I recently made the decision to start my half sleeve, which is on my arm. I tossed and turned with the idea for a long time because it’s a risky area. In general, it’s considered a no-no to tattoo in public areas on the body. For a female it’s absurd.Â
But I realized I couldn’t confirm to society’s standards, and I only live once. If I didn’t start my sleeve for me, who would? I do know my limits. I want to be able to get a decent job upon graduation in May, but I also wanted to do something for me, so I did.
It left me thinking, what’s the big deal? After visiting Columbia alumna Nicole Harrison’s exhibit on Tattooing and the Black Male Identity, I wondered about body art for the female identity.
Tiela Halpin, photography major at Columbia, has 16 tattoos and four piercings. She says people need to catch up and realize tattoos are more than what they appear.
“Tattoos and piercings used to be part of a subculture, but they aren’t anymore. In fact, few things are as common and uniting as tattoos,” Halpin says. “Even if you don’t have any, you can still admire them (or criticize them as the case may be). I have lots of tattoos and piercings, I also have a very strong work ethic and I’m very polite and professional. My attitude and behavior have little to nothing to do with my body modifications. I’ve had jobs where I had to cover up with makeup or wear clothes to cover. I’ve also met with similar stipulations regarding my hair color. All that being said, I think corporate America (and businesses in general) need to ease up and back off–they’re missing out on a huge and reliable work force by remaining so puritanical; I am neither a thief nor a delinquent just a body art enthusiast.”
I have eight tattoos, have had a lip (Monroe) piercing and industrial ear piercings. I, too, believe the rules for tattoos and piercings have become outdated in the work force, but how do we get others to see this and create change?
Columbia is a school where students often have lots of tattoos and brightly covered hair, and it’s acceptable. That’s something I adore about the school. If only every place were as open.
Benita Zepeda, senior journalism major, said she believes society is becoming more accustomed to seeing individuals with tattoos and piercings.
“Having tattoos and piercings at Columbia is different than having them at Harvard—there are more like-minded individuals here when it comes to that stuff,” Zepeda says. “I still get weird looks from people who are older, though. For instance, one time I was working at the family business, a man came to the front desk and started talking bad about my piercings. He basically called my trashy without saying it directly (even though I was dressed very professionally and had my hair and makeup done for work). I basically told him that I had piercings because they are something I enjoy and find attractive, and that it didn’t reflect my work ethic or any other type of negative generalization. It wasn’t until he learned I was studying criminal psychology at Loyola University when he started taking me seriously and apologized for his comments.”
Although some aspects of the issue are changing, I believe it’s still along way down before it’s fully accepted the world. I also believe women will receive more hell for their tattoos and piercings more than men.
Halpin says her body is a blank canvas.
“I am conscious of the way the work lies on my body and the artwork in more feminine areas like my waist and hips follow the curve and shape of my body–maintaining my femininity,” she says. “What a woman gets and where has come to carry certain connotations, the ‘tramp stamp’ for example. While I don’t typically care what people think of my ink, I don’t have any plans of ever getting a tattoo on my lower back because of the stigma attached to that location. I could end up completely covered in tattoos and still leave that area unmarked. I’d almost rather be considered a delinquent by the non-tattooed community than a floozy by everyone.