I am 19 years old. I go to school. I work part time. I get good grades, have a good family life. I have a great boyfriend and wonderful friends. I do my best to help everyone around me. I also have six tattoos. That's where the looks usually come in. Sometimes I get great reactions, sometimes I get strong looks of disapproval. From all age groups. "You're not going to get a good job with those." "That's going to look gross when you're older." "Your parents are OK with this?" "Such a shame to ruin your body."
First, I wouldn't want to work for an employer who doesn't get to know me or look at my accomplishments and judges me solely based on my tattoos. It's also 2016, and more and more employers are starting to allow it. So I think I'm pretty set on the job front.
Second, I don't care. I know skin stretches and sags, and 50 years from now it maybe all distorted, but oh well. They are still helping me tell my story. I know that's what matters to me.
Third, yes, my parents are OK with this. They signed off on three of them. Two when I was 15 and one when I was 16 because they knew how much they meant to me. My mom has five tattoos and my dad has one. I'm pretty sure they are good with the tattoos.
Fourth, how is art on my body ruining it? People are fine looking at art and drawings on paper or canvas but not on someone's body. Tattoos are art, and the way I see it, my body is the canvas and it looks really great right now.
Now let's address the fact that every tattoo means something to me and is helping tell my story. A tattoo for my love of music. A tattoo in memorial to my grandfather. A tattoo to remind me how far I've come from the dark place I was once at. A tattoo for my love of "Rocky Horror" and how it has greatly and positively effected my life. A tattoo for my anxiety, not to worry and that it will be OK. A tattoo for one of the absolute strongest woman I know, my grandmother. Yes, four out of the six are visible with short sleeves, but once again, I don't care. I love every single tattoo on my body and don't regret anything about them. They are expressing who I am and what I've been through.
My tattoos do not change the fact that I come from a loving home or that I go to a good school. They do not change the fact that I am hard working and dedicated. They do not change the fact that I am intelligent. They don't affect my ability to work. I am still me. So why do people try to treat me like I'm different? My tattoos do not affect my personality and good traits. Take time to get to know the person with tattoos—they might just surprise you.
