I just finished reading Cubical Coach's response to the person asking if having piercing and tattoos will affect her ability to get hired in a job interview. I have to say the response she received made my blood boil a bit. With all the stigma we already place on ourselves I found being told that the only place that a tattooed or pierced person would be hired is if he/she became famous or an athlete. As a tattooed individual I do understand the stigma that tattoo's can still induce but is this really something that employers should be focusing on.
While the origins of tattoo cannot be pinpointed the earliest tattoo recorded is on a man named 'OTZI' who lived in 5000 BC. I’m sure at the time he was not considered a "rebel" and as with Borneo women who were tattooed on their forearms with their skills, it was probably some sort of status symbol for him. When the Egyptians expanded their empire, the art of tattooing spread. The civilizations of Crete, Greece, Persia, and Arabia picked up and expanded the art form. Around 2000 BC tattooing spread to China. The Danes, Norse, and Saxons tattooed family crests, a tradition still practiced today.
So as other cultures embrace and even promote the art (and yes it is an art) of tattooing our culture still looks at it as a social stigma. How sad for us. How sad that we must put another standard of "normal" in our books. I am now a 27 year old woman who must stay with in her body mass index BMI, paint her nails, wear skirts, shave my legs, wear a bra, be pretty, witty, submissive but confident, have children, get married, have 2.5 children and a dog, keep the house, and rear the children.
Am I really supposed to believe that because I wear a permanent adornment that you will then look upon me as a woman who has a rough past, drinks, is wild, has no children nor the desire to, doesn’t shave, get a manicure, have morals or work ethics, or keep a clean home? Please, if you are that naive I would probably rather not work for you.
As tattoos grow ever popular with the rate climbing to 36% of people in America getting tattoo's the social stigma is lessening to delight of tattooed people everywhere including myself.
So to Cubical Coach, please learn not to judge based on social stigmas. You did not have all the information needed to give a reply as "quick and witty" as you did. I’m going to guess with the rate of tattooing there is a pretty good chance that 4 in every 10 people you come into contact with is tattooed and some of those are business owners who wouldn’t share your view.
*MUAH*
Lovely
Tattoo's in the workplace.
user
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Comments 1-8 of 8
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Posted by Tue Jun 3, 2008 2:14pm PDT
Report AbuseI agree with your message, but if you want to come across as someone with an intelligent thought you should probably use spell check before you post something. Response is not spelled with a "c", pierced is spelled incorrectly and those is also spelled wrong.
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Posted by Wed Jun 4, 2008 8:15am PDT
Report AbuseIf you are not the boss, you don't make the rules. You can't MAKE them hire you, and most people in charge are thinking what the CUSTOMER thinks of them as a company. You've GOT to impress the CUSTOMER first and a LOT of people look at it as low class and trashy.
If you HAVE to have a tattoo, at least have it under your clothes when you are at work and there won't BE any problems.
Own your own business or work with people who are into it. Don't bi**h about what you should have thought about first, then whine because others are "discrimenating" against you. RIGHT!!!
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Posted by Thu Jun 5, 2008 3:35pm PDT
Report Abusemoultoncheryl, firstly if you had read my profile you would know that I am my own boss. I do make my own rules.
Secondly, this peice was more of a comentary on the social stigma reguarding tattoos.
Thirdly, to say a lot of people find tattoos low class and trashy is an uneducated statement. 36% of Americans have tattoo's and with the recent publicity in the tattooing industry with shows such as Miami Ink, London Ink, and LA Ink that number is quickly growing and expected to reach over 50%.
I too think that there are certin times when tattoos should be kept undercover but I do not think that they should have bearing on whether a qualified candidate should receive a position. Visible or Not.
As for your last point. I do not b---- about my decision to have a tattoo and at no point did I say I was being discriminated against. Most tattoo patrons do take much time and effort when deciding to get a tattoo. We understand that this is a life long commitment and there are social stigmas attached. My problem with Cubical Coachs' responce was that there was not enough information provided to offer a responce. Over 50% of businesses do not have policy inplace reguarding tattoos or peircings. If that girl was interviewing for my company it wouldnt make a bit of difference to me.
Finally I'd like to thank you for proving my point about tattooing and the social stigma attached. You might think Im low class and trashy but I know different.
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Posted by Sun Jun 8, 2008 2:51pm PDT
Report AbuseI think that if the tatto is visible in a professional work place then it may cause a problem within the work enviroment.
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Posted by Mon Aug 11, 2008 6:49pm PDT
Report AbuseI must say being as I am 40% covered in ink I do get judged by it. However most tattooed people know most workplaces ban ink from being seen. Funny thing is I don't 'look' like the kind of girl that would have tattoos, so I end up hearing a lot of talk about how bad they are and many people want me to chime in. I just smile and show 'em my side piece and they usually stand there with mouths open not saying a word. So regardless of the person hiring or being hired, know that over 40% of the population now has at least one tattoo. So don't judge, tattooed people are the very least to judge or make fun of others based on appearance. I'm 30, covered in ink, and about to get more, and I look damn good. Untatooed people are just plain.
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Posted by Mon Sep 1, 2008 9:29pm PDT
Report AbuseTattoos are low class. You only see tattoos where trash lives. The only people you ever see wearing tattoos are white trash losers and black trash thugs. Go to any of the nicer, higher income parts of town and tell me how many tattoos you see. Very few because scumbags don't live there.
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Posted by Wed Feb 11, 2009 11:10am PST
Report AbuseI'm not a scumbag,I'm not rich,I work for a living,the people that have tattoos are the one's that make this country great,if more tatooed people ran this country we would not be in the mess we're in.It's those high-fluting jerks that have scewed everything up. So dirty h take your high class and find a real life. you don't know nothing about real people
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Posted by Thu Jun 11, 2009 2:08pm PDT
Report AbuseNot every workplace is concerned with tattoos. I work in a service capacity at an Ivy Leauge university, and I have several visible tattoos. My employers aren't the least bit concerned about them. I can understand covering inapropriate tattoos (Naked ladies, curse words, ect.) but to not hire someone just because they are tattooed is discrimination. By the way Dirty H, most of the people with tattoos are decent hard working people so please kepp your ignorant opinions to yourself.
Comments 1-8 of 8
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