As the holidays drag extended family into town, one of the most frustrating requests from my loving mother also follows, “Please make sure to cover your tattoos when the family comes.” Why? Why would I pay money to have such unique and sentimental art covered so my loved ones would miss out on a part of what makes me well…me?

UPDATE: Tattoos are no longer shameful

For anyone out there drowning during finals week; with that extra stress of having to justify yourself to your long-lost aunt that can’t remember a Christmas present, but can remember your body mods: you’re not alone! Almost half (47%) of the Millennial Generation (ages 18-35) has at least one tattoo, 37% having more than one.

It makes sense that our grandparents would be confused about our love for ink, only 13% of Baby Boomers (ages 18-35) have tattoos, and within that, only 6% of them have multiple tattoos. The average parent’s generation, Generation X (ages 36-50), is a little more laid back with 36% having at least one tattoo and 24% having more than one.

Tattoos are becoming a mainstream concept, actually lowering the idea of tattoos being a rebellious icon; What was then 54% of people without tattoos thought that people with ink were made rebellious has now dropped to only 47% in 2015. Although tattoos are becoming less rebellious, they are becoming more attractive! In 2012 only 21% of people without tattoos thought people with tattoos are attractive, which shot up to 32% in 2015!

With the new election having America celebrating (and mourning), one thing political parties can agree on is having tattoos: 29% of Democrats have tattoos which makes sense for they tend to be less conservative than Republicans which are still 27% tatted. The Independent party wraps it up with 28% having tattoos.

Bouncing off the idea of different types of cultures having different views on tattoos here is a guideline to know where your area stands on them, all of them also on the rise as body art becomes more acceptable:

• 32% of the south has at least one tattoo, which was 18% in 2012, (that's not the only thing in the south that's rising up)
• 28% of the East (was 21%)
• 27% of the Midwest (was 21%)
• 27% of the West (was 26%)

With the tattooed empire progressing, the acceptance of visible tattoos in professions is also rising as well:

• 86% of Americans are comfortable with seeing athletes with tattoos
• 81% with IT Technicians
• 78% with chefs
• 59% with Primary School Teachers
• 59% with Judges (Nice ink, your honor!)
• 58% would feel comfortable, and 34% would be extremely comfortable with Presidential Candidates*
• 39% would be extremely comfortable with Police Officers
• 37% would be extremely comfortable with Real Estate Brokers
• 36% would be extremely comfortable with Bankers
• 35% would be extremely comfortable with Doctors

*Theodore Roosevelt is the only president that has ever confirmed having a tattoo, although Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt, James K. Polk, Andrew Jackson, and Dwight D. Eisenhower were rumored to have ink. There are many other powerful people with rumored tattoos as well.

With the Millennial Generation, people with tats is something that doesn’t warrant a safe space:

• 54% of Millennials would be extremely comfortable with seeing Police Officers with visible tattoos
• 52% with Real Estate Brokers
• 50% with Bankers
• 51% with Doctors
• 49% with Judges
• 46% with Presidential Candidates (Vote for me, I’m not ink free!)

Parents are no longer being such drags too! More parents are more accepting to seeing visible tattoos on adults that would be commonly seen around their children, some even had an extreme level of comfort:

• 81% of parents would feel comfortable with seeing their child have a Coach with visible tattoos, and 39% would feel extremely comfortable
• A High School Teacher pulls in 75% of parents being comfortable, and 39% being extremely comfortable
• A Camp Counselor has 73% of parents feeling comfortable, and 36% extremely comfortable
• A Primary School teacher rakes in 71% of parents comfortable, and 37% extremely comfortable
• A Pediatrician brings 71% of comfortable parents and 40% of extremely comfortable!

With these statistics, I'd like to say tattoos aren't going to burn your soul and void that degree you've slaved to achieve like your mammy and peepaw thought. So slap that “Tattooed and Employed” T-Shirt to your Christmas list, and don’t feel ashamed of that artwork you chose to display on the canvas God gave you!

*All statistics are from The Harris Poll; who surveyed over 2,200 adults in America from October 14-19, 2015 with an extra poll of 1,093 parents in America from November 6-16, 2015.