This past week a very nasty, offensive, sexist, and narcissistic article came across my news feed with the title 5 Reasons Why Girls With Tattoos And Piercings Are Broken. The author, Matt Forney, gives his not-so-humble opinion about women like me, women not like me, and 85% percent of my friends and family members. So here is my response, Matt Forney; you are a narcissistic, sexist, entitled pig who can go do something better with your time than bash an entire group of women.
Matt’s first point was that “They’re Sluts."
Matt uses his personal experience with the first woman he dated cheating on him, and, after analyzing the situation, clearly the tattoos and piercings were what brought her to do it.
Well, Matt, women with tattoos and piercing are not sluts. They are women, who are allowed to do whatever they wish with their body, because, news flash, it’s theirs, not yours.You’ve honestly got to love the double standard here. I’m sure Matt has guy friends with tattoos, and he probably thinks they’re “sick, rad” or “a form of art”. He would never inform them that “because they like needles being shoved into their skin they also like other things being shoved into them." The idea that someone would actually consider that reasoning makes me sick.
Matt’s second form of reasoning was “They have no foresight."
He explains that getting a job in the working world is hard with tattoos. Granted, this is a well-made point, but society is changing. Tattoos and piercings are less frowned upon than they were 10 years ago. Enlighten yourself, Matthew. In this same point he explains that “girls with tattoos specifically have no idea that their cool designs will be destroyed by aging." My response to that is: when I’m 80 years old, do you really think I’ll give a flying hoot about what my skins looks like? I think I’ll care more about my tattoo--with more meaning than you’ll ever bother to understand--than my wrinkles looking bad with black ink.
You’ve got to love this third point; “they’re selfish."
Yes, Matt, because you posting your insanely sexist opinion on what women can and can't do their body wasn’t selfish at all. His reasoning is when girls get tattoos, they claim “I’m doing this for me." What about my roommate, whose tattoo represents her brother battling cancer? “Your battle is my battle." Please explain how that was completely her doing something for herself. Or my best friend, who has a tattoo of birds which represent her father, who has passed away? How in hell's name are any of these considered selfish acts? These tattoos are promises to their loved ones that no matter what, they will never be forgotten, and I think that is one of the most selfless things a woman can do with her body.
Ah yes, “they’re boring."
My response to that is, Matt, you’re boring. You don’t get to claim you know an entire multitude of women's personalities.
Last, and most certainly my favorite, is that “they’re mentally ill."
Matt loves bringing things back to his girlfriend who had piercings and tattoos and cheated on him. He explains that if you’re tatted or pierced, you are, without a doubt, completely unstable. Whether it be depression, anxiety, or a “full-blown” personality disorder, your piercings and tattoos will help diagnose you. The thing that really bothers me about this point is mental disorders are not something to be taken lightly. People (yes, people, not just women) struggle with these issues every day of their life, and for Matt to post an article mocking something so serious is heart breaking. For one man acting like he knows so much, he knows nothing.
On that note, Matt, I’d like to inform you that women with tattoos and piercing are women. They are no different than anyone else because they decided to make their body a canvas. You, on the other hand, could use a very good wake up call, so here it is: as a woman, my body is my body; you do not get to tell me what I can do with it or what is wrong with it.
Next time you decide to completely trash a group of people, why don’t you take a good look in the mirror and realize that you’re not perfect, you will never be perfect, and therefore your opinion is far from perfect. I hope you find a better way to waste your breath.
