It’s 2019. In today’s society, tattoos and piercings are very prevalent. Teenagers are anticipating their 18th birthday to finally go get the tattoo they’ve been designing for months or a piercing without their parent’s permission. But with all the excitement, we are told by many people to be cautious of our placement with our tattoos because we may not get hired for any job.

While I think tattoos are able to represent something important to someone or express their creativity, they bring a lot of stigma. I think that tattoos are a great way to express oneself, but I think that overdoing tattoos can cause an unintentional judgment of who a person is because of the location of their tattoos, and the characteristics of the tattoo or piercing. 

Different characteristics cause different perceptions. Writing, colored photos and different ear piercings can raise the question of “why?” or “what is the meaning behind it?”. Often times, people assume that all tattoos or piercings have a story or meaning, but they don’t have to. They can simply be a tool for a creative outlet. 

No, I personally do not think that the present stigma is correct or a reflection of a person with tattoos or piercings work ethic, but unfortunately the generations older than us do believe that these creative outlets do affect our ability to work and remain professional. 

I have tattoos and piercings. I love mine. They allow me to wear fun earrings and remind me of the things that got me through the tough times. I enjoy being able to see them on a daily basis, but unfortunately I had to be conscious of where I got them because of my dream job. 

For me personally, my career was more important to me than having a tattoo that is able to be seen. I would rather keep one hidden to the public, but have one for myself. That is why I got mine in a location that can be covered if I choose or shown if I would like it to be. 

I don’t think it’s okay to judge someone because their choice on what they put on their body and where they put it. That is a small piece of them that they are showing the world. Most tattoos have stories. Stories of the meaning behind the artwork or stories of where they got the tattoo. 

Your work ethic is shown through your effort and ability to do your job. I don’t think that some tattoos shown should affect someone’s ability to get a job in which they are qualified for because of their experience. 

I think our generation will be the one that changes the stigma of tattoos and piercings in the workplace to a more positive view. I think that we will determine someone’s work ethic and abilities by what they show in their day-to-day routine, and not by what they choose to put on their bodies. One of these days, we will ask the questions “what is the meaning behind your tattoos?” instead of “you do know this may affect your future, right?”