Tattoos anyone?

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rocksyraeis
rocksyraeis Posts: 194
in Chit-Chat
So ive got 8 pieces of ink on my body, all of which are covered by my clothing well i went with my cousin to her OB appointment (shes 28 weeks prego) and her receptionist had a tattoo feather on her wrist (beautiful grey wash) and gages in her ears along with black and red highlights my cousin just stared at her with this bewildered look. Well fast forward we are in the office and a nurse walks in he has tattoos on his right arm and again my cousin with that look so i asked "you dont like tattoos..?" i asked kinda like, really? She has one on her forearm she just plainly said. " i dont mind them i have one myself obviously but in a professional atmosphere i dont believe they should be showing..its jist very different from how strict buisness used to be about self-expression i would have never been able to have gauges or visible tattoos when i was her age." the girl looked about 16, maybe a LIL older my cousin is 26. What do you think? Do you think companys should be more relaxed about tattoos, piercings, and gauges, ect or should they be more strict in covering them?
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  • LadyIvysMom
    LadyIvysMom Posts: 391 Member
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    Unless there is something fundamentally offensive about the tattoo in question, I see no reason why it needs to be covered up. It doesn't have anything to do with how well the person does their job...
  • PaleoPath4Lyfe
    PaleoPath4Lyfe Posts: 3,161 Member
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    So ive got 8 pieces of ink on my body, all of which are covered by my clothing well i went with my cousin to her OB appointment (shes 28 weeks prego) and her receptionist had a tattoo feather on her wrist (beautiful grey wash) and gages in her ears along with black and red highlights my cousin just stared at her with this bewildered look. Well fast forward we are in the office and a nurse walks in he has tattoos on his right arm and again my cousin with that look so i asked "you dont like tattoos..?" i asked kinda like, really? She has one on her forearm she just plainly said. " i dont mind them i have one myself obviously but in a professional atmosphere i dont believe they should be showing..its jist very different from how strict buisness used to be about self-expression i would have never been able to have gauges or visible tattoos when i was her age." the girl looked about 16, maybe a LIL older my cousin is 26. What do you think? Do you think companys should be more relaxed about tattoos, piercings, and gauges, ect or should they be more strict in covering them?

    Yes, people need to relax where tattoos and piercings are concerned.

    Tattoos and piercings DO NOT make a person unprofessional. That person as the individual and how they carry themselves is what makes a person professional or unprofessional.

    I have seen plenty of unprofessional people that have no visible tattoos.
  • MiCool90
    MiCool90 Posts: 460 Member
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    Got'em, love'em!
  • rocksyraeis
    rocksyraeis Posts: 194
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    Unless there is something fundamentally offensive about the tattoo in question, I see no reason why it needs to be covered up. It doesn't have anything to do with how well the person does their job...

    I agree, i honestly think if we were able to self express more in the job atmosphere we would be more comfortable and possibly perform better.
  • rdlangy1
    rdlangy1 Posts: 16 Member
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    got sleeve, and 3 others - will have more...
  • christinet8504
    christinet8504 Posts: 108
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    I'm a sales rep so obviously I have a customer facing job. Personally, I love tattoos and I have most of my back done. HOWEVER, my company requires a professional look. I'd be out the door if I had anything visible. They even look down upon people changing hair color.....

    It depends on your employer I guess, but to be safe, if you're looking to have a professional job at any time in your career, I would suggest making them hide able.
  • courtneyleem
    courtneyleem Posts: 20
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    My parents feel the same way as your cousin. I have two tattoos that are easily covered (I wanted it that way, as a teacher). I like tattoos, but the gauge earrings make me feel kind of queasy. I don't find them attractive, and I'll admit I get a little judge-y when I see them on someone.
  • rdlangy1
    rdlangy1 Posts: 16 Member
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    p.s. - im in senior management - and all mine can be covered with a long sleeve shirt...
  • 879311
    879311 Posts: 60
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    I have a small cross on my left hand that my best friend had...he died of cancer in 2003 and the day we buried him, I got the same thing. I also have an arm band on my right arm but it's high enough that even t-shirts cover it....
  • rocksyraeis
    rocksyraeis Posts: 194
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    So technically most of you agree to having them hidden if you want to present yourself in a professional matter kind of a "dress for success" mind state right? :) i can see that.
  • MonicaLee92
    MonicaLee92 Posts: 222
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    Unless there is something fundamentally offensive about the tattoo in question, I see no reason why it needs to be covered up. It doesn't have anything to do with how well the person does their job...

    I agree with this completely. I have to cover up my tattoos and one of them is even a medical alert tattoo. I don't see why it should be a problem unless it says or shows something offensive. Hopefully one day it'll be okay for everyone to show their tattoos in the work place.
  • christinet8504
    christinet8504 Posts: 108
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    So technically most of you agree to having them hidden if you want to present yourself in a professional matter kind of a "dress for success" mind state right? :) i can see that.

    Most definitely! Unless you work in a super trendy field where that's explicitly OK.
  • PaleoPath4Lyfe
    PaleoPath4Lyfe Posts: 3,161 Member
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    I'm a sales rep so obviously I have a customer facing job. Personally, I love tattoos and I have most of my back done. HOWEVER, my company requires a professional look. I'd be out the door if I had anything visible. They even look down upon people changing hair color.....

    It depends on your employer I guess, but to be safe, if you're looking to have a professional job at any time in your career, I would suggest making them hide able.

    I could never go back to working for a conservative company like this. I now work with a company that I can self express and show my tattoos if so I wish.

    My self expression (style of clothes, make up, hair color, tattoos, piercings, etc) have no bearing on the professional that I am.

    I have been told that I have the best customer service ethic of anyone they have encountered and I have half sleeve on my left arm that is always peeking out of my short sleeve shirts.
  • Yanicka1
    Yanicka1 Posts: 4,564 Member
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    I was at the water park yesterday..... I can honestly say that 40% of adults had tattoo. They are becoming so common that I don't see why people should hide them unless offensive. I have a big tattoo that take half my back. It show a little bit when I have my hair up.
  • iiiEllie
    iiiEllie Posts: 224 Member
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    My company couldn't care less about any of my ink, or piercings, a lot of the senior management has a few tattoos and they wear their little polo shirts to show them off most days. I typically don't have any negative reactions when it comes to my tattoos, however they're almost all flowers, birds, cute animals, so forth. So people usually just find them adorable or pretty. - Even my mother who can't stand most tattoos likes MOST of mine.
  • misslady72
    misslady72 Posts: 37 Member
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    I have a few :) However, they are in places that they can be easily covered. My employer doesn't have a problem with it but I might want to reinvent myself one day and go elsewhere lol. I am getting a new one on my wrist though. So that one wont be able to be covered.
  • Irishmoonwitch
    Irishmoonwitch Posts: 97
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    I work at a bank and my manager will allow me to show my wrist tattoo's. But the one right above my right breast has to be hidden. And all it is, is a Phoenix rising from flames sayings Strength in Gaelic. And when a part of the wing is showing all my customers ask about it and love it. And I work in a retirement community where 95% of my customers are retired.

    I think all companies need to relax about tattoo's. They are so common these days. I personally have six and I do not like having to hide them. Specially my Phoenix when it is meant for surviving cervix cancer.
  • emjay1971
    emjay1971 Posts: 18
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    If the people would get the attitude that having tattoos/ body piercings/ body art makes you any different of a person, we could be accepted as a normal part of society.

    People get the wrong impression of me all the time. Think I'm a bully/ aggressive, a party animal, on drugs, etc. I am just a normal person, working a not-so normal job, living a normal, pay-the-bills life. Normal problems. I am just your average person, with a lot of tattoos and piercings. Actually, I might even call myself boring LOL...

    People look at me crazy when I'm shopping, like I shouldn't have money, because I'm tattooed. I shouldn't have a job, because I'm pierced.

    I would go to a doctor (of course, qualified) that had tattoos, or a lawyer, or a dentist, or anywhere, that supported tattoos in the workplace. Stop being snobs and realize we are just the same, just chose to wear our art on our bodies, instead of hang it in our homes, where no one sees it.
  • AJ_Pete
    AJ_Pete Posts: 863 Member
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    I think people should be and are getting to be more relaxed with tattoos. I have a very important business meeting on Thursday that could bump me up to 6 figures and I will be hiding my tattoos for the initial meeting because I want to the focus to be on what I can bring to the table and I don't want him to have any misconceptions about me because I don't know him or his ideals. I have 7 tattoos including a giant owl on my forearm, a peacock across my foot, and some grouplove lyrics from my right shoulder to my collarbone.

    A person's capabilities should speak louder than their tattoos, but for some, there's still a stigma attached. I think it's getting more widely accepted though.
  • MonkRocker
    MonkRocker Posts: 198
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    Unless there is something fundamentally offensive about the tattoo in question, I see no reason why it needs to be covered up. It doesn't have anything to do with how well the person does their job...

    I agree, i honestly think if we were able to self express more in the job atmosphere we would be more comfortable and possibly perform better.

    This is actually one of the guiding principles the company I work for lives by. And they have proven that not only is it true, but our team member happiness is off the charts. Happy employees = job comfort = better service.

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