<p>What is such a big deal? Young lady is about to start a Med. school which is a huge accomplishment that many can only dream about and the worry is about her tattoo? I quess I am blind, but seriously I would be just very happy and proud of her. Congrats to your awesome D.</p>
<p>^^^Well said.</p>
<p>I find the “they don’t look good on older people” arguement to be both rude and shallow. Is that how we are supposed to live our lives? So we arrive at 80 looking acceptable to other people? At what age do we get to stop caring so much about what strangers think? Or just accept that our bodies will change and it’s not gross or embarrassing.</p>
<p>And the wedding picture concern? People who like their tattoos like seeing them in pictures. If someone thinks a bride looks bad with her tattoo showing, they can just keep that to themselves. </p>
<p>Times have changed. And, really, it’s no one elses business.</p>
<p>I feel for you, bookie mom. I would feel the same way if one of my daughters wanted one. I think all tattoos are ugly and the idea of doing something permanent like that to the body disgusts me. I guess that makes me ultraconservative and narrow minded! But then, I don’t wear makeup, paint my nails, or color my hair either -</p>
<p>While I agree that a med school student is grown up enough to make his or her own decision, I disagree with Northstarmom:</p>
<p>“Tats are so commonplace now that I think that only ultra conservative people and very narrow minded people give negative second glances to or think poorly of people with tattoos.”</p>
<p>There are obviously regional differences if you think “only very narrow-minded people give negative second glances”… I consider myself the lone liberal bastion in my community, and I have friends with small tats on ankles or such. I see it as permanent proof of a university party.
I know people with large tats that they have to cover up daily because they don’t want people they respect to see them. Even young friends with small seashells on the ankle, etc, 10 years after college are regretting it.<br>
The very worst one I ever saw wasn’t on an old person, but a late 20 something on the beach at Dana Point in CA. She had a huge Disney Winnie-the Pooh with balloons on her shoulder (not that the colors were right any more, since skin tans) It was really sad, obviously already shifting after her two toddlers came along.<br>
Like many have said, why saddle yourself permanently with today’s style?</p>
<p>The one I do like is the guys who have been on the Olympic team with the rings on their chest (small and what i would consider tasteful) or guys who have been on the national team who put their countries symbol (Canadian maple leaf) on their chest</p>
<p>The reason for the placement of mine on my shoulder blade had to do with a few things, one of which is that I’ve been trying to lose weight (quite a bit) and I didn’t want to put it in a place that was going to really change with the weight loss. I’m thrilled with my tattoo and I want it to look the same when I weigh what I want to. I am also going into a profession that can be pretty conservative, so I wanted to be able to cover as appropriate. The fact that I’m proud of my tattoo also means that I want to be able to show it off without being obscene, not because I want others to like my tattoo but because I want to be able to show it to friends who are into the idea or just because I’m proud of the art.</p>
<p>shoulder blades are a good place- as you don’t scrub it ( as with feet or hands- that take a lot of wear) and it is someplace that is supported by bone and muscle without a lot of fatty tissue.</p>
<p>I haven’t quite figured the placement of mine because that will depend on the size- I also am thinking of getting a colored one, which I know will be more expensive and take more time- but like many things the deciding is fun, so you never know, I may just stay at that stage.</p>
<p>If/when I ever get around to getting my tattoo, it will be black only (a musical symbol) and on my ankle. It will also be small enough that it will be easy to cover with socks/panty hose (I plan on going into Psychology, so I don’t want it to stand in the way of my career). </p>
<p>I honestly don’t see the problem, although I agree that it’s probably both a generational and regional thing. It doesn’t seem to be a big deal in California, for example (Northern or Southern, as I’ve now lived in both parts).</p>
<p>Personally, I don’t really care if I get one and someone doesn’t like it. It’s my body, not theirs, and if someone gets a tat for someone else’s approval, then that’s a flawed reason to begin with.</p>
<p>“Tats are so commonplace now that I think that only ultra conservative people and very narrow minded people give negative second glances to or think poorly of people with tattoos.”</p>
<p>This is the type of statement people make when they want to try to guilt or embarrass someone who thinks differently. Tattoos may be more common now than they were but there are still many people who think they look trashy and not appropriate for a professional. People are entitled to decorate their bodies any way they want to but others are entitled to have their own opinions about the decorations. I’m with Dragonmom, and I’m not conservative or narrow minded.</p>
<p>But her daughter’s tattoo will be appropriate for a professional- because she will be a doctor and will have a tattoo. There are going to be more and more professionals sporting ink in the coming years. Whether that’s good or bad is debatable. Whether it will happen is not.</p>
<p>Some things to consider before getting inked</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.hrtools.com/article.aspx?id=9963&ekfxmen_noscript=1&ekfxmensel=e0fa05764_31_35[/url]”>http://www.hrtools.com/article.aspx?id=9963&ekfxmen_noscript=1&ekfxmensel=e0fa05764_31_35</a></p>
<p><a href=“http://bwp-law.com/articles/art_121505.pdf[/url]”>http://bwp-law.com/articles/art_121505.pdf</a></p>
<p>In sum, individuals with piercings or tattoos have limited rights in the
workplace. It is the rare case where a protected characteristic of an employee
is so inextricably linked with a piercing or tattoo that it implicates legal
interest. Underlying this lack of protection is that tattoos and piercings are
neither explicitly protected by statute nor immutable characteristics. Rather,
tattoos and piercings are voluntary body art which an employer may choose to
exclude from the workplace.</p>
<p>Some things to consider before getting inked</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.hrtools.com/article.aspx?id=9963&ekfxmen_noscript=1&ekfxmensel=e0fa05764_31_35[/url]”>http://www.hrtools.com/article.aspx?id=9963&ekfxmen_noscript=1&ekfxmensel=e0fa05764_31_35</a></p>
<p><a href=“http://bwp-law.com/articles/art_121505.pdf[/url]”>http://bwp-law.com/articles/art_121505.pdf</a></p>
<p>In sum, individuals with piercings or tattoos have limited rights in the
workplace. It is the rare case where a protected characteristic of an employee
is so inextricably linked with a piercing or tattoo that it implicates legal
interest. Underlying this lack of protection is that tattoos and piercings are
neither explicitly protected by statute nor immutable characteristics. Rather,
tattoos and piercings are voluntary body art which an employer may choose to
exclude from the workplace.</p>
<p>OP maybe you can talk to your daughter about placing the tattoo on another part of the body.</p>
<p>I have 4 tattoos all of them on my legs. This was a great placement because I do not often wear dresses or skirts and when I do they are the long ankle type. My mom does not like my tats but does not talk bad to me about them. My dad could careless. Most people at my school has no idea I even have tattoos because we are not allowed to wear shorts.</p>
<p>To each their own about whether they like tats or not. I do however hate the quick judgments passed about those that do have. Or those that wonder if we got HIV or Hep C or whatever because we have tats. If you go to a shop with a rep. and great health standards this should not be an issues. Most shops if not all do not reuse needles.</p>
<p>I took my S to Lollapalooza in 2003 when Jane’s Addiction headlined the show and Audioslave toured with it. </p>
<p>I noticed that once the shirts came off, the banker haircut males had tats and non-facial body piercings (nipples) as did many otherwise “middle of the road” looking twentysomething females.</p>
<p>Since there was a fair amount of seminudity, there were many examples of how unkind gravity is to tats. What looks "smokin’ " on a hard body doesn’t look so hot years later.</p>
<p>I had to laugh to myself. When I was growing up it was hair and beards that rocked the parents’ world. Since I have talked to several younger people who have tats, I don’t think I could have taken the tatooing process especially for an elaborate tat.</p>
<p>I’d just encourage her to get to the best artist she can find. I’m not one to get one myself but I think some tattoos are really beautiful. I’m not a fan of the generic tramp stamp stuff, but well done portrait work or some of the vivid colorful tattoos are nice.</p>
<p>As for the wedding dress issue, it seems like all brides are in strapless gowns now but it’s possible to find other styles if a bride chooses to cover it up.</p>
<p>“Tats are so commonplace now that I think that only ultra conservative people and very narrow minded people give negative second glances to or think poorly of people with tattoos.”</p>
<p>I am not ultraconservative and I’m not narrow minded. I don’t think poorly of people with tattoos, but I question their aesthetic judgment and their judgment overall in getting one. I have never in my life seen an “attractive” tattoo - I don’t care if Michelangelo is recreating the Sistine Chapel on your back, the look of ink on skin is just incredibly unattractive, IMO. No matter what the tattoo, it has all the aesthetic baggage of, say, getting a mullet hair cut or getting “nail art” on dragon-lady red fingernails. Except then it’s permanent - which is even poorer judgment than getting an unfortunate hair cut!</p>
<p>This says nothing about the PERSON - the person could be the loveliest, most loyal, kindest person in the world, and be a great friend and/or great employee. But why make unfortunate aesthetic decisions that are permanent? Clothes and adornment send messages. The sweater set and pearls send one message; the leather biker jacket sends another; both can be put aside or swapped out depending on what the person wishes to convey, but the tattoo (to me) always sends a tacky message, and it can’t easily be put aside.</p>
<p>“She had MANY tatoos (one of which was under her hair which she wore down but if she lifted it up, her head was shaved at the back and you could see one of her tatoos. You’d never have guessed. I always loved juxapositions. You CAN be ultra-conventionally successful and very cool and edgy at the same time.”</p>
<p>Of course. But what’s “cool” or “edgy” about a tattoo? They’re about as conformist as a sweater set, pearls and espadrilles – just conformist to a different crowd.</p>
<p>“have 4 tattoos all of them on my legs. This was a great placement because I do not often wear dresses or skirts and when I do they are the long ankle type.”</p>
<p>The very fact that you have to think about “will this reflect poorly on me and will I be able to cover it up with clothing when I want to?” – doesn’t that clue you in that it’s a poor aesthetic choice? I mean, I don’t go get my hair cut and think “well, luckily I can always put a scarf over it if I don’t want people to see me like this.” </p>
<p>If you (generic you) want a peony, a mermaid, a seashell, or whatever other symbol is attractive or meaningful to you, why not get a custom necklace, bracelet, brooch or pin that symbolizes that – that you can then remove if you get tired of it or want to send a different message? Why the need to have it be <em>on</em> you? That’s the part that just seems so tacky, to me. You love mermaids – design a great mermaid pendant and wear it daily so it becomes your signature piece. Pin a mermaid brooch on your handbag. Design and use mermaid stationery. Do something <em>really</em> creative with the idea – go for it! Like, it really never occurs to people that they might get tired of mermaids, at which point they can put the mermaid pendant in a drawer? That’s the judgment piece I just don’t get about the decision to get a tattoo.</p>
<p>I don’t think that someone acknowledging that others may judge them makes their doing it anyway a “poor aesthetic choice.” Aesthetics are in the mind of the beholder; there are lots of things I think are ugly or unaesthetic, but that doesn’t mean the aesthetics of the person who chooses those things therefore comes into question. It just means we see things differently.</p>
<p>Someon mentioned that she doesn’t like tattoos, and she also doesn’t wear make-up, get her nails done, or dye her hair.</p>
<p>I don’t do any of those things, either, but I am willing not to judge those who do (just in case there are any make-up wearers, nail-doers, or hair-dyers in this crowd. ;))</p>
<p>And yes, I know none of those are permanent. That’s just an aside to that one comment.</p>
<p>I do think that calling someone else’s choices trashy is judgmental, and I do think it’s culture/generational -bound. Tattoos are so ubiquitous among the younger generation that it’s become absurd to assume they will perforce be punished for them.</p>
<p>And, as others have said about 80 year old bodies, I’ll just feel privileged to have one in working order; I don’t have a tattoo, but if I did, it’s appearance would not be at the top of my list of physical concerns.</p>
<p>But, I’ve got uncovered grey hair, and i can guarantee I’m being judged by some people for that, too. Oh well.</p>
<p>Not judging, but am reminded of a Buffett lyric…“permanent reminder of a temporary feeling”…</p>