Tattoo is Not Just a Bugle Call

Body Art. That is apparently the "nice" name for tattoos these days. And surely some of these greenish-blue depictions are a form of someone's art. Personally, I would urge people interested in art to use a canvas, or a wall, or the head of a pin for their art, just not their skin.

Some of my friends and relatives are cringing about now. I love them all, but I still look askance when I see that razor wire around the calf, or the cutesy heart peek out from under a bra.

I don't have the right to dictate what others do to their bodies, but if they only knew that people DO judge them. Important people like bosses, and new in-laws, and even cops on a traffic stop.

The tattoos of my youth (not on MY body) were either the sailor's MOM, or some guys current girlfriend's name that he will have to explain away innumerable times to potential mates. The other tattoo fad when I was a youth was the self-administered type. Take some ink, some string wrapped around a sewing needle for the constant poking ("Don't worry, I used a match to sterilize the needle", they would say). That painful poking created such gems as Christian crosses with lines emanating from the top supposedly showing the brightness of that cross. Many biceps displayed these crosses and I would venture that not many of their owners really studied religion too heavily.

The other fad was to poke the word L-O-V-E across the fingers, one letter per finger below the knuckles. Then there were the more profane words, a phrase really, which often involved both hands. What a sorry sight that was.

Can you tell yet that I am prejudiced against tattoos? Actually I have no problem with tasteful "personal" tats that cannot be seen by the naked eye unless, of course, the tattooed person was naked themselves. These have a special meaning to the owner, no doubt, if they are not displayed for all to see. They can be covered easily is critical situations and proudly displayed in more intimate settings.

You see, it's like this. Nearly everyone will have to make a first impression numerous times in their lives. For jobs, for potential mates, for all sorts of purposes. I would wager that most people are somewhat predisposed to negativity regarding tats. Most parents do not want their kids painted up even if they made their own youthful mistakes and have an algae colored mass on their body somewhere.

As one who had to hire many young people for responsible jobs, anyone with a visible tattoo, especially in the neck or face area, already had a negative bias to overcome. Of course, I wasn't so shallow as to preclude all tatted candidates but it took a little more oomph to overcome the first impression in my mind. And guess what? I am not alone in the world of potential bosses for good and responsible jobs.

So I hope all will think twice or thrice before scarring their bodies with ersatz artwork. The only upside I can see is that your body will be more easily identified should you be found dead in a swamp somewhere.