Dear America,

It's 2016. We are living in an ever-evolving society. New technology is constantly being invented and introduced. New vaccines and medications are being developed and tested. Same-sex marriage has finally been legalized. Transgenders are being recognized as people instead of things. Is it not absolutely incredible that we, as a society, can make all of this happen? Personally, I think it is wonderful. Things like this are what make America the melting pot that it is. However, there seems to be one thing that people just cannot seem to look past: piercings and tattoos on females and males alike in the workplace.

As an individual with parents who both have tattoos, I can say that I was influenced by them at a young age to appreciate this type of art. Body art is unlike any other; it speaks to oneself in ways that sometimes other art forms can't. It can be anything you want it to be; a tribute to your favorite team or a memoir to a loved one who has passed on. Sometimes it can be silly and fun-loving. The point is, tattoos are unique to each and every person. I'm willing to bet that nine out of 10 people probably have an excellent story or meaning behind at least one of their tattoos. That's the thing – they're not done for others. They're done for the wearer. So why does society still insist on shunning those who opted to decorate the most impressive canvas available?

I'm a female and I'm in my early 20s. When I turned 18, I set out for a day of treat yo self and returned with two new piercings and a fresh tattoo. To say my parents were less than pleased was an understatement. Eventually, they got over it, but not without reading me the riot act about how if I'm not careful with the placement of them, how my tattoos and piercings could potentially hinder my chances of landing a job in the real world when I got there. At 18, that was not even remotely on my radar. I listened to what they had to say, but it didn't really stick.

Here I am, five years later, and five more tattoos and piercings later, and I'm thinking back to when they warned me of what could become of them. I'm not reflecting on it because I am unemployed due to my personal choice of getting inked and pierced (I have a full-time job and I am a functioning member of society), but because I am rather agitated that someone else would dare not hire me based on my physical appearance. Is that not discrimination in the simplest of definitions? Unless my tattoos or piercings somehow interfered with my profession and made me less capable of completing certain tasks, who are you to turn me away? I said it at the beginning of the article and I'll say it again. It is 2016. We have a car that has an auto-pilot setting. It will come and pick you up curbside from its' parking space unmanned. It's a Tesla by the way for anyone who may not know this currently exists.

America, you're telling me we've made it this far? We have entrusted our safety, and the safety of those around us, to 3,000 pounds of metal with a computerized brain and controlled by a key fob to drive on its own, but are unsure of whether or not the woman applying for the corporate desk job can type accurately because she has a nose ring and a sleeve? Get real.

Sincerely,

If My Tattoos Don't Define Me, Neither Should You