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.

[Erin]

Exactly!

[Jess]

I just wish someone would ask some better questions. Tired of answering how much it cost, did it hurt, how long did it take.....blah blah. It's all the same. Except for the lady at the gym, who bores holes through my head cuz she can't stop staring at me. Me and my fish tattoo LOL! And of course Ron did nothing but the blue waves for this session so she'll think it's a fish even more!

[Chris aka Creepinbean]

I hate the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd question because there always 1)did it hurt, 2)how much, and 3)what does it mean.

[David]

It is likely funny to one who has gotten several tattoos, but I think many who have tattoos now may have forgotten (or never really known) the extent of people's ignorance about tattoos.

Many folks may not realize they'll bleed (or might) - I didn't until my first. People may not realize they can get whatever they like done. Many (most?) folks don't realize how much it costs, or how much time the big pieces may take. These non-tattooed folks also have no idea how much it hurt (or not) - my experience has been that it varies from person to person and from place to place - but they wouldn't know that.

I also find that many tattoo shops and tattoo conventions do nothing to contradict the whole "biker-death-evil-sex" mythos of tattoos - and even promote it. Too bad, really - that's not who I am at all - but because of the "counter-culture" people still have that view of tattoos and tattooed people.

[Dana]

Now that's hilarious! What did she think the tattoo process entailed!?!

[TS]

I had a good WTF moment the other day. Another parent said she was scared of me with all my tattoos and "goth" (uh, wrong wrong wrong) look until we finally had a chance to sit down and talk.

Of course that interaction just reinforced my childhood need to overcompensate/overshare when trying to get someone to understand ME.

[Jess]

Hahahaha!! Because tattoos = goth ALWAYS, right? LMFAO that's really funny!! I'm about as far from goth as it gets, and I venture to say that's the same for you!

[TS]

Yeah, must've been my boots, not my nerdy glasses. (^_^)

[Marisa_DiMattia (Kakoulas)]

i love this thread. lots of fun stuff.

probably the most WTF for me is the grabbing -- I mean, tattoos are a visual art so why do people in the street insist on grabbing my wrists to get a closer look? Very dangerous thing to do with a woman from brooklyn who is pretty strong for her height!

The other goes to what Elle said on the first page. I get hit on way more with my sleeves because guys think that I must be "easy" with the tattoos. Or maybe it's just that they have some reason to approach but often i can tell that they are of the mindset "Might as well be a bullseye." When I get this non-innocent vibe, I just introduce them to my large, jealous, Sicilian husband. :)

[NaomiFaith]

As a woman of color I get alot of comment such as "Your tattoo show really well on your skin" Dammit that irks me.

[Chris aka Creepinbean]

Im sure some of you have heard about the Horiyoshi book 36 Ghost. Well i just got my copy in yesterday and wow or should i say WTF! The book has some of the craziest art i have ever seen its very gruesome and bloody. Out of the 4 i think this is my favorite Horiyoshi book.

[BanSilini]

If my back is exposed, people come up and rub my back to feel it. (My back piece is slightly raised from the style it was tattooed in) But it's f***** annoying and 3 people have been maced for doing it.

They just come up to me without a word and start to poke or rub my back. You know how random people touch pregnant women's stomachs. It's the same thing. (I'm highly against people touching pregnant women randomly.)