It’s human nature to judge. Nobody likes to be on the receiving end of judgement, but it’s impossible to avoid considering we are guilty of doling it out. The problem comes when we let those judgements dictate how we act or treat people. The problem comes when we let those involuntary evaluations be based solely on the surface.
From a young age, we are taught to express ourselves and let others do the same in their own way. But then we grow up. And the same people who told us to express ourselves and dream so big that a cardboard box could be a dragon, criticize our forms of personal expression and judge them, and let them impact how we are treated.
If you have a tattoo anywhere that can be seen, you just put your chance of a job on the line. If you have a dainty hoop hanging from your nose or piercings in your ears, you’re branded as rebellious, sloppy or lacking self respect.
Society is huge; it’s colored and varied and should be full of acceptance and creativity. I see no reason why using your body as an outlet of expression should be anything but accepted, respected or embraced. It shouldn’t cause disapproval. It shouldn’t be the basis of a judgement. It shouldn’t influence how a person is treated.
But despite that, there are consequences of getting ‘tatted up’ even though 36 percent of Americans ages 18-25 have at least one tattoo. They are trendy, pop culture, art. Those 36 percent could be denied a job by the 76 percent who say a visible tattoo or excessive piercings would severely influence their hiring of someone. They don’t care if those roman numerals read the date you were finally adopted. Or the lion is a tribute to your dad. Or an intricate rose matches one on your sister’s arm.
In their eyes, a tattoo is vandalism. In yours, it is art. Piercings are just holes and too many are ugly. But your Batman industrial rod is part of who you are. And because you expressed yourself and got creative, you will face the disgusted looks and consequences. So I guess when we were told to be who we are it came with a clause that we can not modify ourselves to do so.
So yes, everyone is guilty of judging people, we can’t help it. But the least you can do is judge based on more than an outward appearance and appreciate when someone chooses to use their body as a permanent canvas, don’t punish them for expressing themselves.
