With the sun out and the temperatures beginning to rise, it’s time I break out the tank tops and shorts. The introduction of my summer wardrobe means more of my skin is visible to the public — the ink permanently etched into my skin is too.
Being a 20-year-old in the Pacific Northwest at a fairly liberal university, I don’t usually have to worry about stares or comments directed toward my tattoos. But when I go home, to a fairly conservative town, that changes. Suddenly, I am on the receiving end of backhanded compliments and minor insults that I am sure are not meant to be as insulting as they actually are.
Tattoos are not for everyone. I understand that. Someone is willingly subjecting themselves to being poked and prodded with a dozen needles that are permanently digging ink into the skin. I can understand that it can seem a bit heavy.
So if it’s the pain scaring someone away, that’s fine. It’s not for everyone. If someone can’t see themselves committing to a design for the rest of their life, that’s fine too. Again, it’s not for everyone.
But one thing that I can’t help but wonder is whether or not people without ink are so quick to pass judgment because they do not understand the there is indeed a thought process behind a tattoo. Tattoos often hold a heavy meaning, with a few exceptions of course, that vary across individuals. Whether it’s just a design someone fell in love with, or if it represents something much deeper than that, tattoos hold a greater meaning than some people think.
For me, my tattoos represent who I am and can sometimes serve as a reminder. A reminder of my faith, my love and my strength. I love the ink on my skin. My tattoos tell a story about my life, and I’m sure others would agree with me.
The artist that did my first tattoo chuckled when I told him I was just planning on getting one, and that would be it. He just smiled, shook his head and said, “Tattoos are like chips, you can never have just one.” And he could not have been more right — if someone were to take a glance at my Pinterest account, they would see my plans for even more tattoos.
Everywhere I turn around, I think of something that holds enough importance to me that I consider putting on my body permanently, and that is OK. There is nothing wrong with having tattoos, just like there is nothing wrong with not having tattoos.
However, it is not OK to pass judgment one way or another. Having ink on my skin does not change who I am as a person.
Often in the winter, people are entirely unaware that I have tattoos in the first place, much less multiple — but once the seasons change, and the ink sees the light of day, it’s like their whole view of me has changed, despite the fact that I have not.
I got my first tattoo when I was 16 years old. Many said I was far too young to have something so permanent, but I didn’t see it that way, and neither did my mom. When I told her that I wanted one, she supported me and even helped design it.
The day after I got it, I woke up in the morning and I was the same person I was before I went under the needle. My grades stayed high, I was committed to athletics and I was still an active member in the community.
Tattoos do not diminish one’s character in any way. There are good people and bad people with tattoos — just like there are good people and bad people without tattoos.
Mihaela Karst can be reached at [email protected]