Feminism & Tattoos

[SeeSea]

Tripped across this on my FB feed this morning.

Beards: Too Hip For Their Own Good | I Fucking Love Science

[beez]

  Quote

Tripped across this on my FB feed this morning. Beards: Too Hip For Their Own Good | I Fucking Love Science

Haven't read it but I will never hate on beards!!! Never!!!!!!

Mustaches, however, are a completely diff story. ;)

[SeeSea]

The article basically says that facial hair goes through cycles in terms of desirability, and that the swing from hairless to full beard (for example) is precipitated when the renegades go full beard followed by some others who like being out of the mainstream, and then beards reach critical mass when the trend catches hold and everyone wants one. Then the renegades start shaving to be different and the cycle starts all over again. Except the cycles are many years long ... and then there are the I-don't-give-a-shit-about-trends who keep shaved/bearded/whatever regardless of the trends.

Kind of interesting, and a phenomenon that extends beyond trends in facial hair. I can think of bell bottoms ... high waisted/low waisted jeans ... Please god don't let the high waisted stuff come back! Or the god-awful one piece bathing suits with the massive leg holes that extend all the way up to the waist. I want my waist showing from the TOP, not the BOTTOM of the suit!

[Lance]

Sorry, completely off topic but...

Then there was this article.

Beards and tattoos: Why are modern men trying to look like gay bears? | P.H. Davies

I laughed. I cried. I rolled my eyes.

[Bunny Switchblade]

  idyllsend said:

I've been informed by family members that I am less likely to find someone to marry if I keep getting tattoos. There's so much I could say to this, but I don't. Ignorance begets ignorance.

And when plain-skinned men want to check out my work, they have this thing where they try to hold my arm or touch my leg as they inspect it. No, no touchy, just looky.

Just tell them that this may be true......I mean who really does know?

BUT tell them....the person you do find will have less of a problem with you being the person you really are! ;)

[soraya]

I have half sleeves that I keep covered most of the time for professional reasons, so few people see my ink. But when I am away from my hometown, I'm less concerned and let them show. I'm aware of different perceptions sometimes. DH and I are foodies, and like to visit very fine restaurants when we travel. We were once at very formal exclusive place where the maitre d looked at me with some disdain when we walked in. As we waited I saw him and another waitperson conferring and gesturing my way. They seated us in a rather distant hidden table. When we asked to be moved, he complied, but said that he thought we would prefer the privacy. Yeah, right. He didn't want to upset his conservative clientele.

There have been times when I've been aware of someone staring at my arms, and just about when I'm starting to feel uncomfortable, and starting to plot an escape, they'll say something like, "Your tattoos are so beautiful! I'm sorry if I was staring, but I couldn't take my eyes off of them!" and we might have a nice conversation about them, and I go away feeling very happy and floaty that I accomplished some tattoo public outreach!

On the other hand, I've had some of the typical "Why would you do that to yourself?" comments - mostly from quite elderly people. And really, I can understand their reactions. For them it is probably pretty weird and hard to grasp. They grew up seeing only grizzled men on the fringes of society with tattoos, and suddenly here is this nice looking lady in front of them with sleeve tattoos.

Since I mostly cover up, people whose perceptions matter (like related to my job) never know, and the others, well if they perceive me negatively, it generally doesn't matter to me because those relationships are brief, temporary and inconsequential.

Attitudes are changing, but I think it will be a long time before people with heavy coverage are going be perceived by many mainstreamers as anything other than slightly freaky.

[HaydenRose]

  soraya said:

Attitudes are changing, but I think it will be a long time before people with heavy coverage are going be perceived by many mainstreamers as anything other than slightly freaky.

It's funny, because as of late I keep forgetting that my tattoos are not "normal" per se and I become confused when people stare and what not. I often have to remind myself I have them or that they're showing.

[Genie of the West]

  Mel Vicious said:

Julio, that is so true, I can go out with any number of my guy friends or my boyfriend who are heavily tattooed and I am always the one who gets the stares, questions and people trying to touch me. It's higly annoying, although nothing new. I've delt with it, but it doesn't get any less annoying.

It's because you're a woman and men will find any excuse to talk to or flirt with a (semi) attractive woman. Not rocket science.

[Pugilist]

Thanks for the insight, bro.

[ghostknife]

I am totally necro-ing this but I have noticed that since I started getting more into tattooing I am sometimes the one staring when someone walks by with a great piece...then if I get caught staring I want to clarify and say, "wait, it's just because it's awesome!" and actually talk about it. By then usually the interaction is over and I just feel awkward. I always hope that my looking is not interpreted as being a menacing/disapproving stare. The weirdest thing is when you think you see an artist's work that you know. I have yet to approach someone and say "hey, is that so-and-so's work?" because I feel like that would even more so freak people out, especially if I am right.

I have excellent resting bitch face and live in a pretty accepting city so thank goodness no one has touched me yet, knock on wood. I think if they did I would almost certainly snap at them. I have definitely endured staring (though as I believe someone else said most of the time I don't notice and other people point it out to me), strange reactions, and creepy comments along the lines of "but you seem like such a good girl" *shudders*. Most of the time when people ask nicely and respectfully I will indulge them...maybe that's due to social expectations. It often leads to good conversations, so there's that.

I think in general people feel entitled to women's time, space, and bodies...as a tattooed woman you are visibly deviating from social norms and are thus singled out for attention. Often times I think people just inquire about them in order to shame you for getting tattooed, particularly with questions about price.