Tattoos are a form of self-expression. A tattoo tells a lot about a person, and learning the stories behind each and every tattoo a person has is always a fun conversation. People can get symbols that are important to them, really cool designs of any scene or even just a little squiggly line if they wanted. Tattoos are limitless in terms of what you can come up with.
No, they are not for everyone. Some people may be afraid of the needles and the pain that come along with tattoos, and that's OK. Not having tattoos is OK, as long as you don't judge others for their choice to get tattoos. Some people have a pre-conceived notion that anyone with a tattoo is a bad person, or has gone to jail, or will get into some sort of trouble. This is not the case. A tattoo does not define a person, but defines a small portion of someone's life. It is always a story to tell and represents meaning to the wearer.
I personally have two tattoos and intend on getting at least two more. I want to express myself in a way that I can look back on a tattoo and think of those times fondly. This is how most people see their tattoos, and yes, we know that they are permanent. They are a reminder of good memories, and can be a page in the book of someone's life.
Some employers look at a tattoo and don't see a person. They see the tattoo. They think that this possible candidate is not good enough just because of a part of their body. This could be considered discrimination, and is an awful way to see people. The fact that a candidate could and would get a certain position if not for their tattoos is something that needs to change. A tattoo has nothing to do with someone's work ethic or capability to do the job.
The new generation, us "Millennials," seem to be more open and accepting when someone gets a tattoo. We all are excited for each other, and want to hear each other's stories. The ones who judge the most for the "tattoo taboo" are people born in previous generations with preconceived notions about them, not even giving them a chance.
We should not be judged based on a portion of our body that is important to us, a portion that we spent money on and time caring for. Discrimination against tattoos, a physical appearance, is like discrimination against blonde or red hair. Against someone because of their weight. Or even because of their race. Discrimination against people because of the way they look is a common trait across the world that should be stopped. We would all be better off for it.
