Tattoos

Happy National Tattoo Day, ya'll!

In honor of National Tattoo Day, I've decided to write a post about tattoos and why people decide to get them. This post is mainly for the people who can't get past the whole 'defacing' and 'disfiguring' one's body mentality and love to judge others for their tattoos because of their personal views and opinions. This post is made to celebrate tattoos and educate the public on why people choose to get them. If you have tattoos, you might find this post relatable. If you're reading this as a tattoo skeptic, I hope this answers some of your questions!

Things to Know About Tattoos:

Tattoos are not just for criminals or degenerates.

Tattoos are in no way correlated with one's work ethic or their ability to hold a job.

People without tattoos are in no way superior to those with tattoos.

Everyone is different; just because a tattoo is 'not your style' does not mean it is a bad tattoo.

Why People Get Tattoos:
To recognize an important and shaping moment in their life.
To outwardly express who they are on the inside.
To feel more beautiful.
To honor a loved one.
To remind themselves of who they want to be and what they need to do to get there.
To remind themselves of the things they want to achieve and the inner battles they wish to conquer.
Because they f**king want to.

I get tattoos for all of the reasons listed above. Although the final product is usually what everyone is excited about, a lot of people equally enjoy the experience, or the 'pain therapy', of getting a tattoo. To me, the process of getting a tattoo is a personal, uplifting, and sometimes cathartic experience for reasons that I can't quite explain. The process of altering your appearance and adorning your body with works of art, and feeling like you've earned them after the pain you went through, gives one a better sense of who they are and a greater love for themselves. Tattoos are visual representations of the person wearing them; what they've been through, what makes them happy, what they aspire to be, and what has shaped them into the person they are today. My tattoos are parts of my body that I wasn't born with, but they were always meant to be there.

"But what if you hate them in a few years?!"
When you get a tattoo, there is always a possibility that you will regret it down the road; however, the people who are most likely to regret their tattoos are the people who are too scared to get one in the first place. It's extremely likely that a tattoo you get today may not reflect the person you are a few years from now, but they are great reminders of where you've been and how you've evolved. Tattoos are your own personal retrospective, and rather than regretting them (unless you got the tattoo while you were hammered in a basement with a friend of a friend who owned a tattoo gun), you should love and appreciate them!

"But they're ugly!"

If you're someone that finds tattoos ugly, keep it to yourself. The choices that another person makes with their body do not affect you. You were not the person paying for the tattoo or sitting in the shop for hours getting inked; therefore, your opinion is completely irrelevant. There is no need to project more negativity into the world by expressing your disapproval and voicing your unwanted opinions.

Aside from heavily tattooed men, the people who get the most backlash for their tattoos tend to be women. Those who disapprove of tattoos on women tend to feel this way because tattoos make women look 'edgier' and 'less feminine'. Cut it with the double standards! If you are accepting of tattoos on men, you should be accepting of tattoos on women. Enough with the gendered expectations!

"But they're a waste of money!"

And getting your hair and nails done every other week isn't? But spending money on things such as vaping, name-brand clothing, and cars isn't? If something makes you happy, it is not a waste of money. In fact, tattoos last a lot longer than the temporary pleasures that most people sink their money into.

"But it's a form of body modification!"

You know what else is a form of body modification? Getting your ears pierced. Dyeing your hair. Getting your boobs done. The only difference between getting tattoos and the activities I just listed is that the items listed are accepted by our society. Men may not like tattoos, but they're perfectly okay with a nice pair of boobs, real or not. This statement against getting tattoos is very hypocritical.

"But you'll never get a job!"
This is an extremely outdated and ridiculous excuse to not get a tattoo. I, personally, would never work for a company that decided whether or not I was employable based on my physical appearance, and neither should you. Whether or not one gets hired for a job should be based on their ability to execute said job, not based on what they look like. It is one's skills and personality that determine whether or not they are right for a position, not their age, gender, race, or other outwardly characteristics. Places of business are already becoming more accepting of tattoos, so hopefully this excuse will be completely obsolete within the next ten years!

"But they might age poorly!"
WE KNOW! It's what we signed up for! We're all going to be saggy and crepey and wrinkly at some point in our lives; the only difference is that some of us are going to have badass tattoos and be some of the coolest grandparents around!

That's it for National Tattoo Day! If you're tatted, I hope you found this post relatable. If you're one of the skeptics, I hope this post has given you a different perspective on tattoos and made you more accepting of those who choose to get inked.

Until next time,
Jordan x