Things that make you go "WTF?"

[Nina]

Similar to the "tattoo ignorance" thread, but on a lighter note: what are the things people have said about your tattoos that made you laugh, or wonder if they were a) serious, b) aliens from a distant planet or c) just plain stupid?

I get the "is that real?" question a lot. Occasionally I have to rub my arm so that people believe it's really real. I'd say that's your run of the mill a).

But what was between b) and c) was this: "I didn't know tattoos could be done in color!" from a girl younger than me. WTF? Where have you been in the last decade?

A clear c): "That one didn't come from [name of German youth magazine], did it?". I guess he was trying to be clever. I said "Actually, I draw this on every day." :D

Most times though, I am surprisingly patient with people asking me these questions, touching my arm with or without asking, or, as it happened to me while I was passing a butcher shop in Old Town Nice (France) just recently, literally getting dragged inside the shop and shown around to coworkers and customers. That was actually pretty funny :D.

[Chris aka Creepinbean]

I had something like that happen to me just a little bit different. Like you i was sitting down just flippin through some magz. While my artist was setting up his station some guy was looking at his portfolio and came across my back piece and said dam thats a crazy piece. He asked my artist if he could do that same tattoo on him. My astist then called me over to start my sitting so i take my shirt off and the guy looked and said oh shit thats your back i replied yes as you can see. The guy didnt have much to say after that im guessing he felt stupid asking for a custom tattoo that someone els has.

[gookymo]

people have asked me if i can still grow hair in the tattooed areas :\

[Bones]

I've had that question, too. Wouldn't it be great if that took care of hair growth?!

[Chris aka Creepinbean]

lol that would be the new thing get a tattoo no more hair.

[Zack]

I grew up with a bunch of extremist "holier than thou" Christian people who gave me crap about my only tattoo (picture available below). It's a Celtic trinity knot on my back, a Christian symbol, and it says "My God Always With Me" in Spanish around it. I have another planned about not being judgmental and letting people take the path that's best for them, and I was told they sound counter-Christian and that I've "defiled the temple of God".
Oh, and I've definitely gotten the "how much did it hurt?" question (better than did it hurt, i guess) and the how much did it cost...annoying, but that's part of why i got mine on my shoulder blade...don't wanna deal with ignorant people. Just because they don't have the guts or even the desire to express themselves this way doesn't make us wrong.
However, I do prefer to have a reason for every tattoo beyond simply beautiful art or a cool looking symbol...so telling the story is something I've been doing since I planned it, and I got it as a reminder to myself and being able to put in a plug for my beliefs is a benefit of my tattoo in my opinion...

[Bones]

Ughh, extremists give anyone they are associated with a bad name!

[BanSilini]

I swim a lot for exercise. With saying that, my personal stance on showing my body work off to gen pop has not been to enthusiastic, I'm not ashamed of people seeing my tattoos, but I really hate to be randomly touched or hit on due to a tattoo. So I try to keep it covered, esp in the summer every random person on the subway wants to touch my back because it's slightly raised and they think it's a crazy birth mark.

So I was swimming a couple of weeks ago at my gym and there is a few older russian guys who hang out there at the sauna. I was in my 6th or 7th lap, cruising along, this one guy bends over and splashes towards my head to get my attention. Apparently they've been having a debate about my tattoos. What did they say and mean, is the top part real, annoying general questions. Started making accusations about my tattoos, asked if I'd been in jail, I didn't really have a chance to answer I was just sorta in shock at the whole treatment. Then one proceeds to ask me if I'd like to go get drinks at his house. I just got out of the pool and left, I honestly haven't been back in a week and half since it happened.

WTF!! I love my tattoos, but most of the time I'm not to found of the attention they draw to the outside world.

[jude]

what they did is horrible and im sorry you had to be put through that but at the same time if they were old timers from russia just imagine their background. nuff said :)

[Inktman]

No manager or supervisor to kick these cavemen out?

[Jason Davenport]

i have a guitar with a bible verse that covers my upper left arm. the verse is Psalm 108:1

My neighbor, who is 94 years old (God bless her), stopped me in the hallway in our condominium complex one day and said the following:

"Is...that...Does that....say salami?"

I replied with, "Yes. I tattoo my favorite deli meats on my body so i dont forget."

She still thinks it says salami to this day.

[Christina]

I thought some of you were ... well, not joking but I had hoped that you just met a rare few people, but I had my first experience with the the 3 cliche's: a)Is it real? b)I though they only came in black c)Did it hurt?

On a more vicious note (since things like that are just innocent ignorance I think) my uncle asked me if it was permanent, and when I said that yes, it was real, he proceeded to tell me how every tattoo you get is just another F* you to every one who cares about you. I told him how I talked it over with my mom, and she was there with me when I talked with my artist, and through both sittings. My uncle said, "your poor mom," and then proceeded to tell my mom she had made a big mistake "letting me" get it, she was a poorer parent for it, blahblahblah. He also wrote an email to my Grandma (who handed me a blank check for the work after she saw the outline done, and was also very supportive), with an attached article about the connection between tattoos, gangs, drugs, sex, breaking the law, and so on. Never-mind all the other great things I've done in my life, I have a tattoo, I must be on the path to drug addiction and felonies. I'll be seeing him for Thanksgiving, and I think I'll plan on wearing a dress. Like my mom said, it's not his house.

[Black is the new Black]

ouch! that's awful.

I do think that every tattoo you get is a big "F* You" to everyone who is that vitriolic combination of self righteous and closed minded. I think of it as a societal filter, but it's sad when a family member turns out to be one of the closed minded/self righteous people it identifies.