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