Tattoo Stereotyping

Copyright 2017 Astanza Laser LLC

Problem Definition:

When it comes to tattoos, today’s society is a little more accepting than previous decades, however, tattoos still to this day receive negative judgment upon an individual’s identity. One way this is done is through individuals applying for career type jobs. In Ellis’ (2015) article, he states that “despite the possibility of passing as normal, applicants with body art are often rejected because the tattoo or other modification would be offensive to customers or clients or because of the stereotypes associated with body modification” (p. 106). As the quote says, an individual who is credible and meets requirements to fulfill a job will most likely be denied due to their body art. This could be due to negative stereotyping where Totten, Lipscomb, and Jones (2009) article further states “persons with either tattoos or body piercings [as] promiscuous, aggressive, engage in substance abuse, are “tough” or have a “bad image” (p. 93).

Why Tattoo Stereotyping Affects Me Today

This social issue is important to me because I currently have multiple tattoos on my body (some visible, some not). My tattoos are meaningful and beautiful to me and I do get compliments for them, but there are still people in today's society that frowns upon body art and elicit negative opinions about tattoos. I chose to focus on tattoo stereotyping as my social issue because having tattoos in my community (college students and millennial's) still continues to receive negative stereotypes and perspectives from society who are blinded by the meaning as to why individuals choose to proudly show off their body art.

Gathering Evidence:

My action is to take a stand against individuals who portray tattoos negatively and to enlighten those who negatively judge individuals with tattoos. Below are four individuals in the college/millennials community that proudly elicit their tattoos, despite the stereotypes today's society may still have on body art. Below are pictures of the individuals, one of their favorite tattoos, and a statement in regards to tattoos and the stereotypes they may or may not have received in regards to their tattoos.

 "No one has really given me negative comments about my tattoo but people who have more tattoos than I do probably gets more bad looks from others. It's not about your appearance on the outside but more about what’s on the inside. I’ve seen people with tattoos all over their face but have a kind heart.” -AJ Dela Cruz

"I feel reminded and empowered when I look at my tattoo. It reminds me of my passion every day and it empowers me to know that I got it when I was going through a self-healing process in my life. This tattoo is extremely valuable to me and it's a part of me. I feel connected to a community who share the same common respect for tattoos and food as I do." -Stephanie Saucedo

"I actually get compliments about my tattoo and feel good about myself when people comment on it because they always say how nice it is. It took 4 hours to do and I'm proud that I was able to endure that much pain for that long." -Jennifer Allen

"I feel happy and apart of a positive community when people comment on it. I don't get a lot of backlash at work for it because it's a gaming tattoo and a lot of people can relate to it." -Lorenzo Sanchez

References:

• Ellis, A. D. (2015). A picture is worth one thousand words: Body art in the workplace. Employee Responsibilities and Rights Journal, 27(2), 101-113.
• Mira, M. L. (2013). Pushing the boundaries: What youth organizers at Boston's hyde square task force have to teach us about civic engagement. Democracy & Education, 21(1).
• Rudolph, J. L., & Horibe, S. (2016). What do we mean by science education for civic engagement?. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 53(6), 805-820.
• Totten, J. W., Lipscomb, T. J., & Jones, M. A. (2009). Attitudes toward and stereotypes of persons with body art: implications for marketing management. Academy of Marketing Studies Journal, 13(2), 77.