An Underrated Form of Art by Franco Machado-Pesce

Getting my tattoo was quite an experience if I do say so myself. My friend and I really thought about getting one for a long time, but we never made the jump to. Then one day we just asked my roommate if she could give us one and she agreed. They were stick-and-pokes, so not the most professional setting. However, we spent around 45 minutes getting the whole room ready to go and sterilized, so the environment was pretty healthy. It was incredibly painful, but worth it.

We did the whole thing in my apartment, so the situation was pretty relaxed. Also, how many people can say that their best friend gave them a tattoo? Exactly. It’s pretty sick. Not only do I have a message I agree with on my body as art, but my friend will always be tied to it. Luckily she’s a professional… okay, maybe not, but she’s done them before. It was a surprisingly quick process too. If I would have had to pay for my tattoo and go to a parlor, then I probably wouldn’t have gone.

I always liked the idea of having a tattoo that had a special meaning. Stick-and-pokes disappear over time, so the idea of not having a very “permanent” one was even more appealing to me. My inspiration came from the design of it. I love travelling and experiencing new things, and last semester I went abroad to Italy where I made memories that I will experience forever. However, I got this tattoo right before then because it would serve as a symbol that would follow me on my journey. The design means: where there’s a will, there’s a way. This is so incredibly powerful and it reminds me that if there is anything I ever want to do in the world, then I can accomplish it if I believe in myself and put in the effort to try.

My family has always disliked tattoos. They’re from Iran so a lot of their beliefs are pretty conservative or traditional. My mother despises them and if she found out that I was getting a tattoo she’d be pretty disappointed. I had to wait until I was out of the house and a junior in college to get it, so around twenty years-old. I got it on the back of my neck because if I wanted to hide it then I easily could with my hair. However, if I ever wanted people to see it and find out a bit more about me, then I could just put my hair up and present it. I mostly only hide it while I’m at work or at my parents, but my mom recently found out I had it. Her reaction could have been worse, but only because I lied and said that it was one of those temporary ones that kids get. If she would’ve known that it was a more permanent, I would’ve never heard the end of it.

It’s ridiculous that tattoos have such a negative connotation. Most of the people that I have met, their tattoos all mean something special. One of them got a bandaid on his chest to represent his heartbreak after a friend died. Another a family member passing. All these people were really sweet or kind so to infer that people with tattoos are deviants is not accurate. Although, I understand that at work tattoos need to be hidden. It’s more of a matter of respect. Some tattoos are more appropriate for the workplace than others though. Obviously, if you have a skull-and-crossbones and you’re an elementary school teacher, it’s probably better to keep it concealed. Not only that though, but tattoos by themselves don’t impact how people are viewed by society. It’s a combination of things like what they’re wearing or if they’re kind. If somebody is covered in tattoos, but wears a tuxedo like David Beckham or something, I wouldn’t hesitate to go talk to them. However, if they have sleeves and wear a biker jacket with a bandana, then it’d probably take me a bit more time to build the courage to speak to them.

It’s also crazy how tattoos establish double standards. It’s more abnormal for a woman to get a tattoo than a man and we get judged for it more. Then if that weren’t weird enough, tattoos are also oversexualized on women because it invokes a sense of mystery or uniqueness I guess. It’s all such a very interesting topic. Hopefully people can look past tattoos as something superficial though and understand that many of them, mean something. That’s what matters.

 

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