issues people have with tattoos

qwertyphobia

couldn't think of a better title for this so i will just muddle on

Was in a swiming pool recently and got into an interesting conversation with someone over my tattoo/piercing on my chest in the changing room. Have my nipple pierced and a tattoo built around this.

The guy wasn't really clear in expressing himself but he seamed to have a problem with it, he didn't say it directly but i picked up from what he was saying that he had a problem because he viewed the nipple piercing as sexualizing my body and then it being publicly visible.

As I said it was hard to figure out what speficly his issue was but that seamed to be what he was getting at.

Any views on this?

Altheus

Well in many ways, the man might have a point. However, even in my most conservative days, I would never consider a male nipple "erotic"/"sexual", despite it's ability to be used in that manner.

I'd imagine that his problem might have also stemmed from homophobia, as nipple/genital piercings have long been endorsed by the gay community, despite the truth that it's not really a gay/straight thing.

I've grown to accept people's issues, and I'll speak to them calmly about it, reason it with them. They'll usually get it, or least stop pestering me about it.

qwertyphobia

it's odd he was clearly perturbed by it but got no sense of aggression off him.

I hadn't though of the homophobia angle, I think he thought I was straight which may have been part of his problem he may have been reading mixed snigles from it.

It's not something thats bothering me in anyway it just got me thinking.

Supose because most situations where I would see other guys nipple piercings would often be in a sexualised context and I hadn't though of how other people view them in a clearly non sexual context (hotel swiming pool in hotel down the country)

For example

If you where shown two pictures of the same person (male or female chose your preference) one with piercings and the other without would you view one of the images to be more sexualised?


Don't think being sexualised is a bad thing just currious

eth0_

That's weird. How old was this guy? I'd never view nipple piercings on a man as being gay...it's not the 1970's!

Altheus

With any piercings, with certain people, social background, lack of knowledge, prudishness, or ignorance, certain stereotypes exist. These arent always engrained in that person's mindset, but they do exist.

Nipple/P.A. etc on a man are considered by people as homosexual. That said, I've never met a woman, apart from my sister, who thought that. Same goes for right ear piercings.

Now as for this instance, perhaps the guy was a little confused as to your orientation, maybe he was homosexual, and in fact a little bit awkward around you. Like you said mixed signals. Curiously though, that said, unpierced men are extremely curious about my "personal" piercings, and they're not homosexual. Often they feel slightly, I suppose, threatened. Then again some people do actually find piercings not disgusting, but extremely inappropriate.

As for your question, personally, I would find the pierced woman/man more sexualised. Mainly due to the fact that the piercings draw attention to areas in the anatomy that are often used in acts of sexual deviancy, i.e. nipples, tongue, genitals.

It's an interesting point though.

Auburn

I worked in a supermarket last summer at the checkouts and if I had a euro for every time someone said to me "why did you do that to yourself?" then I'd be a very rich girl. I have the top of my ear pierced and my nose (which was taken out during work but still obvious that I had it done, plus people tend to stare when you work at a checkout).

Some people (older especially) seem to have the idea that piercings/tattoos are harming your body. They view it as something unnecessary and detrimental to the way you look. They just don't understand why anyone would have them done. It's nothing personal, it's just a generation thing. Maybe the man felt like this, i.e. simply puzzled as to why you have it done.

Chinafoot

i have a couple of tattoos and one piercing (tongue). my tattoos arent usually seen by people apart from the one on my lower back which can be seen depending on what im wearing. anyhoo, i find that people seem to change their opinion of me when they discover my tattoos. its very strange. it doesnt happen with everyone but there have been a few.

also i have had many a conversation with my sisters friend about tattoos. he has none and he reckons that my tattoos define who i am. personally i dont agree and i see my tattoos as a form of expression. they merely represent important moments in my life or experiences. i dunno really i find the whole thing odd really.

one thing that does annoy me is when people expect me to justify my tattoos and explain to them what they mean and so on. they are personal and i dont see how something that is on my body can be an issue with somebody else, so why should i explain myself?

*edit* thats not to say i object to being asked.....i do however object to the reaction i get when i politely decline *edit*

Silent Grape

i was informed by a VERY random punter in the pub i work in that im a 'very beautiful girl, but why did (i) have to destroy my face' with one teeny weeny sparkly labret! insanity. when im in work im in no mood to 'ho ho ho, arn't i such a maaaad young person' along with jerks like that.

i was also recently told that my beautiful (if i may say so myself) elvish tattoo was as 'bad' as having Klingon written on me! good lord! this guy who said it happens to have a big red afro and look like a carrot gone mad, yet id never say anything as insulting to him as that about his stoopid hair.

with people like that there's no point in even trying to explain anything to them
or getting into heated arguments . i generally just say 'if u dont like my piercings, why not cease from staring at them'

on the other hand its cool if someone is just curious and interested, and its deadly to have a proper conversation about it with someone who actually is into it,and not just into the image of it.

with the whole sexualisation thing, id defienetly agree that pierced/tattoed people would be more highly sexed than others, and id be drawn more to pierced or tattooed people. but i think its got more to do with having an open mind, and being open to new ideas and open to experimenting sexually. the pierced girls i know are a little edgier, and a little more risky i suppose. i know that im a lot more sexually experienced and experimental than most if not all of my non pierced/tattooed friends, i dunno if thats a body mod thing or just me..

there's also an element of respect and comraderie among pierced poeple, ive found. i cant put my finger on it, but its a certain type of personality which gets pierced and tattooed, and i like that kind of person.

Chinafoot

Originally posted by Silent Grape

there's also an element of respect and comraderie among pierced poeple, ive found. i cant put my finger on it, but its a certain type of personality which gets pierced and tattooed, and i like that kind of person.

yea i agree with this definately. and its certainly an ice-breaker if nothing else!

Silent Grape

ahhh creepy peachypants, we were both posting at exactly the same time...creeeepy...

someone here described getting tattooes as sort of like having a dairy of ur life. thats the way it is with me anyway.

mudflapgirl

heh - I agree with Auburn - if I had a euro for everytime someone siad "did that hurt?" or "why'd'you do that to yersel?" I'd be a rich rich woman and wouldn't sitting in work trawling boards.ie for entertainment.

I only have a few on my face (labret, nose, ears) I also have my tongue but it's not like I walk around with that hanging out yet people always have people asking me why I've "ruined" my face by "having a load of metal hanging off it" they're the same people who say what'll I do when I decide to take them out and I'm left with a "BIG" hole in my face. they obviously don't realise how quickly the human body can repair itself and that I'll only be left with a small scar if anything when, and if, I decide to take them out.

I get the same reaction to my tattoos. I know that it would hurt if I decided to have them removed. I thought each one out before getting them and didn't do it on a whim. I will explain to my kids, if/when I have them, about them. And yes I realise that when I "grow up" (I'm 25 and thought I was a grown up before that person said it to me) I might regret them (I doubt it) and they'll "look manky" So why do people say "You know that'll be there forever, don't you?" - NO! really?, I thought I could wash them off with soap!

...I mean really.....

(just a little vent. )

stormkeeper

I've been lucky in the fact that most people don't mind the fact that I have 2 tattoos. That said, I have them on my upper arms to keep them hidden. The problem with getting a tattoo as well is that it's unacceptable in a place like an office, where you deal with people on a highly professional level. In the case of a job interview, it's not such a hot idea to go in with thattos showing, as it gives off a wrong impression...

Of course, I know 2 people who disagreed with me getting inked, but one of them has accepted the fact that I've put them in a sensible place. I'd never get a piercing however....

stormkeeper

Originally posted by peachypants
also i have had many a conversation with my sisters friend about tattoos. he has none and he reckons that my tattoos define who i am. personally i dont agree and i see my tattoos as a form of expression. they merely represent important moments in my life or experiences. i dunno really i find the whole thing odd really.

I consider my tattoos to represent myself in a way, which is semi-opposite to your view. I see them as my mindsets, as such, maybe even in a spiritual sense...

Chaos_Path

Originally posted by Kennett
The problem with getting a tattoo as well is that it's unacceptable in a place like an office



Not necessarily, no one has to know about them, right?
and thats why you keep them covered, its not as if youre going to work shirtless.
its the same as a school, im not sure about the rules anymore, but when i was in Secondary no facial piercings were allowed, but a few of the students had tattoos.
nothing was said, as they were completely covered.


i managed to keep mine secret for 5 or six years.

Hell_en_earth

I don't know about this guy he could have just been curious but didn't want to get to close in case you where gay or in case you wanted to try and do it to him!! You never know what ppl are thinking!!

I once went to a resturant (I forget the name) and they told me I was not allowed in until removed my facial peircing's all 17 of them and cover up all my tatt's!! So I laughed in his face and turned around and walked out!!!:D

I Hate it when ppl you don't know grab your arm or lift up the back of you shirt to see your tatt's. it really bugs me this is why I cover most of my tatt's up most of the time. I won't mind so much if they asked 1st, it's just cheeky when they do it without. I know I won't invade somone's personal space like that!!! So please note most ppl don't like their arm ripped off so ye can have a look at their tatt's!! And I will only talk to ppl who are serious on the subject otherwise I don't want to hear it!!!!


:rolleyes: End of rant!!!!!:)

sound_wave

I was stopped going into a club the other night because of my eyebrow piercing. The bouncer said "go on in there lads", to my two buddies and " youll have to take out that yoke if you want to come in here" to me. I looked at him dumbfounded for a second and then quickly laughed and said "I dont think so mate" and tuned away and left with my two buddies. First time ive encountered any problem with my piercing.

Boston

Originally posted by sound_wave
I was stopped going into a club the other night because of my eyebrow piercing. The bouncer said "go on in there lads", to my two buddies and " youll have to take out that yoke if you want to come in here" to me. I looked at him dumbfounded for a second and then quickly laughed and said "I dont think so mate" and tuned away and left with my two buddies. First time ive encountered any problem with my piercing.

Might have been for your own good mate, was the place abite rough?

sound_wave

been in there before and it wasnt rough in my opinion. Hey for all i know the bouncer might have been looking out for me in case i was called a homo or something! :rolleyes: . Ignorant people.

Boston

Originally posted by sound_wave
been in there before and it wasnt rough in my opinion. Hey for all i know the bouncer might have been looking out for me in case i was called a homo or something! :rolleyes: . Ignorant people.

More thinking along the lines of, either you can take it out or someone else in there will. One of the main reasons I never got anything pierced

memphis

F*ck em all.

If people have a problem with my tattooes or peircing (now gone) that's their misfortune.

I've encountered many a problem because of my tattoo or peircing.

I had my eyebrow done bout 2 years ago, and the amount of people I had coming up to me saying "did that hurt?", "why would you do such a thing to your face?" "Take that out", etc I took no heed of em and I never will.

I constantly had my folks on my back, but that was expected. They have very old strict beliefs about the whole thing.

I even went to the night club after taking my peircing out of my eyebrow only to have the owner land a free drink down in front of me and congratulate me for copping on. Needless to say I drank the pint, but told him reassuringly that the only reason I took it out was because it was starting to grow out.

I dont care what people think. My tat is in a position where is easily covered by the sleeve of my shirt, so its not a problem at work, etc, not that it should be anyway, and thankfully i don't get any weird comments from people because of where it is (unless I show it to em of course).

Tattooing and peircings are a personal thing. F*ck people if they are too ignorant to appreciate such fine art work.

sound_wave

Originally posted by Boston
More thinking along the lines of, either you can take it out or someone else in there will. One of the main reasons I never got anything pierced

ah.....possibly..but a quick headbut to the face sort that mofo out.

Hell_en_earth

Originally posted by memphis
.Tattooing and peircings are a personal thing. F*ck people if they are too ignorant to appreciate such fine art work.

Never a truer word spoken!!! I don't get stick for my peircing's or tattoo's from the people that matter so I don't care what anyone else think's of them!!!
My Dad doesn't mind my peircing's but he thinks my tattoo's are getting bigger everytime he see's one of them, which is not very often as they area also in place's where than can be covered up!
Too all those people who think they have a right to voice their opion to me, All I have to say is, They are on me they don't effect you if you don't like them look the other way!!!

Hanza

My Mate is getting his tattoos removed. He is sick of people grabbing his arm to read it.

Anyone that thinks a tattoo is a personal thing, will appreciate his tat. He got the first 3 lines of his favourite childhood story on his arm, Call of the Wild by John London. Its the most origional and amazing tattoo ive seen in a long time, and I myself am kinda upset he is getting them removed, since he has had them for so long. If anyone were to ever see it they would be in awe at it. Its so simple but so excellent.

Personally, my experience with peoples views on tattoos, phase me very little. I have a RV design on my left arm and a weird HR Giger style design around it, which go right up to my collar bone and turns into a pair of eyes.

When I got the eyes finished, the next day i went to rub it and a customer in my shop saw it and jumped, making a face as if she had just dipped her head in a bucket of gone off cream and dog phesies. I smiled at her and gave her a wink. Why should I really care what an "OLD DEAR" think not just about my body art, but since the designs were my own, I was more offended that she was grimmising at my personal creation.

Hell_en_earth

All my tattoo's are very personal to me and I get very offended by people grabing me to get a better look that's why I where long sleeve's all the time!! And only show them off when I feel like it!! If my Dad can get over it then I don't care what the rest of the planet think's!!

Ro_79

yeah its sad that in this day and age people just cannot mind their own business and let people wear what they want such as peircings,tatoos etc!. I thought this was modern age not 1900s! Stupid ignorance!

That said...I haven't had many problems with people, only some have been like eeeeeeergh! lol