Sociology Research - Take a look.
Discovered in 1991 by German tourists, tzi the Iceman, as so lovingly named, bore fifty-seven tattoos consisting of lines and dots. He lived in 3300 B.C., millennia ago and still the tattoo lives on today, perhaps more powerful than ever. However, when I was younger, the only people I thought who had tattoos were hardcore bikers and what I knew as "white trash". In the present, tattoos have brought a new subculture onto society. Obviously there has been a change over time but the attitudes tend to be the same. I wanted to study the emotional development behind getting a tattoo, something permanent on your skin forever. Becoming more and more popular each year, I feel it is a proper topic of discussion as soon it is something that every individual could have and the emotions of society would have to change. What is the emotional cost and benefit one must undergo? How are people with tattoos judged and how do they feel about such judgments? I believe although there is a negative stereotype on the tattooed of being freakish or trashy, there is still social acceptance and I feel society is changing. The main topics of study became decision development, gender comparison in societal reaction, romantic struggle, and character transformation.
In-depth interviews illustrated the core of my research. Both men and women, all over the age of eighteen (I felt it best not to interview minors that have possibly not received their tattoos from legitimate sources) were inquired on their emotions about their body art and the world around them. In total, I was able to interview five women (Tara, Rachelle, Morgan, Leigh, and Jennifer) and four men (Jake, Rafael, Reggie and Brian), all from different backgrounds and locations around the country. Variety of lifestyle and social environment must vary in order to produce an unwavering opinion in each interview. In other words, a wider band of subjects would carry enough emotion information on their own personal agenda without losing base on my general theory of emotion behind tattoos. Also, my interviewees ranged in the number of tattoos they have, some only having one tattoo and others having as many as twenty. All interviews were performed over the Internet, which proved to be more successful because as an amateur in sociology, my inexperience would not hinder the study at hand and judgments and personal emotional bias would fail to carry over and disrupt my proceedings.
All in all, both men and women have the same idea on why they get tattoos: personal pleasure, but in different mannerisms of satisfaction. Tattoos and the emotion behind getting them tend to be very premeditated and based on personal experience for the most part. Many interviewees, when asked about their favorite tattoo, ranged from a stronger love for the tattoos they had in representation of their family or, on the other hand, they favored their original work. Rafael, 32, says his favorite is, "The one on my wrist it means grandmother and I did if for her and her love of flowers," and Brian states, "the 'symbology' is significant to my heritage." However, Morgan claims, "The Little Prince stuff is probably my favorite just because they're the first work I ever got done." Some receive tattoos to illustrate their past. Leigh, 27, explains that her tattoos "are an outward sign of personal triumphs and struggles." Finally, others ink themselves for beautification. Morgan continues to say, "everything I've gotten tattooed on my body is something deeply important to me, and something beautiful. I love seeing all that color on my skin" Rafael related on this as well. "I love it the look and outcome of the tattoo It makes me feel like I am better looking I am a walking piece of art my tattoos tell my life story up to now."
In my studies, I found that for certain tattooed people I interviewed, the tattoo, itself, has many different meanings and different feelings. In the past, tattoos have served as rites of passage and religious devotion in many tribal societies but Western culture has evolved and the people of the tattoo subculture became social deviants. I discovered that there is much emotional reasoning behind getting a tattoo. Reggie, 20, states that "Tattoos are things that are ultimately something that's apart of you; something more or less that is inside that deserves to come out." For Tara, 21, an artist and tattoo apprentice made it very clear that tattoos are art. "I'm an artist and I've always been a very expressive person. The physical appearance appeals to me as well as the timeless artwork that can stay on you forever."
The main idea I wanted to tackle was society's judgment on the tattooed. In other words, I wanted to know how society reacted to them and how they felt about it. The negative side of this can be spilt into two studies; personal interaction and judgment in the working environment. Gender difference tie into this as well. It seems that women with tattoos go out of their way for social approval than men. Tara explains her efforts to express a positive persona:
"They definitely treat me differently. It's sort of funny to wear long sleeves and talk to people for a bit. They have no idea. I live in a very small city; it's definitely weird for a girl to be covered in tattoos, very weird. But I am trying to put out a good rep for tattooed people. I work in retail and I'm great at conversation, I always have a smile on my face, and I'm very polite. It's just a goal: to change people's perspective of tattooed people. I've had people ignore my hellos and how are you doings, people rarely say thank you to me when I open the door and I get a lot of ' gawkers'. In a way, it's sort of funny, but I'd love for people to just get over it. I hope their kids end up like me!"
Locality tends to determine the amount of approval one is expecting to see. It is safe to say that Tara, being from a small city, would be more "gawked" at than someone, say, from New York City.
On the other hand, men tend to be more apathetic to the public's judgment. Rafael retort that it is "[society's] loss for being so closed minded as to not seeing beyond the tattoos," while Jake's view is more accepting. "I enjoy it either way. When people are judgmental it makes me feel good for not being a judgmental person."
When younger, my mother deterred me from tattoos and other body modifications because she claimed that I would be discriminated from the workplace, and in general. Combating prior disbelief, my interviews proved my mother correct. Rachelle, 20, explained her struggle very well as a heavily tattooed woman in the working environment. "I have a harder time finding jobs, because of my tattoos. I have been offered some and then told that I have to keep them hidden if I want to work there Some people do find the look of me generally offensive and have not been scared to tell me that I can't get anything on my arms or hands because I would like to teach children one day, this is the most bothersome to me." There is a clear subject of judgment in the working environment. But there are some who can get around it. Jake notes, "I have to wear a business suit to work. I get treated like an eligible bachelor then, all smiles from people I encounter." Perhaps, ignorance is bliss.
Negative emotions felt about tattoos by society are apparently not concealed as my interviewees have pointed out:
Oh goodness! I've had literally hundreds of people disapprove of it. They'll ask me why I did that to myself, what am I going to do when I'm older, what's wrong with me etc. My parents, for example were mortified! I guess I can't blame them, I am their youngest daughter, but these days, they've let up on me and couldn't care less. - Tara
I get the occasional rude glance, staring. Mostly people will just pepper me with questions: Why would you do that, you were so pretty, etc. - Leigh
Some persons just look and me and turn there nosesthose are the ones I make sure to them know I am here and here to say you know like when you walk in to and expensive store and the lady thinks you can't afford anything and you are trash. There I get in their face ask a million questions and buy the item I came in for and tell them not to judge a book by it's cover but to judge by it's context. - Rafael
Yes, I was told I was going to hell for disgracing my temple. - Jake
Although there are many negative reactions to the tattooed, there is some light at the end of the tunnel. My interviewees also receive lots of positive feedback, and not just from other tattooed people. Rachelle found humor in telling me how she has "had lots of amazing [reactions], like when an old lady on the street will stop and tell me how pretty they are. I get a lot of compliments on them." Reggie makes sure people like his single tattoo. "Everyone I know understands why I have it and what it is, and they love it." However, even more complex, there are negative emotions to the positive emotions society has towards the tattooed. One pet peeve is being touched. Morgan notes, "I also get treated like public property more often: people think because they can SEE my tattoos, they should be allowed to touch them!", and Tara as well, "Sometimes a little too much attention. People will grab at my arms and contort them so they can see better. Instead of taking my arms away, I'll usually let them finish up."
One thing my interviewees all seemed to share was that being tattooed changed them for the better, and developed their character. Jennifer, 28, says, "I feel more confident sometimes, like I've done something that not everyone can do, and that it's made me stronger." Another theme to their development is a sense of wholeness. Morgan states, "I'm happier when I look at my tattoos, but not more self-confident...it's more like I wanted all my tattoos for quite awhile before I got them, so seeing them in the mirror makes me feel "complete"."
Relationships tend to me a little bit more difficult to the tattooed. Obviously some people are attracted to it, but there seems to be prominent discrimination nonetheless. For instance, lovers might lose attraction with their mates' ink, like Morgan. "Before I got my larger piece done, a boyfriend said he might have to leave me if I got large pieces, because he thought he would no longer be attracted to me. It made me terribly sad, but in the end being able to use tattoos as self-expression was more important to me." Also, some people cannot find themselves in long relationships, or cannot see the ability to bring their tattooed lover home to Mom. Rachelle states "I have been told by guys on several occasions that they would sleep with me but never date me because of my tattoos."
My study on the emotions behind the world of tattooing proved certain points of my hypothesis and disproved others. Society is changing, but much more slowly than many would have hoped. Being tattooed and job hunting proves more difficult as employers are stricter about what can be see while on the job and whether a tattooed person could work there at all. All the while, people still have fond amazement for the inked, finding a need to touch and examine each tattoo. The emotional development people with tattoos starts while they are young. Many decide to become tattooed at an early age and then flourish with the love of the art. Every person has a different meaning for their tattoos and the word tattoo itself, whether it is an aesthetic piece of "timeless" art or a memorial for a loved one. Men seem to be more laid back than women when it comes to defending their respect as a human behind the tattoo. People with tattoos generally feel more complete about themselves once they have a tattoo even if relationships are harder to come by as some people find it to be too much. At the start of this study, I felt intimidated by interviewing these people, feeling that I might cross a boundary, and offend someone. With an already elevated respect and admiration of tattoos, I have learned further than the tattoo is a deviant art, but the people with this art are probably more open-minded and openhearted than all the rest. Not much unlike African Americans, the tattooed struggle for social acceptance, not with black skin, but with skin all the colors of the rainbow. Although society throws a general negative response to the tattooed "social deviants", nothing seems to deter these men and women away from either getting more or hiding their body art. They are their tattoos, and the tattoos are them.
Discovered in 1991 by German tourists, tzi the Iceman, as so lovingly named, bore fifty-seven tattoos consisting of lines and dots. He lived in 3300 B.C., millennia ago and still the tattoo lives on today, perhaps more powerful than ever. However, when I was younger, the only people I thought who had tattoos were hardcore bikers and what I knew as "white trash". In the present, tattoos have brought a new subculture onto society. Obviously there has been a change over time but the attitudes tend to be the same. I wanted to study the emotional development behind getting a tattoo, something permanent on your skin forever. Becoming more and more popular each year, I feel it is a proper topic of discussion as soon it is something that every individual could have and the emotions of society would have to change. What is the emotional cost and benefit one must undergo? How are people with tattoos judged and how do they feel about such judgments? I believe although there is a negative stereotype on the tattooed of being freakish or trashy, there is still social acceptance and I feel society is changing. The main topics of study became decision development, gender comparison in societal reaction, romantic struggle, and character transformation.
In-depth interviews illustrated the core of my research. Both men and women, all over the age of eighteen (I felt it best not to interview minors that have possibly not received their tattoos from legitimate sources) were inquired on their emotions about their body art and the world around them. In total, I was able to interview five women (Tara, Rachelle, Morgan, Leigh, and Jennifer) and four men (Jake, Rafael, Reggie and Brian), all from different backgrounds and locations around the country. Variety of lifestyle and social environment must vary in order to produce an unwavering opinion in each interview. In other words, a wider band of subjects would carry enough emotion information on their own personal agenda without losing base on my general theory of emotion behind tattoos. Also, my interviewees ranged in the number of tattoos they have, some only having one tattoo and others having as many as twenty. All interviews were performed over the Internet, which proved to be more successful because as an amateur in sociology, my inexperience would not hinder the study at hand and judgments and personal emotional bias would fail to carry over and disrupt my proceedings.
All in all, both men and women have the same idea on why they get tattoos: personal pleasure, but in different mannerisms of satisfaction. Tattoos and the emotion behind getting them tend to be very premeditated and based on personal experience for the most part. Many interviewees, when asked about their favorite tattoo, ranged from a stronger love for the tattoos they had in representation of their family or, on the other hand, they favored their original work. Rafael, 32, says his favorite is, "The one on my wrist it means grandmother and I did if for her and her love of flowers," and Brian states, "the 'symbology' is significant to my heritage." However, Morgan claims, "The Little Prince stuff is probably my favorite just because they're the first work I ever got done." Some receive tattoos to illustrate their past. Leigh, 27, explains that her tattoos "are an outward sign of personal triumphs and struggles." Finally, others ink themselves for beautification. Morgan continues to say, "everything I've gotten tattooed on my body is something deeply important to me, and something beautiful. I love seeing all that color on my skin" Rafael related on this as well. "I love it the look and outcome of the tattoo It makes me feel like I am better looking I am a walking piece of art my tattoos tell my life story up to now."
In my studies, I found that for certain tattooed people I interviewed, the tattoo, itself, has many different meanings and different feelings. In the past, tattoos have served as rites of passage and religious devotion in many tribal societies but Western culture has evolved and the people of the tattoo subculture became social deviants. I discovered that there is much emotional reasoning behind getting a tattoo. Reggie, 20, states that "Tattoos are things that are ultimately something that's apart of you; something more or less that is inside that deserves to come out." For Tara, 21, an artist and tattoo apprentice made it very clear that tattoos are art. "I'm an artist and I've always been a very expressive person. The physical appearance appeals to me as well as the timeless artwork that can stay on you forever."
The main idea I wanted to tackle was society's judgment on the tattooed. In other words, I wanted to know how society reacted to them and how they felt about it. The negative side of this can be spilt into two studies; personal interaction and judgment in the working environment. Gender difference tie into this as well. It seems that women with tattoos go out of their way for social approval than men. Tara explains her efforts to express a positive persona:
"They definitely treat me differently. It's sort of funny to wear long sleeves and talk to people for a bit. They have no idea. I live in a very small city; it's definitely weird for a girl to be covered in tattoos, very weird. But I am trying to put out a good rep for tattooed people. I work in retail and I'm great at conversation, I always have a smile on my face, and I'm very polite. It's just a goal: to change people's perspective of tattooed people. I've had people ignore my hellos and how are you doings, people rarely say thank you to me when I open the door and I get a lot of ' gawkers'. In a way, it's sort of funny, but I'd love for people to just get over it. I hope their kids end up like me!"
Locality tends to determine the amount of approval one is expecting to see. It is safe to say that Tara, being from a small city, would be more "gawked" at than someone, say, from New York City.
On the other hand, men tend to be more apathetic to the public's judgment. Rafael retort that it is "[society's] loss for being so closed minded as to not seeing beyond the tattoos," while Jake's view is more accepting. "I enjoy it either way. When people are judgmental it makes me feel good for not being a judgmental person."
When younger, my mother deterred me from tattoos and other body modifications because she claimed that I would be discriminated from the workplace, and in general. Combating prior disbelief, my interviews proved my mother correct. Rachelle, 20, explained her struggle very well as a heavily tattooed woman in the working environment. "I have a harder time finding jobs, because of my tattoos. I have been offered some and then told that I have to keep them hidden if I want to work there Some people do find the look of me generally offensive and have not been scared to tell me that I can't get anything on my arms or hands because I would like to teach children one day, this is the most bothersome to me." There is a clear subject of judgment in the working environment. But there are some who can get around it. Jake notes, "I have to wear a business suit to work. I get treated like an eligible bachelor then, all smiles from people I encounter." Perhaps, ignorance is bliss.
Negative emotions felt about tattoos by society are apparently not concealed as my interviewees have pointed out:
Oh goodness! I've had literally hundreds of people disapprove of it. They'll ask me why I did that to myself, what am I going to do when I'm older, what's wrong with me etc. My parents, for example were mortified! I guess I can't blame them, I am their youngest daughter, but these days, they've let up on me and couldn't care less. - Tara
I get the occasional rude glance, staring. Mostly people will just pepper me with questions: Why would you do that, you were so pretty, etc. - Leigh
Some persons just look and me and turn there nosesthose are the ones I make sure to them know I am here and here to say you know like when you walk in to and expensive store and the lady thinks you can't afford anything and you are trash. There I get in their face ask a million questions and buy the item I came in for and tell them not to judge a book by it's cover but to judge by it's context. - Rafael
Yes, I was told I was going to hell for disgracing my temple. - Jake
Although there are many negative reactions to the tattooed, there is some light at the end of the tunnel. My interviewees also receive lots of positive feedback, and not just from other tattooed people. Rachelle found humor in telling me how she has "had lots of amazing [reactions], like when an old lady on the street will stop and tell me how pretty they are. I get a lot of compliments on them." Reggie makes sure people like his single tattoo. "Everyone I know understands why I have it and what it is, and they love it." However, even more complex, there are negative emotions to the positive emotions society has towards the tattooed. One pet peeve is being touched. Morgan notes, "I also get treated like public property more often: people think because they can SEE my tattoos, they should be allowed to touch them!", and Tara as well, "Sometimes a little too much attention. People will grab at my arms and contort them so they can see better. Instead of taking my arms away, I'll usually let them finish up."
One thing my interviewees all seemed to share was that being tattooed changed them for the better, and developed their character. Jennifer, 28, says, "I feel more confident sometimes, like I've done something that not everyone can do, and that it's made me stronger." Another theme to their development is a sense of wholeness. Morgan states, "I'm happier when I look at my tattoos, but not more self-confident...it's more like I wanted all my tattoos for quite awhile before I got them, so seeing them in the mirror makes me feel "complete"."
Relationships tend to me a little bit more difficult to the tattooed. Obviously some people are attracted to it, but there seems to be prominent discrimination nonetheless. For instance, lovers might lose attraction with their mates' ink, like Morgan. "Before I got my larger piece done, a boyfriend said he might have to leave me if I got large pieces, because he thought he would no longer be attracted to me. It made me terribly sad, but in the end being able to use tattoos as self-expression was more important to me." Also, some people cannot find themselves in long relationships, or cannot see the ability to bring their tattooed lover home to Mom. Rachelle states "I have been told by guys on several occasions that they would sleep with me but never date me because of my tattoos."
My study on the emotions behind the world of tattooing proved certain points of my hypothesis and disproved others. Society is changing, but much more slowly than many would have hoped. Being tattooed and job hunting proves more difficult as employers are stricter about what can be see while on the job and whether a tattooed person could work there at all. All the while, people still have fond amazement for the inked, finding a need to touch and examine each tattoo. The emotional development people with tattoos starts while they are young. Many decide to become tattooed at an early age and then flourish with the love of the art. Every person has a different meaning for their tattoos and the word tattoo itself, whether it is an aesthetic piece of "timeless" art or a memorial for a loved one. Men seem to be more laid back than women when it comes to defending their respect as a human behind the tattoo. People with tattoos generally feel more complete about themselves once they have a tattoo even if relationships are harder to come by as some people find it to be too much. At the start of this study, I felt intimidated by interviewing these people, feeling that I might cross a boundary, and offend someone. With an already elevated respect and admiration of tattoos, I have learned further than the tattoo is a deviant art, but the people with this art are probably more open-minded and openhearted than all the rest. Not much unlike African Americans, the tattooed struggle for social acceptance, not with black skin, but with skin all the colors of the rainbow. Although society throws a general negative response to the tattooed "social deviants", nothing seems to deter these men and women away from either getting more or hiding their body art. They are their tattoos, and the tattoos are them.
visara:
Wow .. what a long blog update ... I'm too lazy to read through it. I did scan it and have to say that I am tattood and although I dress corporate when seeing clients, my wrist tattoos are clearly visible. Since I've had them done only two clients have asked about it ... and I see on average about 5 clients a day! I love my tattoos and will not stop getting more ink because of "what other people expect of me".
zetamale:
Cool study. I kinda figured most of that but I was surprised by a few things you've found. Well done!