*Disclaimer* Strong language used
IMPORTANT PLEASE READ: Hey! My name is Logan, I am taking over this column for Ali so things will be a little different around here from now on :)
Getting asked stupid questions about my tattoos and piercings is in the top ten reasons why I have a resting bitch face.
One of the many daily struggles of having multiple tattoos and piercings is being bombarded with stupid questions. For example ever since I got my first tattoo I’ve been asked the question, “Did that hurt?” at least
once a day from some random person that proceeds to try and touch my tattoos. I understand that as
humans we are naturally curious but that does not give us the right to touch another person without their consent or ask stupid questions that you could answer yourself. Of course getting a tattoo hurts! You are getting a shit ton of tiny needles poked into your skin fifty to three thousand times per minute! But it is not an unbearable amount of pain. Do you really think I would have more than one tattoo if they really hurt that bad?
Heavily tattooed people know this struggle and we have no problem with you asking questions about our ink but please do not be ignorant about it. We do not mind if you touch them just as long as you ask first, we also do not mind if you ask the meaning behind them just as long as you do not mind if there is not one.
That is another struggle within itself. I hate when people who do not even have a tattoo say that all tattoos need to have a meaning behind them. Not all tattoos need to have some sort of deep, philosophical meaning behind them. Over half of mine I got done just because I liked the way they looked. Tattoos are an art form, I am paying the artist to put their artwork on my skin forever. It is just like going to a gallery and purchasing a painting or drawing that you love.
As for my piercings, especially my septum, I get asked more than once a day if hurt or “Why would you ever do that to yourself? No guy is going to like you with that in”. First off, why would I want to be with someone who did not like me for who I was or what I looked like? but we will
save that for a different time. Yet again of course getting my septum and nostril pierced hurt, they are putting a huge needle through my nose, but it wasn’t any worse than getting your ears pierced.
Another question I hate getting asked about my tattoo and piercings is, “How do you expect to get an actual job with those?”. Well first of all, I can cover up all of my tattoos and my piercings are not permanent. Obviously I am not going to keep my septum ring in forever, and as for my nose piercing, I know multiple older people that have very successful jobs and still have it in. More and more people are getting tattoos; in fact we are the majority now so all you people who do not have one get with the program (totally kidding, but if you are thinking about getting one just do it). It is becoming more acceptable to have them even in the workplace.
Just because I have tattoos doesn’t mean I am not a nice or respectable person. Tattoos do not make us ugly, irresponsible or mean. In fact all the people that I have encountered that have tattoos and
piercings are some of the kindest people I have met. So the next time you think about judging people based on their appearance or asking them questions that may make them angry or disrespected just don’t do it. Please and thank you.