A Couple of Thoughts on Ink

If you’ve read my post on Tinder from last week, you saw a small sampling of the types of things guys I didn’t know were saying to me.  However, it probably says something about my character that the message that offended me the most was actually this:

I couldn’t help but put on my best Effie-Trinket-that-is-mahogany voice and declare, “It is REAL”.  (Of course, since there wasn’t actually anyone there to say this to, the only response I got was a dirty look from my cat for disrupting his nap.)

It’s strange because only one of my tattoos has any particular meaning attributed to it, and I’ve never really considered them a part of me (other than in the most physical sense).  In fact, I often somehow forget about them completely.  I fully endorse the idea of tattoos being a huge part of someone’s personality, but I’ve never felt this way about myself.  Now I’m second-guessing that.  Are my tattoos are part of who I am?  If they aren’t, why am I genuinely offended by the assumption that one is fake?

University of Toronto sociology professor Michael Atkinson says, “…there's a cultural expectation that if you have a tattoo, there has to be some story behind it”.  This rings true to me, especially because it’s not the case for myself.  When someone asks me why I got a tattoo or what it means, and I respond with, “I don’t know,” I can see the disappointment in their eyes.  People may be more accepting of tattoos in general, but you can still expect a condescending look if your tattoo isn’t accompanied by a sob story or the tale of a passionate journey of self-discovery.

(Excuse me for sounding all #firstworldproblems right now.  “People judge me for something I willingly did and was able to afford to do.  Boo-hoo.”)

But despite the fact that my reasoning behind a piece might not be rock solid, my commitment to it still is.  And it’s still mine.  AND IT’S NOT FAKE.


Jazmin

EDIT:  After reading Dillon's post, you may have realized that I didn't include any photos of my tattoos.  This was a conscious decision after hearing a tattoo artist (not one who's ever tattooed me though) speaking about the effects of social media on the tattoo industry.  He was praising it because tattoo artists gain most of their clients by word of mouth, and a great photo shared on social media can usher in many new clients.  He was also complaining though, because a bad photo has just the opposite effect, and a photo that's been posted before a tattoo is properly healed doesn't do the artist justice.  My most recent tattoo is NOT fully healed, and it's not even fully coloured yet- but I'd love to show it off to you all once it's finished and in its full glory!

Until then, here's my arm:
(I don't have any photos of the tattoo on my ribs because due to it's location and small size, every photo I've ever tried to take of it has been a super unflattering boob shot.  Ugh.)