Growing up, I've pretty much always known I wanted tattoos. This, of course, did not please my parents, grandparents, or a large portion of society, apparently. To date, I only have three tattoos, but they are all highly visible, especially during the summer. The top of my left foot, my left wrist, and my right forearm always seem to catch someone's eye (sometimes stank eye) even if they try to be discreet. There seems to be a lot of misguided information out there about tattoos, so I'm about to tell you why, if an artist didn't put the tattoo somewhere on your skin, it's none of your business.
It's Personal
I got the owl on my foot based on one of my favorite quotes, the tattoo on my wrist after being inspired by a trip to Italy, and the series of numbers on my right forearm is the ISBN number to the first book I ever wrote (and was published). As long as you're polite, I don't mind explaining the reasoning behind them, but that doesn't go for everyone. Some people have tattoos to represent a loved one or a difficult period in their life. Even if "What's the meaning behind it?" may seem innocent to you, do you really want to make them explain to you, a total stranger, that time in their life? A simple "I like your tattoo" will do, and oftentimes a person will offer up the explanation if they feel like it.
Because I Wanted It
Some people want tattoos to represent something meaningful. Some people want tattoos simply because they want them. There may be a specific meaning, but there doesn't have to be (as uncomfortable as it makes me to see tons of people getting the exact same tattoo, this rule still applies). I don't ask you why you go out in pajama bottoms or tote your four screaming kids around in public, so if you come up to me and ask "why I would brand myself," you can expect a pretty frigid answer.
No, I'm Not Doing It To Offend You
Actually, I'm not doing it for any reason related to you, period. It has nothing to do with you. As an adult, nothing I do to my body reflects on you whatsoever, so stop being so full of yourself. I'm not personally victimized when one of my parents cuts their hair or wears a specific jean brand. You're free to glare and stew with your friends as much as you want, but whatever conclusion you come to about me doesn't, in fact, change who I am. It's even more awkward when we have a perfectly pleasant conversation and feel the vibe change as soon as I take off my coat or shift my foot out from underneath the table. Seriously, chill.
"But, how will you ever get a job?"
How...how is that your business either? Don't worry, as more and more millennials flood the job market, you'll notice the shift in tattoo policy. There are already plenty of workplaces that don't sneer at tattoos. Besides, if this writer thing works out and I'm hearing people tell me to cover up, I think my tattoos will the least of my worries, just saying.
Didn't Your Mother Teach You Not To Be Rude?
I'd like to take a moment to thank the people that did appreciate my tattoos, because after hearing some other opinions you'd think I killed someone. Be nice people, holy crap. I may not like your hair or the way you talk, but that doesn't mean I won't hold the door for you or smile back if you smile at me. When did it become acceptable for adults to be so nasty? I wouldn't call my tattoos large, so I can only imagine what daily life is like for people who are "heavily" tattooed, which brings me to a very interesting point. Have you ever noticed that tattooed individuals actually don't care if other people have tattoos? To me, it doesn't make a difference. I enjoy seeing other people's work, but I'm not going to shun you if you're an ink virgin. On the other hand, if you're going to judge people on the appearance of their skin, I think I'd rather be in the tattooed camp, anyway.
