The Tattoo/Piercing Stigma?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Rhinos Have More Fun on May 21, 2009 at 7:20pm

It might be 2009, but I'm finding that much of society is as conservative as ever. I don't even think that the piercings that show (4 in one ear, one in the other) while I'm at work are a big deal, but I get questions everyday. Needless to say that I never wear my septum ring--or at least I hide it--when I'm on that white collar tip. And I don't even trip--this is a school context. The last thing I would want would be some parents complaining that the district hires "weirdos" to teach their kids.

But even some blue collar folks have been known to give me an impossible time. For example, my co-driver took one look at me and absolutely had a fit!!! Before I even got on the truck, he told me that if I wanted to do a job with him, I'd have to comply. So he MADE me (yes!) remove it when we were on the road. That's some shit I will never figure out: we're going cross country in a fucking 18-wheeler--who the shitfuckshit is going to care what I'm wearing? Better yet, who the fuckshitfuck is going to see it? If it'll make you feel better, I'll hide it when we meet the people at the delivery site. But no, he wasn't even having that...

I quickly figured out that it had extremely little to do with looking professional; the crux of the matter was that he didn't want to have to look at it. (Dude, I climbed out of my bunk one morning with the ring showing and he gave me a tough time--WTF???)

Ehh--I'll come back and finish this another time... I have some crank text messaging to take care of.

Permalink Reply by V on June 1, 2009 at 10:41am

People stare at me all the time. No matter where I am I get stares. Small children, old people, everyone stares. I work at a tattoo shop, and sometimes customers are just very interested in the little additions I have. I kinda feel like a circus freak.

I'd say it'd be a huge disadvantage if I wanted to work in a business office, but since I don't I see it as a great advantage. People who think they can relate to me because of my piercings will approach me. It's nice making friends this way. I plan on having my own business one day, and I'll make sure I let my employees have whatever mods they want.

Permalink Reply by Jessica on June 1, 2009 at 8:47pm

Definitely.I pretty much get asked about my piercing everyday of my life, sometime it bothers me that some people can't see pass them and pre-judge me! I'm in highschool, I'm definitely one of the few people with body mods so I get alot of "OMG DID THAT HURT?" or " WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?" or "YOU WOULD LOOK BETTER WITHOUT THEM". I find it quite funny though because I'm a really quiet person around folks I don't know sometimes and I'm really a nice person , i refuse to hurt a fly but apparently there's people who think I'm more of an "angry,hard,ready to kick your ass" person...which sometimes works to my advantage cause people don't fuck with me but my friends just laugh cause they know I'm absoultely NOTHING but the opposite. Older people give me the worst looks though, they stare and question my parent's ability to raise me for allowing me to do this to MY BODY. My Dad doesn't mind my piercings at all he doesn't even ever ask me about them and he told me " I think you look you fine without them but if it what you want then do it". My mom's kinda a different story ,she's the one who signs the papers for me to get pierced twice as a minor but she was very very very not into the idea at all. Now she's definitely like them and thinks they "suit me" expect she hates my lobes and always tells me "not to go any bigger" (ear stretching). There's guys who told me that my piericing are "UGLY" but there's guys who say "Wow, those are hot" or something .

Permalink Reply by T.E. Smith Perkins on August 28, 2009 at 10:24am

Yes, I believe that in spite of the growing popularity of body art and piercings most people are still opinionated about what sort of person makes it a choice to express themselves in such a way. I have quite a few piercings, ( nose, ears and labret) and just finished getting a full arm sleeve of tattoo work and will get the other arm done as well. I lived in SF for almost 10 years and the hype about tattoos and piercings there is totally true. What I find is that being a female with such elaborate and large work that I have, (and will continue to get) there is a big stigma about this because females are "not supposed" to get work like this, I even heard a male who had a full sleeve say, "I don't think women look right with full sleeves, that's my opinion". It's funny because in SF I actually was inspired to get full sleeves because of the many women that I saw with them, men too, not to leave the fellas out! The men I knew there thought it was no big deal and the community into which I go to get the work done, (the tattoo artists and my artist doing the work), were more than psyched to do and see the work getting done. At work, I try to cover most of it up, to avoid questions or occasional stares. Most are aware, look but say nothing and I work in an office. My reasons for getting the work is multi-faceted, it's artistic, spiritual, cultural and a way of expressing my individuality & I will continue with this evolution of the work. L, T

Permalink Reply by petey on January 20, 2010 at 5:51pm

yes i do think there is a stigma on us and yes they look as us differently especially if your black and u have body art and piercings. some find us attractive some don't . my friends were okay with it but family not they said i was trying to be white and i wont be able to find a job . but that was'nt true cuz i already had a job .but i did notice when i was looking for other employment they were looking at me funny i dont cuz they never seen a black person with gauged out ears and big tattoos on my neck . so from that point of view its a disadvantage but for myself a advantage cuz of self expression which in todays society no one cares of your self expression. i appreciate the people who have body more than the people who dont have any its like were connected on a different level but yes sometimes i just want to feel like im normal for a lack of better terms im tired of everybody looking at me like im a weirdo. i do push other people cuz i feel if enough of us grow some balls and do what we like society have no choice but to accept us the way we are no matter how we look ! gosh this a cruel world

Permalink Reply by kala on January 24, 2010 at 7:57pm

lemme know when this business happens...ill be applying! haha :D

V said:

People stare at me all the time. No matter where I am I get stares. Small children, old people, everyone stares. I work at a tattoo shop, and sometimes customers are just very interested in the little additions I have. I kinda feel like a circus freak.

I'd say it'd be a huge disadvantage if I wanted to work in a business office, but since I don't I see it as a great advantage. People who think they can relate to me because of my piercings will approach me. It's nice making friends this way. I plan on having my own business one day, and I'll make sure I let my employees have whatever mods they want.

Permalink Reply by Fashionfreak on March 14, 2010 at 2:31pm

i've wanted to pierce my nose for years but never did it b/c i worked at some really conservative places who were NOT having it. right now i am unemployed (have been for the past two months) but honestly i really don't care i'm in the process of creating work for myself so i don't have to be subjected to people's expectations. thankfully while i have been out of work i've been doing internships who encourage individuality including attire. i'm a creative person i can't with the close mindedness.

Permalink Reply by MentalOrgasm on March 25, 2010 at 9:13pm

Of course there is a stigma. People are getting more and more accepting, but for the most part (especially in the south), people still will look at you differently. People have their own prejudices/biases, and when you're young and black with tattoos/piercings, people will automatically think you're a thug or some other "degenerate". Again, I'm speaking for the south & from what I've seen. I used to get all types of drama when I had my tongue pierced. My tats are easier to hide, but I hate hiding them.

Tattoos/piercings are form of self expression, but they come with a price. Some people just don't get it and never will.

You know they've found mummies in Kemet (egypt) with tattoos?

I love tattoos and piercings. I just advise people to really think about what they want to put on their body and where they want it at. Think about the fact that there is a stigma and if you're ready to deal with it or not.