The practice of tattooing has existed since the earliest humans. We can see evidence of it from mummified remains of ancient people. Photographed below is the remains of a man, likely a warrior, with the tattoo of a mythical creature on his left shoulder. Tattoos represented one’s identity, their status, and were often linked to spiritual beliefs.
At some point in recent history society’s view on tattoos took a turn. They began to be associated with criminals, counterculture, and the lower class. They became the marks of deviants and were therefore frowned upon by the majority of society. This mentality towards tattoos still has a hold on our society. However, it’s beginning to change.
Tattoos were deemed unprofessional. Companies wouldn’t hire workers with visible tattoos, and would fire employees who got them. This is something I thought about a lot when getting my first tattoo. I felt as though I needed to get one in a location that could be easily concealed, so as to not limit my employment opportunities in the future. Upon further research, I realized that the negativity towards tattoos was beginning to change. Thank god. For my second tattoo, I decided to be much bolder and get one about three inches big in diameter right on my left forearm.
Society’s bias against tattoos is irrational in my opinion. Unless a tattoo is somehow inappropriate, I see no reason for there to be a negative attitude toward it. Tattoos are art. They are beautiful and they are a form of self-expression. Tattoos in no way make one less qualified for a job, nor are they a distraction from work. The discrimination against tattoos in professional environments is straight silly.
I’m proud to be a part of a generation that is much more accepting and liberal than previous ones. According to many reports, the number of tattooed Americans has roughly doubled from 2007 to 2014. People are slowly beginning to accept and even embrace tattoos, and it’s about time. As the millennials grow older and take more influence in the professional world, I’m sure there will be significantly less discrimination against tattoos. This is a really good thing, especially for me, because I have many more plans for future tattoos.