Tattoos

[AdminAssistant]

Yeah, guywithashovel, I want to teach (college) and I know that if I want tenure one day, that any body art I might want to get needs to be able to be easily covered. Yes, I might get a job at a groovy hippy liberal arts school that doesn't care....or I might get a job in a very conservative town with a very conservative administration. Can't be too picky in this market, especially in the 'academy'.

[Slytovhand]

LordLundar, you forgot about limb removal

Dreamcatchers?? Ooh, I could start a thread about them!!! (No, I'm not against them in principle, but that they're everywhere... such that they've lost a lot of significance, and has just become another marketing gimmick. Now, if they're done by those who actually participate in that tradition... for traditional purposes... cool!)

Question for you all.... since we've got some feeling the the 'meaning' has some significance in this question, what about someone with strong convictions getting a prominent tattoo? Religion is an obvious example, and as a reminder for someone who has passed on or a loved one... but... Hitler? Stalin? A (Nazi) Swastika? A KKK emblem?

[lordlundar]

LordLundar, you forgot about limb removal

You're assuming it's on a limb.

And guywithashovel, that is an absolutely valid point. Especially when it's a job dealing with the general public. An employer has to think about how this person will represent the company. At that stage, a visible tattoo in a family environment is going to turn off a fair bit of people.

Seeing that a tattoo is a choice and not a case of genetics like a birthmark, they can refuse to hire you as a basis of that, especially if they have a policy against visible tattoos.

[DesignFox]

I have no problems with tattoos. I don't personally have one because I have yet to find a design that has meaning for me, and I have yet to find a place on my body where I feel it would look attractive/meet a bunch of other personal requirements.

My only issue with people getting tattoos are the people who have extremely distasteful designs in very prominent places. If it's triple XXX or R-rated, (extremely disgusting or sexual), that's your perogative, but please have some consideration and put it someplace less on display.

I personally would avoid words or symbols in foreign languages, words in general (sorry I love to laugh at people with misspelled tats) and names. Especially names since you never know how you'll feel about that person down the road.

My sweetie has two tattoos and not only are they tasteful and unique, not only do they have deep meaning for him, but they also look hot and he can easily hide them if he chooses. *gush*

[Sylvia727]

My uncle has a tattoo on each shoulder. I have never seen him in any shirt with less than quarter sleeves. Once in a blue moon, if it's a weekend and he's not going out, he'll wear a t-shirt with sleeves short enough to show the dragon's tail dipping down below. In his business shirts, nothing is ever visible. Nobody is seeing those tattoos unless he shows them off.

I intend to have a phoenix tattooed on my shoulder. Yes, I know everybody and their grandmother has a firebird tattoo, but "rebirth from the ashes of one's former life" has a special meaning for me. I will probably get a few other tattoos, all in places that can be both covered and bared in polite company. Some of those will be meaningful, and some will just look pretty. All of them will be small, though. I don't want body art to detract from my body.

Personally, I can't stand wrist tattoos. "Oh, but you can cover it up with a thick watch!" Well, sure, but nobody ever does. They just walk around with a tattoo right in the middle of everything they do. It's unprofessional and unsuited to most environments. I don't like to look at them, so I don't. Personal hangup, and I'd never mention it to anyone. It just bugs me.

Chinese characters...I would rather have symbols from Egyptian hieroglyphs, or Latin phrases, or whatever. Some language that's static and dead, and thus less open to misinterpretations. Some unfortunate souls have "no smoking" tattooed on them in Chinese.

A friend had a dolphin, the mascot of her school, tattooed above her butt. There's a reason those are called "tramp stamps" even without what I consider the pointlessness of having one's high school follow you around for the rest of your life. But then again, maybe she had a better high school experience than I did.

[Cat]

Question for you all.... since we've got some feeling the the 'meaning' has some significance in this question, what about someone with strong convictions getting a prominent tattoo? Religion is an obvious example, and as a reminder for someone who has passed on or a loved one... but... Hitler? Stalin? A (Nazi) Swastika? A KKK emblem?

A much as I would look down on anyone who got such ink (the Hitler, Stalin, etc) its their decision....I dont have to like it or give 2 shits (why is it always 2 shits?)

[guywithashovel]

A much as I would look down on anyone who got such ink (the Hitler, Stalin, etc) its their decision....I dont have to like it or give 2 shits (why is it always 2 shits?)

It would make more sense to say something like, "I don't give 1/10th of a shit." I don't know how the "two shits" thing got started. It's very much like the utterance "I could care less what you do."

[tabbyblack13]

As for tattoos I don't mind them. When I worked at a gas station one guy in his 70s (I assumed) would come in and he would always be wearing a tank top. He had naked pinup girls up and down both of his arms. I didn't like how they looked but the tats were also faded and on really wrinkly skin. That and I don't think that walking around in public with that is not a good idea. I can just imagine a child going "Mommy, why does that man have naked ladies on his arm?"

If a person has a tattoo that is done tastefully then I don't mind. I will admit there are a few tattoos that are a turn off to me. Tattoos with racist meanings and an ex's name are the two major ones. I don't mind names that are from loved family members. I admit that I will judge a person by there tats. I will do my best not to treat then any differently thou. If it's small I don't mind but some of the large tats that cover the entire arm with spiderwebs and grotesque faces is just too much for me.

As a professional I cannot have any tattoos displayed. If I get a tattoo it will have to be in a location that can be easily hidden. This would be likely on by back or upper legs. I woman I met in college got pregnant had she had a butterfly on her stomach by the time she was 8 months along the tattoo was huge. Of couse I think the kid was a good 9 lbs too.

[powerboy]

It's the CustomersSuck logo, isn't it?

No, but that would be funny to have one. Maybe Raps, could have it

a dream catcher tat will be lovely

Thanks

Dreamcatchers?? Ooh, I could start a thread about them!!! (No, I'm not against them in principle, but that they're everywhere... such that they've lost a lot of significance, and has just become another marketing gimmick. Now, if they're done by those who actually participate in that tradition... for traditional purposes... cool!)

That is why I am going to get it. For the true meaning of it and also to rep. what I am.

Question for you all.... since we've got some feeling the the 'meaning' has some significance in this question, what about someone with strong convictions getting a prominent tattoo? Religion is an obvious example, and as a reminder for someone who has passed on or a loved one... but... Hitler? Stalin? A (Nazi) Swastika? A KKK emblem?

If it is for faith, for a late family member. I can understand the meaning of it. But a racist one, that is just stupid.

I remember on this one tattoo show (years back and I forgot the name( Miami Ink, maybe) That this one father was getting a tattoo on his chest of his dying daughter. He was putting it where she would always lay. Now that is understandable and a great thing to do.

[Shangri-laschild]

I think that's a valid concern. When I was in high school, the topic of tatoos came up in one of my classes. The teacher said that she didn't think anyone should get a tatoo somewhere where he couldn't cover it up for a job interview. Personally, I think that is very good advice.

Agreed. I already have a job that I hope to spend the rest of my life doing and I still don't want to get anything that can't be covered up by a tshirt and jeans.

As for tattoos, I admit to being a bit of a snob. Not hugely, but badly done tattoos irk me a bit. Not to the point of saying anything (it's not my body/business) but I guess mostly I just don't get it. It's not the kinda badly done ones though, just the ones that look like someone got it done in a friends garage by someone who didn't know what they were doing.

I do plan on getting tattoos though and even have some planned out. They are ones that are important to me. It's taken me a long time in my life to get to a point where I have worked my ass off to choose to be happy and not let things get to me as much. I'm still a bit surprised at how much progress I've made in that respect. And that's the basis of what my first one will be. A permanent reminder that not only am I strong enough to better myself, but that I did. The second one is to remind me to never get up and that I'm stronger than I think sometimes. I guess the closest I can compare it to is a lucky item of clothing. Something that is your favorite and when you wear it, you feel confident and happy. When you wear it, it reminds you of all the things you like about yourself. It's not exactly it, but it's a bit close.

[Dreamstalker]

I think that's a valid concern.

The fact that someone has a tatoo doesn't mean that person is unprofessional, unintelligent, or harboring criminal tendencies. Nonetheless, that doesn't change the fact that there are still quite a few people out there who, to some extent, frown upon people with tatoos.

That makes total sense. I think that in general, tats have a stigma attached to them (biker, what have you) and a lot of people can't get past that. I have seen employees with visible ink (usually very lavish and detailed full-arm jobs), but it's something tasteful. The workplaces in question are also fairly lax in terms of dress code so that could help.

What amuses me are the wannabes who wind up sporting what are essentially gang/prison tats because they think they're cool. I would venture that very few of the kids who do this have any idea what their cool ink actually means.

For awhile, the ex was going on about "why don't you get a tattoo or piercing". In my line of work, an external piercing could easily get caught in something and ripped out; and I've heard too many horror stories about tattoo removal (I'm sticking with henna and normal temp tattoos thanks).

[rdp78]

I think tattoos are okay as along as it has some meaning and it's something you're not going to regret (like a boyfriend/girlfriend's name) later on. I personally wouldn 't get one because one because I don't like needles but if I did get the courage I would get a butterfly on my back. I would also do my homework and make sure the artist has a license. I would also ask the questions that I might have issues with and also if I can talk to some of their clients.

Now I have put fake tattoos on me and still have some that I haven't used yet. I haven't tried the henna yet but I think I would want someone to do it for me because I don't have very steady hands when it comes to things like that (you should see me try to use liquid eye liner). When I was younger I used to draw on myself either using markers or ink pens but that stopped probably when I started high school.

[Amethyst Hunter]

Thought of something else that's related to tattoos that I find equally as (maybe even more so than) grossing-out: piercings.

UGH. UGH. I see one of these and I automatically want to *cringe*, they look so painful! (And these will look even worse than the tattoos as age and gravity take their toll...) And to hear of people putting them in Special Places, if you get my drift...

What can I say. I have a rare streak of conservatism that rears its head at times like these. I would like to add, though, that I would not treat anybody poorly just for having tattoos or piercings. They're just a personal dislike of mine and I don't 'get' their popularity (though I can see why some might have a special meaning to some people, like heritage or lost friends/family members).

[Boozy]

Piercings freak me out too, because I've got this weird phobia about puncturing my skin. Needles terrify me. I have refused bloodwork that would have tested for potentially life-threatening conditions. I have not had a flu shot in 20 years.

I'd be more likely to get a tattoo than a piercing, even though they're obviously more painful. But the needles they use are so tiny. I've seen tattoos get done, and for some irrational reason I'm fine with it.

Phobias aside, I couldn't care less what people do with their bodies. It's not my body, therefore not my business. I'm sure a number of people dislike my hairstyle, or my shoes, or the shade of my lipstick. Judge not lest ye be judged.

[DesignFox]

There are certain piercings that I don't mind. Some I think are kinda cool (I have my ears pierced- 2 bottom holes and one in my left upper cartiledge) and some I just don't understand- like your privates/nipples- uh..thats weird. I understand WHY people do it to some degree- (there are people who get a huge rush from the pain) I just wouldn't do it myself- nor do I think I'd date someone who had it done. Yick.

I'm definitely one of the weirdos that sort of enjoyed getting my ears pierced. When I got my second set of holes done, I was already thinking about a third (I didn't do it). Eventually, I got my cartiledge done and I know I got a rush from that. I've been thinking about having another done- but I don't want to end up looking like a pincushion (not to mention I can't figure out a good place in my ear to put another one- I'm tiny) My rule on peircings or tattoos is to picture myself in a fancy dress at a big event with that stuff- if it looks asinine, don't do it. *laugh* This is also partially why I still have no tattoos, and the only thing that keeps me from dying my hair blue (I wanted to leave the top natural and have the blue peek out underneath).

I guess what I'm saying is all things moderate. It's the extreme stuff that turns me off.