Should Tattoos And Piercings Be Allowed In The Workplace
How many opinions can there possibly be about if tattoos and piercings should be allowed while working?
In 2016, I had a seizure. I was getting ready for school when I fell and hit my head on the kitchen hardwood floor. I had a deep wound on the back of my head. I was alone at home resulting in losing an insane amount of blood. My dad came home, because, coincidentally, he forgot something while heading to work.
He found me and rushed me to the Emergency Room. Keep in mind, I have 1% recollection of this day. However, I do recall arriving at the Emergency Room and going into a room immediately. The physician on my case was covered, head to toe, in tattoos. Let me tell you something, he was the absolute best doctor I have ever had.
So the question of "do tattoos and piercings affect how you do your job?" arises and the answer is no.
With that being said, here is a follow- up question: "Should tattoos and piercings be allowed in the workplace?"
I created a poll on Facebook asking this question. Out of 236 votes, 23 people voted 'no' while 213 people voted 'yes.' Several people had very good reasonings, but I will express mine.
I completely understand why tattoos and piercings should not be visible in certain situations, especially in highly professional workplaces (both tattoos and piercings) or places where you directly work with food (piercing only).
A very wise friend of mine, who requested to stay anonymous, stated that "no matter what, older generations are going to have people who refuse to change their minds about the stereotypes that come with piercings and tattoos, therefore, it would become much harder to become successful [i.e. moving up to a more ideal position] in many professions."
The generations before us and the generation before them grew up in a different culture compared to the culture that the current generation lives in now. There will always be that one person who still judges a potential candidate on their appearance leading to someone not receiving a job. Think about it.
There could be a completely qualified specialist with a nose piercing and completely appropriate visible tattoos who does not get the job, because one of the interviewers thinks that the ability of how a person does a job is based on their appearance. It is not fair, but that is how these times are.
On the other hand, I definitely think that tattoos and piercings should be allowed in the workplace. As long as the tattoos aren't offensive to others around you, they should be allowed. I had an interview for a desk job and was told that I would have to take my nose piercing out and cover my suicidal awareness tattoo (a semicolon), but to me, that did not make sense.
I once worked at a hospital and was able to keep my nose piercings, as well as being able to show my tattoos. So how is a desk job any different than a hospital position? More specifically, why was the hospital not worried about my physical appearance, but a desk job was?
I just feel like tattoos are a good way to express oneself. I have an epilepsy ribbon because I have lived with epilepsy for the past 8 years. I have a semicolon because I am a suicide survivor. I have a flower that matches my best friend who has been with me through everything in my entire life. I have a Drake tattoo, and well.... no one can even see that one; however, I do love Drake.
On another note, having visible tattoos and piercings do not affect how an individual does their job. Like I mentioned before, my Emergency Room physician had at least 45 different tattoos, yet he was one of the best doctors I have ever had.
All-in-all, it is 2019. We should be able to do whatever we want with our bodies because hear me out... it is OUR bodies. As long as you don't have a swastika tattooed on your face, I think everyone around you will survive after they see a butterfly tattoo on a fellow co-workers arm.
