Thursday 23 May 2013

Tattoo Generalizations....

I've written about tattoos before, even had an article published on the subject of performers with tattoos but this time it's about something that really pisses me off....stereotyping people with tattoos.
People are sadly infiltrated by idiots with opinions, these idiots do their best to shout the loudest despite the offence they may cause or that they don't really know what they are talking about at all in fact.
I find women who have tattoos to be strong women with minds of their own and although we all know the looks we may receive, the comments which actually are rather offensive, the club wanker who will use them as an excuse to paw all over us we still feel that we have the right to express ourselves in whatever way we have chosen. With beautiful works that vary completely from person to person.
I'm not saying all women or people with tattoos are like this or feel that way as I do not generalise people based on how they look, the decisions they have made in their lives yet others do.

For example, this post made by someone I do not know, who also doesn't know me yet would probably throw me into the category that he has decided upon.
Tattoos and other easy way to ruin your body

In it he has labelled every woman with tattoos as an easy slut, and one who has allowed other men to mark us. My usual tattooist is the very lovely talented mother of two and a long time friend, Julie McCay of Sacred Fortune Tattoos who has worked hard and now owns her own studio in Liverpool. I've allowed her to "mark" me as I love her work, and her as a person. While in her studio her kids came in while I was laid out getting my beautiful thigh piece and they are well mannered adorable children so if anyone has made their mark upon me it has mostly been by a wonderful independent business woman who has raised two amazing children with her husband. And yes, she has tattoos too.

My mother even has a tattoo now, one I paid for at a convention which is a small heart with the words "Tom Forever", Tom being my father and they have been married for 32 years. So my mother who is well known as an advocate for the arts, a strong christian with three children is now branded a slut because of one small piece of body modification? No I think not.

There are so many examples I could use to make my point, but as so many people I know have some manner of body modification or knows many people who do they know themselves why this is absolute tripe. Generalising in any form is wrong and ignorant which anyone who was bought up in a correct manner knows, whatever you stereotype it will still just be your opinion that no one wants to hear.


7 comments:

  1. I'm just so fed up that people think it's their business to tell us what looks good. I'm 100% tattoo free, but that's my choice, no-one has forced me to have a tattoo, no-one has ever said my skin would look so much better with a tattoo, so why the other way round?? Who cares what other people want to do with their bodies? Can we all please move on rom what we are told is beauty!??

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    1. It is frustrating, i've had so many people think its fine to tell me i've made a mistake, or they look horrible etc... i don't go around telling people they're ugly or too fat/skinny because i wouldn't. it's rude.

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  2. It's infuriating...a flatmate of mine once said to me (while i had cling film protecting my then fresh Bettie Page tattoo) "Girls with tattoos...you just know they're up for it. Alittle bit slutty." Needless to say, i did not stay in that house long.

    I was also at a formal, black-tie event afew months ago, and a drunken partygoer walked right up to me and licked my arm, saying that he did it because he thought the pin-up girl on my upper arm was "hot".

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  3. So glad I read this! I have nine tattoos and had my first one at 15 yrs old. I love them dearly...except for one. I had a dolphin on my right calf as some mad act of teenage rebellion which I instantly regretted.

    Now, as I turn 30, I decided I'd had enough of hiding it, not wearing dresses to events etc and had it covered up this week with a beautifil Sailor Jerry inspired ship cameo with traditional flowers. I absolutely adore it and feel so much better about my body.

    However I got a big suprise at a family party this weekend when people I have known all of my life thought it was ok to thrust their rude opinions on me. My uncle, who I am very close to, came up to me and told me I had 'ruined my body. Such a pretty girl, what have you done that for??' I was taken aback but laughed it off. Irony that the week before, Sailor Jerry UK had asked if they could use photographs of my back tattoo (Swallows and traditional flowers) on their website! Then an hour later, a male cousin came over and 'told me off'. He even went as far as to tell my lovely fiance that 'he should refuse to marry me if I get anymore, he needs to draw the line and get me told'. I was utterly gobsmacked, never had any (open!)judgement in 15 yrs of having tattoos.

    I woke up the next day questioning myself for the first time ever,getting quite upset until I realised it isn't my problem what others think of my decisions. Even my lovey 13 yr old daughter gave me a hug and said "Mum, ignore them! I think your tattoos are beautiful and they shouldn't talk to you like that"

    Just appalled at the brutality of the comments. Perhaps I've been naive? If somebody I loved had a haircut I didn't particually like, I would never dream of telling them so as I was brought up with manners. Seems like when a tattoo is involved though, it's fair game to be insulting!

    *rant over*

    Ps Millie, your tattoos are beautiful!

    Lisa xx

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    1. wow i can't believe even your family were so quick to judge, especially when it sounds like it was a great confidence boost as you no longer felt that you had to cover up the previous tattoo anymore.
      your tattoo sounds like it is absolutely beautiful, and it's great that they want to post it onto their website. maybe once there's lots of lovely comments on it you should forward the link to your uncle and cousin. although everyone is entitled to their own opinion it doesn't mean you can shout hurtful comments to others.

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  4. I think it's just a typical village mentality at times.

    I completely agree, everyone is more than entitled to an opinion. It's simply a case of choosing the manner in which to voice it as not to be so offensive.

    My next piece is looking like an eagle on my thigh or another traditional tattoo on my forearm so they'll have something else to gasp at soon enough ;)

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