Tattoos in a conservative work place

[cline]

[snipped text for space]

That some standards are more random than "safety requirements" is still a little arbitrary, yes - but there are historical reasons for that, and knowing that history is part of showing that you're a team player.  And again, not every job needs a customer-facing team player, but if that's the job you're aiming for then you need to act like it.

 

Hang on now - tattoos and piercings are choices people make.  They're decorations.

 

yup yup and yup.

 

Here's the thing - we don't only deal with open minded, super liberal accepting people in their 20's and 30's.  Your customer base might also include rural people who are not open, very conservative and/or religious people, people from other countries or cultures, and or people who are way past 70, and/or your moms and dads who still don't "get it".  This doesn't make them wrong, only different.

 

If I'm a business and ANY of these people are my potential customers, you can be damned sure I have thought about their needs and wants. 

 

Let's look at my local Starbucks.  The young people who work there (all in the early 20's at the oldest) are a nice, nice group of people.  They provide excellent customer service - consistently.  They are really nice.  Some wear plugs, one has really long dreads, but honestly, I'm not sure any have visible tats (I'll have to look next time).  One is fairly recently transgendered (in the last 3 years since I've been going there).  A pretty open, accepting group.  BUT there are standards they must maintain - there is a dress code they do not violate (oh my gosh how can they possibly live or work in a standardized dress code???) and they must all wear their hair up and pulled back (including the man with long hair and the woman with dreads) AND they have to wear a hat type thing (ack!).  AND their conversations with customers must follow basic scripting.  wow.  and guess what?  they do it well and do a lovely job with every single customer.  I've seen people who can't speak English, elderly customers, sick customers, homeless customers, college students, etc.  And every single customer is comfortable b/c Starbucks wants it like that. 

 

And tattoos and piercings ARE choices people make.  These are things you have control over.  While I'd love to say "get over it" to everyone, I made a conscious choice to snub my nose at the majority of America.  I have multiple ear piercings and tats.  These were choices I made as an adult knowing full and well they were choices.  And because I'm an adult, I also made these choices knowing they might impact how I'm perceived.  As a result, I can wear pants and a sweater and wear discreet earrings.  Problem solved. 

 

I used to work with someone who got a call from an old client.  The family had a kid with an "obscene" word tattooed on his face.  He did it as an angry teenager.  Now, I don't care about the word, I don't find it obscene.  I don't care he has a tat on his face.  Whatever.  BUT let's talk about his prospects in life when he's now 19 and wants a job.  He couldn't even get back kitchen work in a big city because of how he chose to express himself at 15 or 16.  He was trying to figure out how to pay for tattoo removal. 

 

If you are sitting there saying "well that was a bad choice" that's also judgement.  What about someone's tat you find offensive?  However beautiful the work, what if it was racist or sexist or just plain inappropriate?  What if it was a southern pride tat or a gang tat?  I know people with gang tats and I'll tell you they are not as accepted as a sleeve you pay $1000 for that is "arty".  Get a prison tat and see how many in the tat world find it acceptable and will hire you out of prison. 

 

It depends on what is apropos for the culture you choose to work in.  All we're saying is it's about knowing your field.  Because some fields are more conservative re dress or require uniforms or safety equipment, they are not inherently bad or wrong.  They are just different. 

[Errah138]

The inference therefore being that those with tattoos are deemed unable to do the job and therefore must lie to make it. I recognise that some jobs feel like they must look a certain way but why? Why is that the only way to look? Why is a functionally inefficient suit and tie the professional option? Why is a woman with a shaven head or a man with should length locks inherently not 'the image we were looking for?'

Because in any job that involves connections with other people, connecting with a wide variety of people is part of the job. And if you want to work in those fields, then you need to play the game. And it's not just a suit and tie - you wouldn't show up for a construction job in a tie and dress shoes and expect not to be sent home (or at least out to buy some safety boots), would you?

That some standards are more random than "safety requirements" is still a little arbitrary, yes - but there are historical reasons for that, and knowing that history is part of showing that you're a team player. And again, not every job needs a customer-facing team player, but if that's the job you're aiming for then you need to act like it.

Hang on now - tattoos and piercings are choices people make. They're decorations. In my example upthread, did you read the bit about how people's colour/gender/accent/disability changed the way they dress? Those things all still matter - they shouldn't, but they do. And if someone is going to judge based on appearance, at least making that judgement based on a choice that the person made is going to be a hell of a lot more meaningful than things that just are.

YAY!!! Finally figured out how to quote

Although tattoos and piercings are choices discrimination is discrimination no matter which way you cut it. What if someone made a bad choice and ended up with horrific burn scars all over his neck and hands. Would it be ok to you if he wasn't hired as a sales person even though he had incredible credentials because he didn't fit the look they were going for? Or what if a gay man wanted to put up a picture of him and his significant other kissing but knew it might effect his getting a promotion. Is that right? It's his choice whether he lets people know he is gay but that would be hiding who he is. I have a lot of friends with a lot of tattoos in some instances covered from the top of their head to the top of their feet. To them their tattoos are not a decoration it's who they are. They didn't feel right in their skin before they had them. Should they just be thankful they are allowed to walk down the street without having trash thrown at them or do you feel it's reasonable to want to be treated the same as anyone else no matter what they look like or what they want to do? This might seem extreme as is clearly an example but 30 years ago or even 15 years ago that would not be an unusual occurrence for someone who was heavily tattooed to be verbally and physically assaulted for them.

[Errah138]

Sorry for the double post

When you see something that is wrong but just accept it as "the way things are" then you perpetuate it. You make it ok that people in wheelchairs and women and people with accents feel the need to do more then a normal white guy because that's just the way it is.

Lol I feel like this thread escalated very quickly.

[MariahSnow]

First, I wholeheartedly agree that your appearance (to a certain degree) should not impact and does not impact your ability to do a job. Of course, if you're in a wheelchair and you are applying for a construction job, that might not work out. 

 

Second, I'm pretty divided on the whole "covering up" your tattoos or fitting in with the corporate culture. On one hand, I totally agree - you need to dress for the job you want. Appearing professional is part of having a career (even if your profession is a tattoo artist). However, where is the line? My significant other has been looking for a new job for years now and he keeps getting rejected. At some point, he began to wonder if it had something to do with his skin color. And he's even told me, "if I could change being black, I would". That's really sad on many levels, but I wonder how many people would cover up something about themselves that somehow hinders their career progress. I work in an industry that's dominated by old white males (i.e. my grandfather), and whenever I go to some kind of networking event, I put on a face just like I do at my grandparents house. I play nice, I act like a lady, the whole show. But in reality, I'm very outspoken, have a sailor mouth, and I generally don't fit into typical "female" roles. I'm essentially "covering up" and playing to what these old men want to see - a woman who is meek and polite. I NEED to network with these old men if I want to have a career, but I hate doing it because I feel so fake. I feel like a little girl playing dress-up in mommy's clothes. And I'm currently really divided on this topic because I don't want to be fake, but I also want a career. So is that what this comes down to? Choose to be real to yourself or choose a career? Assuming that being yourself is directly in conflict with your career aspirations.

 

As an aside, I'm not sure whether these old men are actually projecting that they want a meek polite woman, or that's what I'm assuming they want. I was at a luncheon not too long ago and at the time I was vegetarian. When I sent back the (horrendous) grey meat, I swear the entire room dropped their forks to stare at me. And then I became the subject of conversation at the table with all those typical "so why are you vegetarian" questions. Sigh.

 

I guess, just because you CAN cover something up, should you? You can cover up being gay or having tattoos, but you can't cover up being a woman or being non-white. Are any of those things any more or less valuable to who you are as a person?

[UltanBoyd]

So what it boils down to (and it always boils down to)

 

Sorry for the double post When you see something that is wrong but just accept it as "the way things are" then you perpetuate it. You make it ok that people in wheelchairs and women and people with accents feel the need to do more then a normal white guy because that's just the way it is. Lol I feel like this thread escalated very quickly.

This.

 

What the arguement boils down to is either

 

1. Health and Safety. Food hygiene and hair, PPE on construction sites? I get it, I do it, I agree with it (when properly used)

2. You have to because you just have to!

 

That's what I don't get. How people can be so accepting. This is how it is. Why? Because that is how it is! Who says so? errr society! Aren't you part of society?

 

Man in the mirror. I will work harder than the next person and power through because my beard does not effect my ability to do a job, my colleagues sleeves do not effect his and the above's non-walkover attitude is a blessing and not something to be covered up.

Because it is, because they say so. These are not good enough excuses anymore!

[cline]

But, a tattoo is a choice you make and something you pay for.  You choose where and what you get.  This is not really the same as being gay, being non-white, being female.  You can choose to shave your head too, but I don't think that's the same as a sexual/racial/ethnic/gender minority. 

[MariahSnow]

But, a tattoo is a choice you make and something you pay for.  You choose where and what you get.  This is not really the same as being gay, being non-white, being female.  You can choose to shave your head too, but I don't think that's the same as a sexual/racial/ethnic/gender minority. 

 

Agreed. I just wish people didn't have to cover up anything about them. 

[Raikas]

Agreed. I just wish people didn't have to cover up anything about them. 

 

People don't have to - there are other jobs, other career tracks that don't involve customer-facing work. The customer wants to feel like the company representative understands them, and that's part of the job.

 

And for non customer facing positions where there's the internal teamwork/presentation side, dressing the part (whether it's a suit in the corporate world, or something funky in a more creative position) is part of showing that you've done your research.  It shows that you're willing to put in the work, because dressing the part is work - that's the whole point.  It shows that you're putting the company's needs ahead of your own.

 

Again:  not every company requires that, so there needn't be all the drama about hiding the true self - it's a choice.

[maeggieakamegan]

Having 6 tattoos and all but one covered with normal clothing, I haven't had too much issues with jobs I've had. The one that shows is on my left fore arm but for the most part people can't see it unless I'm reaching for something. The last job I had my boss didn't know I had it til 6 months into working there.

I've worked with the elderly and kids and still never had any problems with my tattoos, guess I've been lucky.

[Errah138]

Discrimination is discrimination. So if someone got fired for their religious choice because the company felt they couldn't connect with their customer base that's no big deal?? Or say the number one salesman at a company gets face tattoo and remains number one. He should fully expect to get fired because of something he chose to do to his body?

[Raikas]

Discrimination is discrimination.

 

Seriously?  You consider a tattoo to be in the same category as protected classes?  Seriously?

 

 

Or say the number one salesman at a company gets face tattoo and remains number one. He should fully expect to get fired because of something he chose to do to his body?

Well, I commented that our salespeople don't have a dress code, but that their way of dress seems to determine their success.  So in this case, if they're successful, they'll be kept on.  Full stop.  People who play the game seem to do better, but the possibility is there for someone to do it differently - it just hasn't happened yet.

 

In a place with a dress code?  Then they knew about it when they agreed to work there, and by choosing to violate that then they're asking to get fired, yes.  I've been at workplaces that prohibited things like the use of social media during work hours - I think that's a silly rule, so I choose not to work at places like that.  Same thing - a choice.  If you knowingly violate the rules of your workplace, you shouldn't be surprised if it has an impact on your career.

[Errah138]

Discrimination

1. an act or instance of discriminating or of making a distinction.

2. treatment or consideration of, or making a distinction in favor of or against, a person or thing based on the group, class, or category to which that person or thing belongs rather than on individual merit.

Seems fairly straight forward. I would lump tattoos more with things you aren't born with such as religion or if a woman decided to make the choice to become pregnant while on someone's payroll. However no matter what people should be treated equally by everybody no matter what they choose to do to their bodies. And if they are treated differently they are not the ones at fault. It would be the close minded individual who was in the wrong.

To some people their tattoos are not a big deal but to some people they mean the world and they should not be penalized for that any more then a person who has plastic surgery to look a certain way or someone who needs to take break at a certain time of day to pray to their respective god. Why is it ok to discriminate against some people and not others? I understand what your saying and that that may be the way it is but it sure as hell isn't right and until people make an effort to stop it it isn't going to change.

[cline]

It's hardly the same thing. 

 

If I choose to live my life unbathed b/c I do not believe in soap or chemicals, it would not be discrimination to fire me for failure to maintain a professional appearance.  

 

If I have an addiction and show up regularly to work drunk and do not ask for or seek help, yes, I can be fired.  And yeah, that's way harder than appearance requirements.  And no, it's not discrimination. 

 

And, in most places, moving up the ladder yields different cultural expectations with the job. 

[Errah138]

It's hardly the same thing.

If I choose to live my life unbathed b/c I do not believe in soap or chemicals, it would not be discrimination to fire me for failure to maintain a professional appearance.

If I have an addiction and show up regularly to work drunk and do not ask for or seek help, yes, I can be fired. And yeah, that's way harder than appearance requirements. And no, it's not discrimination.

And, in most places, moving up the ladder yields different cultural expectations with the job.

Actually both of those instances would have a negative effect on other people in your work environment and the second one could be incredibly dangerous. Having brightly colored pigment under your skin on your body effects absolutely no one but you and should not be treated in the same way as someone being unclean

[MissMormie]

First impressions matter. It's hard wired in the human brain. Sure it would be nice if reality would be a little fairer, but it's not. Anytime you go to a job you get to decide what kind of an impression you will make. And whatever you choose is fine with me, just realise that covering up or not is a choice as well.

Would you dress just a little better for your interview? Or would you just put on the first thing you see in the morning? Do you make sure to be a bit earlier than you would normally be to prevent being in too late? Do you make sure to go to bed on time rather than going into a bar till late and be slightly hungover in the morning? It's not like covering up tattoos is the only change your making to how you show yourself at a job interview, you show the best you can be. And if the best you can be is 15 minutes late, or still smelling of alcohol or dressed in a wrinkly shirt than I worry about how you'll perform on your bad days. Same goes for tattoos, if you're exposing them very openly I'll worry about what else you'll show me (and your collegeaus and customers). In a job interview I do not want to worry about things like that. I do not see this as discrimination as I am judging you on a personal choice of yours rather than on something you can't change.

Now for me it is different if you already work somewhere and have limited or no contact with customers. In that case personally I am fine with showing tattoos. But again it is a choice and your choices can have consequences. The question is whether you think your choice to show your tattoo is important enough to face those possible consequences. I'm sure everyone has heard the advice to dress for the job you want rather than the job you have? Well showing your tattoos might hurt your chance on a promotion. But it is your choice to take that risk or not.

--

I used to work with a guy who looked like a cross between a viking and a hells angel. Almost 7 feet, long red zz top beard, heavy metal shirts, leather pants. He was definately good at his job. But occasionally after he'd been to some in company meetings I'd get calls afterwards about things people 'forgot' to mention. When asked they would say that they were too intimidated by this guy to speak their minds. So when a more senior position came available i had to pass him by. Nobody works in a vacuum how you are perceived is important. And people were scared of him/his looks which affected his ability to get the job done even if he was the best person in the team. Now as I worked with him for a few years I learned he didn't have a motorbike but a electric bike as he was afraid of high speeds (he did have the helmet with flames and stuff cause it was cool) he spent his holidays not on a tropical island but in a playhall for cats as he was sure his cats needed a change of scenery. His cats who were all disabled in some way because nobody else would want them. And in the weekend this viking hells angel would do horse dancing. He is I think the nicest most cuddly type of personI ever met and still I gave somebody else the promotion because his image got in the way. (I did talk it over with him and he chose to keep dressing the way he did and not cover up his tats)

[Errah138]

First impressions matter. It's hard wired in the human brain. Sure it would be nice if reality would be a little fairer, but it's not. Anytime you go to a job you get to decide what kind of an impression you will make. And whatever you choose is fine with me, just realise that covering up or not is a choice as well.

Would you dress just a little better for your interview? Or would you just put on the first thing you see in the morning? Do you make sure to be a bit earlier than you would normally be to prevent being in too late? Do you make sure to go to bed on time rather than going into a bar till late and be slightly hungover in the morning? It's not like covering up tattoos is the only change your making to how you show yourself at a job interview, you show the best you can be. And if the best you can be is 15 minutes late, or still smelling of alcohol or dressed in a wrinkly shirt than I worry about how you'll perform on your bad days. Same goes for tattoos, if you're exposing them very openly I'll worry about what else you'll show me (and your collegeaus and customers). In a job interview I do not want to worry about things like that. I do not see this as discrimination as I am judging you on a personal choice of yours rather than on something you can't change.

Now for me it is different if you already work somewhere and have limited or no contact with customers. In that case personally I am fine with showing tattoos. But again it is a choice and your choices can have consequences. The question is whether you think your choice to show your tattoo is important enough to face those possible consequences. I'm sure everyone has heard the advice to dress for the job you want rather than the job you have? Well showing your tattoos might hurt your chance on a promotion. But it is your choice to take that risk or not.

--

I used to work with a guy who looked like a cross between a viking and a hells angel. Almost 7 feet, long red zz top beard, heavy metal shirts, leather pants. He was definately good at his job. But occasionally after he'd been to some in company meetings I'd get calls afterwards about things people 'forgot' to mention. When asked they would say that they were too intimidated by this guy to speak their minds. So when a more senior position came available i had to pass him by. Nobody works in a vacuum how you are perceived is important. And people were scared of him/his looks which affected his ability to get the job done even if he was the best person in the team. Now as I worked with him for a few years I learned he didn't have a motorbike but a electric bike as he was afraid of high speeds (he did have the helmet with flames and stuff cause it was cool) he spent his holidays not on a tropical island but in a playhall for cats as he was sure his cats needed a change of scenery. His cats who were all disabled in some way because nobody else would want them. And in the weekend this viking hells angel would do horse dancing. He is I think the nicest most cuddly type of personI ever met and still I gave somebody else the promotion because his image got in the way. (I did talk it over with him and he chose to keep dressing the way he did and not cover up his tats)

If someone comes into a job interview dressed in a polo shirt and jeans and has hand tattoos but has an absolutely stellar resume and someone comes in immaculately dressed with a mediocre resume it would be bad business to hire the less then stellar resume. People may have been intimidated by this mans appearance but as they became more comfortable around him they would have gotten over it. By putting a less qualified applicant into a position above someone they are intimidated by your company's machine will not be running at its optimal efficiency meaning you will in turn lose money.

I'm not saying everyone everywhere should be walking around looking like a bunch of homeless winos I'm saying that if someone is reasonably dressed and had visible tattoos that their job performance and Ability should be infinitely more important then how they look. If someone can't do a job but look like a stereotypical business man then they should be removed. If someone is awesome at there job and decides to get a sleeve it should have no effect on their employment situation. This may not be how it is in the real world but as Mahatma Gandhi said “If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change. As a man changes his own nature, so does the attitude of the world change towards him. … We need not wait to see what others do.â€

Also what is horse dancing

[I-Jo]

 

People don't have to - there are other jobs, other career tracks that don't involve customer-facing work. The customer wants to feel like the company representative understands them, and that's part of the job.

 

And for non customer facing positions where there's the internal teamwork/presentation side, dressing the part (whether it's a suit in the corporate world, or something funky in a more creative position) is part of showing that you've done your research.  It shows that you're willing to put in the work, because dressing the part is work - that's the whole point.  It shows that you're putting the company's needs ahead of your own.

 

Again:  not every company requires that, so there needn't be all the drama about hiding the true self - it's a choice

part of the issue right here...

 

you said "customer facing jobs" I get it- there is a PR section- and people who do PR need to look/fit the part.  But I'd say a great deal of this- has very little to do with "customer facing jobs"  any coorporate job that still supports wearing a suit and tie to work every day- you will face that.  My career choice- public service.  while we DO interact with the public- through meetings- training- semimars and what not- in our day to day doings- we do not. My big boss spends a lot of time in meetings with outside OTHER agengies- not the direct public- and the other one spends most of his time in his office begruding workers (he is such a PITA)... they BOTH wear suit and ties.  ALL THE TIME. For no other reason than their boss does. 

 

We dress well all the time- all though the dress code has relaxed a little- they there are a few sections who are still very business oriented.  For no purpose other than "we must look profesisonal" even though 90% of the time we sit in a cubicle.

 

I get it- tattoos can be off putting if you are in a PR position- but really- a great deal of the work to be done has little to do with outside interfacing. ti's an excuse.  

[rybo]

This topic bothers me a lot. I find it absurd to judge a person by a mark on thier skin. I have 2 both not that visible, the bottom of one sticks out below some short sleeve shirts. I work in engineering and there are a few people with visible ink. Only 3 that I can think of with "a lot" visible. I really would like to get a half sleeve, the older I get the less I care what people think. My problem now is just deciding what all to put in it.

[cline]

I'm wondering about the whole issue here.  How do your work environments feel about neon green hair, big (and I mean HUGE) ear plugs, big nose rings, etc.  These are also mere decorations. 

 

And nobody replied to me about prison tats or gang tats - are those also okay? (I'm not kidding I know people with those types of tats)

[msuroo]

I'm wondering about the whole issue here.

 

Yeah, me too.  Not being one with tattoos myself, I've been hesitant to comment, and I don't think anyone here is supporting discrimination.  I work in a "conservative field" (accounting), and have had lots of colleagues with tatoos over the years.  I've never known one that was good at their job that was denied a raise or promotion because of them.  But look - trying to argue that how you choose to present yourself should have no bearing on how people treat you is folly.  If I'm interviewing two equally qualified resumes, and one comes dressed in a suit and the other in tattered jeans and a tank top - guess who is getting hired?

[Waldo]

 

This topic bothers me a lot. I find it absurd to judge a person by a mark on thier skin. I have 2 both not that visible, the bottom of one sticks out below some short sleeve shirts. I work in engineering and there are a few people with visible ink. Only 3 that I can think of with "a lot" visible. I really would like to get a half sleeve, the older I get the less I care what people think. My problem now is just deciding what all to put in it.

I also work in engineering and don't know anyone with anything visible.

However engineering is a field generally where a little eccentricity is not a bad thing at all. As long as you still look somewhat presentable and not like a complete bum, you're good to go.

Kinda like engineering/science profs, chances are the crazier someone appeared, the smarter they were and better teacher they were.

[Errah138]

I'm wondering about the whole issue here. How do your work environments feel about neon green hair, big (and I mean HUGE) ear plugs, big nose rings, etc. These are also mere decorations.

And nobody replied to me about prison tats or gang tats - are those also okay? (I'm not kidding I know people with those types of tats)

What makes blue hair any worse then dying your hair blonde or an unnatural but still accepted shade of red ? I feel the same way about it all it should all be acceptable IMHO because it has no effect on how they do their job. And as far as prison and gang tattoos beauty is in the eye of the beholder I know plenty of people with gang and prison tattoos

and if some stuck up tattoo snobs snub their

noses at them as Long as the person that has them is happy that's all that matters

Iv seen tattoos and piercings my whole life and I can understand how they can be shocking to some people but most people if given the opportunity to be more exposed to them will soon realize it doesn't matter. By making a big deal out of it and saying this is acceptable and this is not you force people to have preconceived notions of what these things mean about the person who has them

[cline]

Yeah, me too.  Not being one with tattoos myself, I've been hesitant to comment, and I don't think anyone here is supporting discrimination.  I work in a "conservative field" (accounting), and have had lots of colleagues with tatoos over the years.  I've never known one that was good at their job that was denied a raise or promotion because of them.  But look - trying to argue that how you choose to present yourself should have no bearing on how people treat you is folly.  If I'm interviewing two equally qualified resumes, and one comes dressed in a suit and the other in tattered jeans and a tank top - guess who is getting hired?

 

we had a candidate come in pants that were too tight, a "dressy" t-shirt, and her underwear was visible out of the top of the back of her pants.  Compared to the other candidates who came with more attention to their dress, yeah, she won't get called back.  AND I'll point out that by "olden days" standards none of them were "acceptable" - nobody in a suit, no pantyhose (thank god... finally), one had braids, one had very stylish "out there" glasses, etc.  They were stylish, true to themselves, but still dressed nicely for an interview. 

 

Iv seen tattoos and piercings my whole life and I can understand how they can be shocking to some people but most people if given the opportunity to be more exposed to them will soon realize it doesn't matter. By making a big deal out of it and saying this is acceptable and this is not you force people to have preconceived notions of what these things mean about the person who has them

 

I think this is the key issue here.  I suspect (based only on your post) that you are in your 20's or younger.  For older people, this is still shocking and new.  MiL and FiL are FREAKED out by tattoos and piercings?  OMG. 

 

I live in a heavily tattooed city.  We had friends visiting from Canada - who live in a big city there - who couldn't get over the tattoos.  It was shocking to them.

 

It's about audience - rural or middle America, America over 45, Europeans, etc. 

 

I think of it like jeans.  No really.  Not so long ago ain't nobody wearing jeans to school, church, dinner out, work, etc.  Jeans used to mean something about people.  Now look around.  Jeans everywhere.  I still have family members who are offended if people wear jeans to thanksgiving dinner at home or out to eat.  Or, heaven forbid, wear jeans to anything in Europe.  But here's the reality, we all wear jeans now.  Dudes, seriously, I don't go anywhere I can't wear jeans.  Even fancy restaurants. and it FREAKS out people I know. 

 

But then again, so do my tats... LOL.  they even freak out people my own age.  LOL. 

[I-Jo]

That's part of the ' judgement' issue. I think. Certain generations and certain people will assume your tattoo is a poor judgment choice. ... My parents certainly think so and wouldn't hesitate to hire a none tattoo person over a similarly qualified tattooed person purely on the basis they think it's a complete lack of judgement on the wearers part. Hell they almost disowned me over it. Generations make a difference.

[cline]

That's part of the ' judgement' issue. I think. Certain generations and certain people will assume your tattoo is a poor judgment choice. ... My parents certainly think so and wouldn't hesitate to hire a none tattoo person over a similarly qualified tattooed person purely on the basis they think it's a complete lack of judgement on the wearers part. Hell they almost disowned me over it. Generations make a difference.

 

ahhh-yup.  and location, and religion, and all sorts of stuff. 

 

My first tat was tiny - say the size of silver dollar (do you kids know what those are?  LOL)  but it's highly visible and my in laws FREAKED omg did they freak.  My mother has made it very clear what she thinks of "those people with tattoos".   So have people here at work. 

 

Crazy? yes.  What humans are all about?  yes. 

 

But no different in the end than that "noise you young people listen to".