There aren't many things more annoying than being interrupted mid-conversation by a stranger grabbing my hand in order to get a better look at the small quote tattooed on my arm. If you have any visible tattoos you probably know where this situation is headed: What does it say? Why did you get that quote? What’s the meaning behind it? Did it hurt? It’s casual moments like this of total boundary disregard that can make you feel more like an art gallery or spectacle than an actual person. If you don’t know me, don’t interrogate me with personal questions I’ve already been asked a hundred times and still don’t wish to answer. I attempted to make a list of the most common things I hear from others involving either of my tattoos, that I am sick of hearing.
1. “You’re getting another tattoo? Don’t you already have one? I would never do that to my skin.”
You would never get a tattoo? Great! No one asked you. What a passive aggressive statement, and one that implies quite strongly that having tattoos are a bad thing. This goes hand in hand with the similar comment, "I prefer to have my body natural." Almost nothing we do to our bodies in this day and age is truly natural anyway. You do your thing, and I'll do mine. It’s my body, I can do with it what I please. Your personal opinion on tattoos will not change my mind in the slightest. There are many worse things I could be doing to my skin, like tanning beds and smoking. A couple small tattoos will not kill me.
2. “Tattoos are very unprofessional. How do you expect to get a job with a tattoo on your arm?”
I do not have an offensive tattoo on my forehead, I simply have small tattoos in easily hidden places. And even if I were to get one in an obvious place, makeup is a real, actual thing that can cover tattoos. Tattoos are so common in todays society that they are really only considered unprofessional if they are offensive or obnoxiously obvious. Everyone from lawyers to doctors to U.S presidents and world leaders have had tattoos. In fact, some professional businesses have begun to accept tattoos because they value differences and recognize diversity and inclusion are good for their businesses.
3. “Whats the meaning behind it?”
Wait so there HAS to be a motivational, deep meaning to every single tattoo? So you’re saying I can’t get a tattoo because I thought it was beautiful, or that I just liked the design? Jamie Peck once said in an interview, "When you ask what my tattoos mean, you are basically asking me to take you on a guided tour of my entire body and life." Some tattoos have a beautiful, personal, deep meaning to them, and others are simply there because they are artistic.
4. “You say you’re afraid of commitment, then why do you have tattoos?”
No. Don’t even start comparing tattoos to commitment. I realize I will have to have this tattoo on my skin for the rest of my life, but tattoos cannot walk out of my life one day because they decided they do not love me anymore. Tattoos cannot lie to you, cheat on you, or screw you over, so count me in
5. “Your tattoos will look really bad once you get older and your skin starts to sag.”
EVERYTHING is going to look really bad once I get old and my skin starts to sag. Sure, it's unlikely that our skin will ever be as firm and tight as it is, say, in our early 20s, but that doesn't mean tattoos can't age gracefully.
6. “Did it hurt?”
Well, having a needle-like object insert ink under the first layer of your skin repetitively is not exactly a good feeling. Depending on the individuals ability to tolerate pain, every answer will be different. Also some body parts hurt more during the process than others, either because they are near nerves or tend to be overly sensitive. However, if you are serious about getting a tattoo that you love, a few minutes of pain is worth it.
7. “What do your parents think of your tattoo?”
My parents think I am an adult who can make her own life decisions. But if you must know, they think my tattoos are pretty bad ass and have come to see the industry as one rooted in art, not the negative connotations people stereotype it with.
8. “What will your future kids think of your tattoos?”
I’ll teach my kids not to judge a book by its cover. My tattoos are a documentation of the things I’ve been through, and among my skin you will find a history of me that I will never be ashamed of.
