Tattoo discrimination

[ambertskullz]

How many of you have a story of discrimination at home, on the streets, or in the workplace because you have tattoos? i'm looking for a few good stories to add to my paper for a college english class. Your stories will only be viewed by me and my professor. and i'll post my final paper here as well. i'm just looking for some first hand stories to back up my arguement. it's one thing to say "people often get dascriminated against for their tattoos". i would love any input thanks!

[gookymo]

I had a doctors appointment the other day. It was in the middle of the work day so I came in with my shirt and tie etc on. He told me to take off my shirt and pants and when he saw all my tats I could kinda feel a different vibe... nothing too bad though, I just thought it was funny since I looked so professional until the shirt came off.

[gookymo]

That's pretty cool man! My doc seemed like the conservative type :(

[José Jesús Gil Juscamaita]

My cousin's husband is a plastic surgeon, we had a good friend relationship since years ago, and when he discover that i get tattooed (thanks to my nephews), he says me... if you want to remove them, I'll be glad to done it for you... my obviously answer was: If i supported all that pain to get them... they're going to stay where they are...

Nothing changes between us, but... he always repeat the offer to me... and he isn't agree with my tattoos that i have (and all that i will add in the future)

[Lori H]

My doctor remembered 2 1/2 years later that the tattoo on back hadn't been there when I had my first daughter! lol....was very professional about it!

[Sarah]

I had (in retrospect) a very amusing conversation on the phone with my dad after he saw some photos that showed my tattoos. He seemed to completely ignore the fact that the photos also included my newborn son and informed me that he didn't like tattoos because only "certain types" of people had them. I must admit I did tell him that I couldn't believe I was 38 years old & being bollocked by my dad for getting tattooed. Luckily, he phoned me back to apologise (after his wife bollocked him!).

Although I was fairly angry at the time it's actually had the effect of making me more determined to do what I want with my life and my body. I teach at tertiary level, so can't have anything that can't be discreetly covered, but I agree with JD, that it's a conscious choice one makes. Of course opinion is slowly changing, but prejudice is rife unfortunately. At least I get a choice about this and no one can give me bullshit about it, unlike being gay.

[José Jesús Gil Juscamaita]

Here's one, and I hope could be fine for you:

I was 28 years old, after i Get my first tattoo, when it was healed, i call my dad so he can see it (my father is a police officer out of service), and he almost tried to kill me, he say that i was crazy, after that, i tell him it's done, it's forever and please don't tell my mother, because she could have an stroke (he he)

3 months later (and 2 more tattos on my body), I was on my place with my brother and a friend watching movies and healing my tatto (it was exposed my 3 tattoos), and my mother enter to my place and found me with my 3 tattoos on my leg... so REALLY se almost get a stroke... after the shock pass, i calm her down and promisse her that i won't get more tattoos... and here we are... 4 tattoos after that promisse, se still don't like my tattoos, but... she can handle it, and she can live with a tattooed son (also my father)

In work, i never felt any kind of discrimination, because all here in my office know that I have tattoos, even my bosses, but in the streets, i felt some of discrimination, because when i use short pants, the people look my legs, and (specially the old people) the go away, or cross the street, or things like that.

[ambertskullz]

Thanks for all the replies. I actually finished that paper a while ago but I'm glad that it is still a good conversation piece. I actually discussed this with a friend of mine who is from the older generation and he told me what many people forget is that the people hiring us are from the generation of shaggy hair being a sign of trouble makers. If you add in piercings and tattoos it is a bit much. I'm not saying this is an excuse for their discrimination (some people will just never change their views), what I am saying is that if our peers were the ones hiring us we could probably get the job every time. But seeing as how that isn't so we are unfairly forced to some what conform to their narrow views. But such is life. I will still be getting my first tattoo asap and i will continue to wear my labret ring freely no matter what others say. Their negativity only fuels my determination. :)

[JD LaRish]

as someone whose peers are now doing a lot of the hiring i disagree.
in most fields, as long as one potential client might have an issue with a tattoo i believe it is in the best interest of that company to have a 'no visible tattoo' policy.

[ambertskullz]

but Alot of managers are still very conservative things are beginning to change now in these days where have a tatoo doesnt make you a hoodlum but shows an expression of you but we still have these others who are stuck in their ways and do refuse to hire someone even if they have the wrong piercings. sometimes its not even about the clients. thats when things are the worst for us. the only places i can get a job in this town looking the way i do now is at gthe mall (in some stores) gas stations a few food places and of course tattoo parlors...but not much else. im not saying we should all hold hands and sing kumbaya and the world will be a better place its just a lot of places stick their noses up at the tatooed/pierced community when they dont have a very wide choice for workers anyways. idk the worlds a messed up place but its hard to not try to change it.

[Rowan Michael Killough]

I have a small tattoo on my bicep that shows if the sleeve is pulled up a tiny bit. I was talking to one of the janitors at my school and it was exposed and he couldn't stop looking at it. Its kind of annoying but whatever. It's not really discrimination.

Does anyone here have neck/hand tattoos? If so, what kind of places discriminate against you for it?

[bob seibert]

I worked at the local utility company for 35 years without my employer knowing about my tattoos. Once I ran out of skin that could be hidden and I got a tattoo that couldn't be covered at all time, all of a sudden I went from an exceptional employee to one that my boss thought should be fired. Funny how a little ink makes that much difference to some employers.

[Lori H]

My mom hates mine...but doesn't say anything anymore. She actually really likes the piece on my lower back. I have no idea why, it is larger than the others by far and has a fairy on it who is naked. Parents are weird!

My dad & stepmom were truly horrible and mean about it at first, but they now both have tattoos. The rest of my family doesn't care, but they are removed enough it doesn't effect them, they don't have to go out to dinner with me in the summer when they are more likely to show!

I come from a very conservative family. Us kids are all very different. My brother is very straight laced. My step brother & step sister have tattoos, but not like I do. I am the kid they didn't want to claim!

My employer is good about it. I work at a big box retailer as a supervisor. I always kept them hidden. If I wore shorts I wore my socks up to cover my tattoo on lower leg above ankle. Now all of my shirts that I wear to work show my arm with the dragon on it. Everyone knows I have it. Our store manager finally saw my tongue ring a couple weeks ago. We are not supposed to have visible body piercings, but I just told him its been there since September & you never saw it till you saw me on break eating! He was ok with it.