Tattooing

Tattooing, Piercing, and Body Art
What Does Your Body Art Reveal?
Getting a tattoo or piercing can also have an effect on your relationships with family, friends, and everyone you meet for the rest of your life. You’ve likely heard people say, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.” There’s wisdom in that statement. People consider our appearances when they first meet us and use the information they gather to help them form an opinion. As people get to know us, they form more detailed impressions of our true selves, but that first impression is an important starting point.
Mixed Messages
Your body modification sends messages to the people you meet. Different people will attach different meanings to those messages. While some people might see your piercing and think you are fashionable, hip, and adventurous, others will interpret your appearance as a statement against mainstream society. They will think that you embrace an alternative lifestyle. Others might think that your body modification is an indication that you engage in risky behaviors. Put more simply, having a body modification will get you “in” with some crowds and keep you on the fringes of others. You should consider the social implications of your body modifications before you make your decision to obtain them.
In School
Some school dress codes prohibit visible body modifications. If your school is one of them, you could be forced to remove your jewelry or cover your tattoo during school hours. You might be expelled.
If being home-schooled or dropping out of school in order to bypass a school dress code limits your abilities to meet your personal goals, you may want to weigh the personal importance of being modified against the importance of attaining your educational goals. Whether it’s right or wrong, having a body modification quickly becomes more than an aesthetic choice. It is important to note that school is not the end of these struggles. These issues follow many adults into the workplace.
In the Workplace
One of the areas in which having a body modification is most challenging is in the workplace. If you’ve talked to professionals about your interest in a body modification, you’ve possibly heard someone say, “Oh, you’ll never get a job with that!” Their concern for your future career is valid. While there is evidence that body modifications are becoming more common and acceptable in some situations, they are a far cry from fitting into the American standard of business casual. In many instances, your employer may ask you to cover visible tattoos or remove jewelry while you are working. This is absolutely legal. Employers are permitted to impose dress codes as long as they do not discriminate based on an employee’s gender, race, skin color, ethnicity, religion, or age.
Some people will tell you that their workplace accepts tattoos and piercing. People who are employed in more casual establishments such as nightclubs, coffee shops, record stores, fitness clubs, and hair salons sometimes find their tattoos and piercings to be status quo.
Changing Times
One employer that is changing its stand on hiring people with tattoos is the U.S. Army. Until recently, tattoos were permitted as long as a dress uniform could cover them. Recently, however, the Pentagon announced that it is changing its tune. Reacting to a changing youth culture and record low recruiting totals, recruiters have begun to accept applicants with some neck and facial tattoos.
This policy is more liberal, but it still far from “anything goes.” A recent article in the Los Angeles Times offered the following excerpt from guidelines given recruiters by the Pentagon: “All tattoos that are on the neck that are not vulgar, profane, indecent, racist, or extremist, are authorized as long as it does not extremely degrade military appearance,” the guidelines read. The policy also forbids sexist tattoos, such as “those that advocate a philosophy that degrades or demeans a person based on gender.”
Body Modifications and Your Family
Your interest in tattoos and body piercing may or may not cause some issues between you and your parents. Just as there are a wide variety of feelings about body modifications among young people, the reaction of parents can vary. Perhaps your parents have handed you the old line, “As long as you live under my roof you’ll do as I say,” and have completely forbidden you from getting any type of body modification. In that case, you may have a difficult road ahead. The best thing you can do, if you really want to make a case for your choice, is to do the following homework.
Learn everything you can about the body modification that sparks your interest. Are there any age restrictions to your choice, and if so, do you meet the age requirement? In other cases, would you first need your parents’ permission? Think about why you want the tattoo or piercing. Have you given your decision significant thought? Can you thoroughly explain your interests to your parents? If so, sit down with them and discuss your decision rationally and calmly. Explain that you have researched the pros and cons of getting the body modification and offer examples of your newfound knowledge on the subject. Chances are, most parents will be more receptive when they learn that you have given your decision serious thought. Above all, learn about all of the risks associated with the procedures and share your findings with your parents. Together you can make an informed choice.
Article Citation:
"Tattooing, Piercing and Body Art." Teen Health and Wellness. Rosen Publishing Group, Inc., 2013. Web. 22 Jan. 2013 <http://www.teenhealthandwellness.com/article/319/tattooing-piercing-and-body-art>