<p>I do not find tattoos attractive - they make me think of all the wonderful infections transmitted through blood contact (yeah, sure, some shops do adhere to strict sterile procedures, but so many still don’t). Most tattoos look like tasteless ink blobs with no artistic value - even here, in my neck of the woods which is crawling with “tattoo art shops”. The only visible tattoo I appreciate is a small olympic rings on someone’s ankle or shoulder - not too many people on the planet have qualified for the Olympics (I’m not aware of Nobel laureats tattoing their achievements, but I would be cool with that, too. :)) As far as facial piercings go, a little gemstone nose stud Indian-style looks good to me, but a heavy metal ring sticking out of the nostrils usually looks like dripping snot. </p>
<p>And EK, one does not have to have their skin covered in ink to appreciate rock.</p>
Not most of it is just clangy noise but it’s possible to enjoy rock and roll without having any tattoos or piercings.</p>
<p>I know it’s just my own opinion about what I feel about tattoos on females (hideous) but I doubt I’m alone, especially in my age group. No offense intended to anyone on CC or elsewhere.</p>
<p>Not me. I love rock n roll. I went to all the big concerts in my day and have the hearing loss to prove it. But I hate tattoos, especially on women. Putting a tattoo on a beautiful woman is like painting cheap hot rod flames on the sides of a Ferrari.</p>
<p>I made my girls pinky swear they would not get a tatoo. I do not like them and am not fond of peircings either. I do not usually associate these body alterations with more drug use though. I associate them with being very liberal.</p>
<p>Wow, good thing that’s why, as my mother used to say, that’s why they make chocolate and vanilla. I have a rose tattoo on my shoulder, that I got when I was well into adulthood. It has some significance and it was, for a long time, a part of my internet ID. It also became my H’s nickname for me, and led to the name we gave our D. Guess HE didn’t think it was hideous and ugly, which was lucky for me cause he’s a great guy.</p>
<p>Funny you should mention the Olympic rings…that is what my kids have grown up hearing me say - “you may get a tattoo if you win an Olympic medal.”</p>
<p>"…I got when I was well into adulthood. It has some significance…"</p>
<p>^^This is a special case - you have had your good reasons, and you were a mature person when you got it. There are several posters here who have done similar things - none of them are rushing to gouge their ears and cover the rest of their bodies in ink. I bet that most tattoos aren’t acquired in this manner; rather, they are the result of a spur of the moment kind of teen “rebellion” or a fad - the cheapo racing stripes on a Ferrari.</p>
<p>missypie, I know an olympian whos mom was saying the same. The girl did not win any medals, but her mom was still proud of her achievements and did not mind the tattoo. :)</p>
<p>Well, I am not in favor of kids under 18 getting tattoos-they’re not even legal to get them in most places, even in Seattle I am the same way about piercings. But once kids are 18 and legal adults, if that’s what they want, it’s their choice. </p>
<p>Coming here from a small, conservative New England state, I was a little surprised to see all the crazy hair, tats and piercings at first. A single tattoo on a single body part wouldn’t even turn a head here. But really, how a person LOOKS doesn’t define what they can DO (sounding a little like my position on “sloppy sweats”, lol. So I’m ok with both the multiple tats and the piercings now.</p>
<p>Here’s really why I dislike tattoos and serious piercings – I think they objectify the body. It’s as if the individual sees their body as something not beautiful in and of itself but something that is not noteworthy without a “statement” that involves a certain amount of physical assault on the body. Piercings and tattoos involve some pain, breaking of the skin, blood, etc. This notion that doing these things makes your body interesting or meaningful or attractive is really sad to me. </p>
<p>My first assumption when I encounter someone with multiple piercings and/or tattoos is that they have very serious self esteem problems.</p>
<p>Sewhappy, are you ok with jewelry that does not involve piercing? Or your only problem with adornment when pain is involved? Do you also feel that people should not color their hair or wear flamboyant clothing? I’m serious-the pain for me had nothing to do with the tattoo I have-it said something I wanted to say about myself in a permanent way.</p>
<p>The way I would guess most people with tattoos and piercings see it is that they feel they are ENHANCING what they already feel is a nice canvas. Not that I think I’m all that, I’m not. But it wasn’t about self-esteem.</p>
<p>LOL - when my kids were little, I would not even let them “mark” on themselves, ball-point, marker, etc. If they came home with something drawn on their hand they were in trouble. And my reasoning was the same, sewhappy.</p>
<p>It looked dirty, in my opinion cheapened their body - which is meant to be a temple just as it is. It appeared that they didn’t think too highly of themselves that they would just mark on their beautiful hands, etc. Gross.</p>
<p>Now I realize that may be a bit hypocritical, because as it is with anything, there is a line. Earrings are fine, even multiple earrings although they were discouraged. Any other piercing…not okay.</p>
<p>And as it always is, now that my kids are grown, they have their own opinions about such things:</p>
<p>D1 had a nosering (which I initially would not even look at) and two tattoos in places that don’t show with normal clothing. One of them is cute. The other I hate. But now, I deal with all of it. It’s just her. It’s not reflective of a part of her character that I’m fond of - but it’s a part of her - it’s kind of a package deal. Most of the guys she dates have moderate piercings, gaged ears and/or tattoos. She doesn’t plan on having kids.</p>
<p>D2 would never get a tattoo or extra piercings. She doesn’t mind them too much on other people, but wouldn’t want a boyfriend with any of that, and wouldn’t allow future children to have any of it.</p>
<p>D3 said she might get something small on her hip or something someday, but probably not. She would never get anything that would show in a wedding gown. She doesn’t like big tattoos on anyone and thinks piercings are for girls and not guys as far as boyfriends go! She doesn’t mind what others do, and doesn’t judge much - it’s just a preference of hers. She would not allow future children to have any of it.</p>
<p>Do you also object to the shaving of legs? That’s definitely an assault on the body, and I have a bunch of tiny scars on the back of my ankle to prove it.</p>
<p>Don’t even get me started on epilators. So much ow.</p>
<p>sseamom, I will let sewhappy answer your question, but I guess to me it is the permanency of the “body art” is what really makes it different from other “wild” self-decoration schemes. Hair can grow back, bellbottoms can be replaced with jeggings, but there is no easy “delete” button for a tattoo. I know quite a few people who regret their tattoos.</p>
<p>I assume that those of you who have an issue with the permanency of body art have the same hang ups about non medically necessary braces as well, no?</p>
</p>
I am the same way about piercings. But once kids are 18 and legal adults, if that’s what they want, it’s their choice. </p>