Tattooed People:)

When I see a heavily inked person I can't help but hum through "Lydia the Tattooed Lady" in my mind.
If you enjoy getting needles stuck into you over and over and over again, more power to you.
The only time I deal with it is for drawing blood, and getting shots and that's enough for me.
With so many getting tats, I guess I can say that I dare to be different by not getting any.

I like the first quote. I am untattooed and plan to remain so, but I am not afraid of or even intimidated by people with tattoos. They are as sentimental and self expressive as the blue highlights in my hair.

I don't have any, and am thinking of getting one now ... at the age of 43!!
Call it a midlife crisis. :-)

I feel like I finally know myself well enough, and am comfortable enough in my own skin to express myself in this way.

Sorry M. I just don't get the "world is divided into two kinds of people" cliche. I get that you're being lighthearted, but that quote is pretty divisive!
I don't mind tattoos, I see the world in shades of gray, not black and white (and no, I am NOT referring to that awful fake erotica lol!)
To me, visual art is no different that any other kind of art, be it fashion, music, whatever. So, a person with a lot of tattoos is basically screaming at me, look at me, I'm covered in art, pay attention, and if you don't there's something wrong with YOU! That's how I see it. You can agree, or not. It's no different than a person wearing a lot of makeup, flashy jewelry and big hair, grills on their teeth. Or someone with a boombox on their shoulder, making sure everyone they come in contact with knows exactly what sounds they prefer. Or someone driving around in a crazy, tricked out car.
What's really offensive is when the tattoo people want to put the focus on their "art" but really, it's very personal, most people don't care, and they would rather not see it (unless they share that particular pleasure) so why put in in peoples' faces and then act all offended that people just don't "get it?"
Enjoy it, and share it with others who love it. I'll do the same with my personal pleasures and interests, and we'll all be better off :)
p.s. I have always wanted a tattoo but because I am constantly growing and changing I have yet to find a certain symbol or thing that I am willing to permanently stamp on my body. I probably never will :)

I'm with Lesley S.

I don't have any tattoos and I don't care if you do.
I don't have any tattoos and I'm not afraid of people with tattoos. In fact I have worked with many people with tattoos, as well as have many family members with tattoos.

I know that you meant this post to be light-hearted.

But your perception of what I think of you is a *stereotype* similar to the ones you are trying to refute.

The true spirit of someone who is open-minded is to NOT perceive everyone different than them as not understanding them.

If you really think everyone without tattoos cares about your tattoos and/or is afraid of people with tattoos, then you must care that I don't have one.

Umm....I am neither afraid of people with tattoos (I'm married to one, both my parents are inked, my sister, both BILS and my SIL have them as well), NOR do I personally have any.

So where do I fit in? lol

Where I live, most of the time tattoos=gang identity, so I have that negative connotation. Where I teach, however, many of my students have tattoos that are not at all gang connected. I don't really care either way in this case. Two things that are interesting to me are 1. my students write essays about how their tattoos and piercing allow them to express the originiality and creativity....but about half the class looks pretty much just like them. Sure the dragons and roses and skulls are a bit different, but not, you know, original. 2. I have students who claim that cannot afford textbooks, but they then end up with a new tattoo or piercing....which I know is not inexpensive. So, those are two things that I ponder.

I would not get a tattoo not because I am personally against them. I have seen some that are really beautiful. I just have very sensitive skin and I don't like pain.

Your quotes are silly just like people who say Republicans don't want to help the poor, sooooo untrue on soooo many levels.

I have one, got it at 26, not sure if I will get any more. I have many close friends with tatts and without too. I love them all equally. Just like I am a Republican that donates my time and money to help the less fortunate :)

Sorry to throw a kink in your first statement, but I have zero tattoos and I think tattoos are wonderful! I saw a woman at church with full sleeve tattoos and thought she looked amazing! :)

Please don't assume that all people who don't have tattoos are judgemental of others. I don't like being misunderstood any more than the next person.

Are your sleeves in color? My brother doesn't have any color on his but is considering it.

I don't have any tattoos (I'm 31) but I want one. I'm just really bad with pain, so I haven't gone.

When I was in high school my dad gave me a picture of a dragon to color and then he went and had it tattooed on his arm. That's pretty cool to me.

I don't have any tatts, but here's a story about tatts since you say that you want some stories.

If you lived in parts of Asia, tattoos would mean that you are part of the mafia. (In those countries, male mafia members are mostly the ones with the tatts.) They are not allowed in the public baths or pools. Some of the mafia guys have parts of the fingers missing too. If they make a mistake, they have to cut off a part of their finger to atone for their mistake.

I met a delightful Australian man and his wife in Asia where he worked. He has muscles like Arnie Schwarzenegger. Wow! And beautiful tattoos. He's an executive and joined a club that caters to foreigners and Asians. After becoming a member (paid a very expensive joining fee and monthly fee), he went to the pool. Sitting there in his bathing suit, all of a sudden, half of the staff gathered around him, asking if he was a member, could they see his card, etc. They were absolutely shocked that he was actually a member. Actually, I think they were shocked that someone with tattoos was not a mafia member! I'm glad that they didn't know that he had tattoos before they took his money and accepted him as a member - they probably wouldn't have let him join if they had known it, and that would have been a shame. They are used to him now, but that was certainly an interesting experience for all involved. It's also one of those things that foreigners have to learn about a new culture. Just because we're used to it doesn't mean that the rest of the world is.

So there ya go - a story about tatts that you probably didn't expect!

Dawn

huh. well, i don't fit into either of those two scenarios. but i'm used to that. :)
i don't have any, so i'll tell you my older son's story. he was bound and determined to get one, and we told him he absolutely could when he was 18 but we weren't going to sign off on one earlier. not to be heavy-handed, but because it's a big decision and legal adulthood seemed like a great way to handle the 'when' question.
leading up to his 18th birthday i had him research artists so that he would get one who really jived with him. he knew he wanted a dragon, so we pored over pictures until he found the one he loved. then i created a bindrune that incorporates the letters of his name with the attributes he was seeking, the reasons this dragon appealed to him. we took the picture and the bindrune to the artist he selected, and he came up with a beautiful design. i told the artist that i wanted this to be a coming of age ritual and that i wanted to be present, cleanse the space and be there holding the energy. he is a reiki master and was right there with me, so it wasn't just a tattoo session. the three of us were in sacred space together. it was really cool.
the piece is big and took many sessions to finish. but that first one was magic.
:) khairete
S.

I was 18 years old, on my birthday, when I got my first tattoo. I had a treble clef put on my shoulder since I had been in orchestra and jazz bands for 10 years and I had played 4 different instruments.
I got my second when I was 19. It's on my ankle and says "fear no man" in Chinese letters. I had left a horribly abusive relationship and was feeling pretty strong and wanted to remind myself that I had NO ONE to fear.
My third and forth are pretty flowers (on my lower back) and a pretty butterfly (on the back of my neck).
My husband has two of my kid's footprints on the back of one calf. He needs to get the last babies on his other calf. He has tribal art on his upper arm that he did to cover up a different tattoo.
I don't *think* I will be getting any more, but I know that he still has a couple more to go.
L.

Sorry, the quote is inaccurate. I don't have tattoos, and I don't give a rat's behind if someone else is tattooed. I just haven't ever had the desire to have a tattoo, nor have I ever seen one or thought of one that I wouldn't mind having to have on my body permanently.

I honestly don't know ANYONE personally who judges ink any more. I mean sure, it was an issue 20 years ago, but now? Not so much. I work with very professional people who, after work, remove their long-sleeve shirts to reveal full sleeves of ink. No one cares.

I got my first tattoo at 18, during college. My 2nd tat was on my first Mother's Day :) and it's my son's name/dob disguised in deer horns. My 3rd tat was after my youngest son was born (again my mother's day gift) and it's his name/dob disguised in a fish. My 4th tat is a pink daisy on my big toe reminding me of my wedding day and favorite flower. I will be getting a 5th, a lady-bug in honor of my step-daughter, soon. My husband created 3 of my tattoos and I am now 38 and don't regret any of them.

I love tattoos. Tattoos tell a story and I love to connect with others and ask about theirs, how they chose it, what it means etc.

My first was 2 days after I turned 18. My bestie and I went in and decided to get ours done. She did some piercings and I got my first tattoo! I have a few more tattoos in mind but haven't found the right artist to do it. My last artist went to the pen.

My friend was right when she warned me that getting tattoos is addictive! I got my first tattoo at 19...in college. I now have just 3, but am planning more! I have my first daughters name on my wrist and I will be getting my second daughters soon. And my hubby and I are planning a trip to Ireland in a little over a year and plan on getting one there.

I do try to get them in easy to hide areas...I have no problem whatsoever with people who don't hide them...wish I had the guts to get a sleeve!

i have two, thanks for asking :) i have one on my upper hip which is a dragon holding the earth protectively - it represents my protectiveness towards my mom and siblings. i got it when i was 24 (i think, lord that was a long time ago :) It was 3 years after something very big happened to all of us. i love them so much and would do anything to protect them. so after much thought i got it. it was my concept, and the artist's work.

my S. i got when my son was 3, it is his name surrounded by stars. the name is obvious :) but i love stars (my mom calls me her "star child") in an aesthetic sense, i just think they're beautiful. turned out to be perfect because my son is SUPER interested in space as well. it's on my shoulder blade. so both can be covered quite easily. in fact i have to make an effort to display them.

both took me about 3 years to decide on. and i will never regret either one! again, thanks for asking! ignore the naysayers. as i have said on other threads about tattoos, it's not the tattooed people you have to worry about being judgmental. it's usually the non-tatooed people. (although i know lots of VERY cool non-tattooed people as well :) the first quote especially rings true after the convos from earlier this week. while there are many many very accepting non-inked people...it is much more likely to find judgment from that sectre. sorry guys, it's true.

different things have different meanings for different people. that's life. live and let live!

I have two, but have gotten three.

The first one I got I was 21. I am terribly afraid of needles, so I was shaking like a leaf. The tattoo artist was a 300 lb man who looked like a former Hell's Angel. He spend the entire time (like five minutes for the tiny rose I got), yelling at me to stop shaking.

The tattoo was terrible, so I got it covered up. Much happier now.

Yes, the one on my heart that God imprinted at baptism.

I have no tattoos, but am fascinated by the different tattoos I've seen on people. I can be honest and say that I don't understand the tatts on the face and neck, but that's just me. He most unique tattoo I've seen was on a lady who had a black French seam tattooed up both her legs giving the impression that she had on stockings. I have to add she had fabulous legs. I'm too afraid to get a tattoo. Period.

I was 18 when I got my first tattoo and so far I do have 4 tattoos. Though I want more. To me it's my body, my canvass and I want to do what I want with it. Now I will never get something that I don't want to live with for the rest of my life.
I don't care if someone doesn't have tattoos or if they do cool. Doesn't bother me either way.

I have one tattoo and I got it when I was 18. It's a single rose that is on my lower spine. I am 34 now and barely even think of it. I love tattoos, I think they can be beautiful, personal and special. I don't plan on getting anymore and I don't think poorly of people that have them. You can't judge a book by it's cover or artwork alone. Where I grew up there was a lot of gangs and there is a huge difference between gang related tattoos and non gang related. There is always going to be ignorance when it comes to things people don't understand or are convinced can only mean one thing. There is a church here in Southern California that is started and ran by ex gang members that have turned their lives around through the grace of god. They are amazing wonderful people with inspiring stories. Sometimes what you see is not what you are assuming it to be. Don't worry about the people that look at you like your a criminal, honestly would you even want to waste your time on close mindedness. I got my tattoo after getting out of a controlling abusive relationship. It symbolizes to me that a single rose standing alone is strong and beautiful. It's a visual reminder of what I went through and how proud I am of myself for where I am now.

I didn't get my first tattoo until I was in my late 30s. And I did it the exact wrong way - just went into a shop in town and told the guy what I wanted. No research, no shopping around.

Needless to say, I had to have that one fixed. But luckily for me, my bff's (who I met about a year after that) husband is an award winning tattoo artist who not only fixed my first horrible tattoo, but gives me a new one each year for my birthday present.

I have a rosary on my right wrist, a pentagram on my left. Japanese for Love and Dream on my inner wrists. A wonderful drawing of Wolverine on my right leg. Snowflakes falling from my right ear and autumn leaves falling from my left, they both drift down my neck to create a gorgeous necklace of my two favorite seasons.

I love my tattoos, even though I forget they're actually *there* until someone compliments the art.

:)

I don't have the colorful flowering dragons, fish or such. But I do have six dots that were placed on my body for aligning me in my cancer treatment.
The technicians teased me about costing another $5,000 to fill in the empty space.

I wanted to get a tatoo on my chest but it is a good thing I didn't as that is where my surgery was for the cancer. Someday I do hope to get that coye fish and a butterfly.

My daughter and her best friend got tats in high school (friend paid for daughter's) and I discovered it about two years later. Since then she has gotten more but they are hidden on body like right hip (Canadian red maple leaf), Ram horns (birth sign) and an oriental good luck both on her back. She is talking about two more a military brat and a cancer ribbon. The good luck is on spine at lower back and was very painful so I don't think she'll put any more there.

At least I can identify her if something bad happens.

Time has changed as one person mentioned because 20 years or so ago people looked at you like freaks. But there are still some professions that frown upon them. They can also hold back your chances for promotion if the people above are not into the tatoo mindset.

My son has one large tatoo of his son's name that runs from his wrist to his elbow on the inside of his right arm. But he doesn't have to worry about having to change it because it is not the name of a girlfriend.

In moderation and tactfully executed they look beautiful. The only person I feel is dirty is Kat Von D because she has too many and there is not enough makeup to cover all of them at one sitting without looking like a silly putty spackling compound.

The other S.

I have one tat- I got it while I was in grooming school. I want one more- a little cupcake by my heart. We've always called my daughter cupcake and I want to do something different then her name.

First...day after my 21st birthday...my bday is St. Patty's Day so naturally I love four leaf clovers. So I have a four leaf...it's in need of color repair, they yellow has all but disappeared.

My second got for my 33rd bday (it took me forever to figure out what I wanted) it is a Celtic Knot (in a triangle) and on the two upsides I have the kids names. When we finally adopt a third child (haven't started this process yet) I will put their name on the bottom line to signify our family is complete.

Yes I want more but it may take me a while to figure out what I want.

I was 29. I had a long history with my husband (who was not my husband at the time), including a son. We got back together and this time we knew it was forever, eventually got married and had more children. I chose to tattoo his name on my hip at 29 to let him know he was my forever. I went on to get 3 more. Each one having a very meaningful reason for it. I am fascinated by skin art and am planning on more even now at the age of 46. It is a pity that people, even in this day and age look at us as if though we are criminals or as if there is something wrong with us for deciding to put art on our bodies. To each his own I guess.

I don't have ANY :(((, but wish I had one. I'm such a big cry baby I don't think I could do it though.

I was I was 21 when I got my purple rose on my ankle. I only have the one and it is small. I like it but I have no desire to get more but will if that changes.

I got my first one for my 47th birthday last year.

I'll be getting my next one in November.

Been getting tattooed since I was 19. I have about 20 of them right now....not going to count for exact number. As for getting more it is a yes. I have plans for many many more. My first was a panther but it is blue with flames..I know sounds odd but it fits me. Up til last year all mine were easily covered. Then early last year I got one that is slightly bigger than a quarter on my inner wrist.

ive been wanting one since i was 15.. never got one though.. instead i decided to go piercing crazy - 6 in one ear 2 in the other, tongue, nose & belly button .. im getting my first tat next month sometime.. i already have it picked out its a hawaiin flower with a banner that goes across the bottom of it that will say my daughters name (daddys going to get her footprints and her name on his chest)
.. im glad i waited, when the fiance and i were talking about them the other day i was saying how glad i was i didnt start when i was younger because i would be covered in rediculous things that i eventually wouldve grown to hate.. i wanted the superman symbol on the back of my shoulder, this rediculously big rainbow peace sign on my wrist, a whole bunch of these really corny looking stars and little designs down my side.. i could go on forever .. the only ones im still considering getting sometime in the future that iv always wanted are my dogs pawprint on my back somewhere and a very small green bay packers symbol- not too sure about that one though.. but anyway im so0o0o excited to get my first one i cant wait

Sorry about the uptight people :)

I was 20 with my first, a sunflower on my lower back. Then when I was 23 in Hawaii with a girlfriend, I got the symbol for Leo and the Chinese character for dragon on my left shoulder blade. Then when I was 26ish, I got a crown on my left foot (because my name is T.). Just last month at age 35 I got the word "mine" on my right foot, it's a combination of my girls' nicknames.

I would like a few more someday, and to cover the sunflower with a dragon or peacock. I'd love a bunch but it's really not true to my style.

I got both of mine at 22, months apart. I'm 38 now and probably won't get anymore. There was one that I thought I wanted, but I didn't have the money to get it, and now I am okay with not having it. It was going ot be something very elaborate over my back, from my shoulders all the way down.

I always enjoyed body jewelry and art, but I never wanted anything that I couldn't cover up or take off. I pull off different looks and didn't ever want ot have to hide any "art" for the sake of an outfit or event or job. I wanted something that could only be seen if I wanted someone to see it. They're for me, not on display for others.

I don't care if others are tatted, but I cringe when I see the drastic art on "kids". I just think that they are limiting themselves by ensuring that certain doors get closed before they even have a chance. AND they're too young to fully appreciate exactly what that permanence means. We all see them, applying for jobs outside the industry. Some members of this community have asked about concealing tattoos for job interviews or formal events. I knew early on that I didn't want to deal with all that.

I got my first one at age 18. I knew I wanted ivy wound around my toes and got it - and it hurt like a YOU KNOW WHAT!! It ended up fading but I got it touched up (because of the location, I will always have to get it touched up). But the tattooist didn't tell me that!

2nd one was when I was 20 - it's fire/water that forms a circle with black rays coming out of it like a sun. It's on my lower back and faded so I want to spruce it up a bit - getting that done sometime in 2012 :)

Third was about 2 years ago (when I was 30) - I got a chick on the inside of my left wrist - I went with my aunt, cousin and some friends to symbolize our 'Scrapping Chicks' group (scrapbookers). But I immediately regretted it because I had it done facing away from me so I always felt like I was looking at an upside down chick! And the yellow faded so I just had it covered up with bada** looking cross! I love this one!! And the guy who did it also touched up my ivy and added two cherry blossoms to my foot for each of my children!

I will be getting the one on my back touched up this year and probably added to so not sure if that is considered my 4th one or still my third?

I love them and think they are addicting. I love when guys have sleeves!!! Hubby has 1 tattoo and every time he talks about getting more, I get really excited.

Great post!

First one at 19. 3 more (4 total) in my 30s, and I might get one more. :)

Hi Mama
I have two.
One fairly big one on my left arm I designed. Its called cycle of life. Its a crest of a moon in blue . The bottom part have a red design circling the moon representing my past. The middle of the crest has water,so anything negative from my past can be washed away. Circling the top part of the crest is a design in orange for future ,positivity. At the very top is a figure with rasta hair and arms in the air ,for victory. Done at 25 yrs

Second tat is a beautiful butterfly in the sun on my back. Done at 26 yrs.
I would like to get yin/yang symbol of my wrist or hand or an angel holding the symbol,not sure yet.
B. k