them.

    No thank you, I don´t like tattoos on my body despite they could be really artistic and beautiful, so I have not anything against
    people with tattoos but of course it depends the kind or the theme of the tattoos that some time could be like a stigma for
    the person with them being always identify by the tattoo.
    A person could be a silly teenager or a stupid young but after some years the same person could be a nice inteligent woman or man
    so it is not fair to judge any body with tattoos but we are so simple that preconceptions hinder our judgment when evaluating
    a similar, that is life and so it is our elemental mind full of prejudices.

    Having all this in mind I try not to have opinion of people with tattoos but sometime it is difficult because we are not the owner
    of our own ideas or thoughts.
    I like some tattoos and they could be nice on a girl or boy but I dislike another and my mind started to think without a racional
    control, feelings a more powerful that rational ideas by all means.

    Thank you so much Jeff, dear friend.

    emiliano

  5. Yáskara Paiva says:

    I live in Brazil and this prejudgement is ending. Several public and famous people such as models, actors and singers, have several tattoos, helping acceptance by society.

    Most companies also have no longer taken it into consideration.

    Good, because I have 2 large tattoos. I love them. They are part of my identity.

    I think judge people by have or not tattoo is like judging by color, race and Ethnicity. It’s an unfortunate, foolish and not evolved behavior (I don´t know if it´s correct) of people. People have to be judged by their behavior, their attitudes.

    Thanks Jeff. I love controversial subjects like this. They make the heart beat stronger .

  6. Genji says:

    In Japan,
    for your information,
    Man who has a tattoo on their body can be generally seen as a Ya-ku-za ( outlaw; very dangerous person).
    No way!

  7. Miyoung says:

    These days, some of young generations and entertainers show their tatoos on TV proudly.
    I don’t care because it’s their choice but I want them not to influence children or adolescence, please~.

  8. rocky says:

    I am from India. There is no such rule in our country. Modern generation likes tattoo but I don’t like it.

  9. WangLuu says:

    Hi all, hi Jeff!

    Tattoos is beautiful per se, especially those are made with colorful ink. Personally, I would admit the thoughts of having a tattoo have been crossed my mind for many times. These days, It’s not gonna get you any

    sweat to notice that there is an increasing amount of people carrying oneor two tattoos along their body. And by that rising number, the whim of having one, wanting to be like my peers has had its chance to

    stimulate up the fire inside of me.

    Internet with its impressive influence on young generations, who are quite adaptable to everything that’s supposed to be cool by themselves, has been put its back into spreading out the craze of getting

    a tattoo worldwide. First, you know that as human beings, sometimes we find ourselves get caught in a situation where we are willing to make any excuses in order to back up our wishes, even though

    sometimes, by instinct for example, those wishes seem to be absurd somehow. So along with that natural tendency, as seeing an object that is subjectively defined as one of the things we want it,

    a tattoo in this case, I think we will automatically make up some excuses for having our own way with it. Second, as being young, many teenagers tend to do thing impulsively,

    so I think find it’s just hard for them to turn a blind eye on things that are being popped up around. And that is where the peer pressure has its own fertile soil to grow 🙂

    Yeap, there is no doubt that many work places in my country, if to not say almost, are considering tattoos as unacceptable. People still keep a skeptical look at tattoos.

    Back in the early of 1990s, Hong Kong movies used to have a huge impact in our society. And I remember there were lots films where you could have found a company of gangs with tattoos

    on their arms, their chests, their backs and so on without any trouble. So that has helped us to set up a bad stereotype, notorieties for tattoos since then. Although now, people are quite open-minded

    a little bit, but when it comes to your business, your work…people would keep prejudging you by it, especially those with only dark ink. This is the reason I had had to think twice and decided to

    put my whim on hold. 🙂

    Best regard

  10. emiliano says:

    To all of you that like tattooes there is a book published on 1951 written by Ray Bradbury with the tittle
    “The Illustrated Man”
    In the book there are eighteen science fiction short stories that explores the nature of mankind.
    The unrelated stories are tied together by the frame device of “the Illustrated Man”, a vagrant
    with a tattooed body whom the unnamed narrator meets. The man’s tattoos, allegedly created
    by a time-traveling woman, are animated and each tell a different tale.

    Bradbury also took the idea of tattoes to write another book “Something Wicked This Way Comes”
    where the tattoos coming to represent the souls of sinful victims of a mysterious carnival.

    So yes, the idea of tattoes on the body it is quite old, it is not just from now but what is happening
    at the moment it is that they have came with strong power.
    Even the Swidesh writer Stig Larsson took the idea of a tattoed girl as the protagonist of his triology books
    “Millenium” that have been warld claimed along years.

    I think tattoes are again well accepted by the young generation despite adults, like me, could not like
    to have then on our body, but I like to see them in other if they are artistic and well drawn.

    In fact I have nothing against well drawn beautiful tattoes despite I wouldn´t have any on my skin.

    A good subject Jeff, congratulations to all the new bloggers and thank you for participate.

    emiliano

  11. emiliano says:

    Sorry friends.

    It is not swidesh, it is swedish, born in Sweden.

    His three books of Millennium trilogy are:

    The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,
    The Girl Who Played with Fire,
    The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets’ Nest

    There are also three movies with the same tittles
    Where the swedish actress Noomi Rapace achieved international fame with her portrayal
    of Lisbeth Salander in the Swedish film adaptations of the Millennium series.
    Now I have seen Noomi Rapace taken the roll of scientific astronaut in “Prometeus” the
    sequel film of the “Alien” trilogy.
    Despite so bad critics of Ridley Scott´s Prometeus movie, I like it very much.

    Thank you friends. emiliano

  12. Tania says:

    Hi! I don’t like the tattoos. It seems to be a kind of subculture.
    When I say “tattoo” I think about “t.A.T.u.”, the Russian music duo, the Russian music band, because of the same pronunciation.

    All the best to you all,

    Tania

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