Tattoo acceptance in the work place?

megbee617
megbee617 Posts: 100 Member
in Chit-Chat
Hi everyone -

Just curious as to how many people on here have tattoos. What do you do for a living and do your tattoos affect how you are treated/perceived in the workplace? Do you have to hide them, or are they out in the open? Do you think you've ever been discriminated against because of your ink?
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Replies

  • wolfsbayne
    wolfsbayne Posts: 3,116 Member
    I think some places discriminate. I have 8 tattoos. One is always visible, an icthys on my wrist. I work in an office and I've never been asked to cover it up. When I wear capris, my tattoo on my ankle is visible.
  • Sunshine2plus2
    Sunshine2plus2 Posts: 1,492 Member
    I have 11 tattoos and 8 piercings! I work in the healthcare field, when I am with families I am suppose to keep them covered. Most of my tats can be easily covered with long sleeves. Its never really been a big deal!
  • LosinItAll2012
    LosinItAll2012 Posts: 238 Member
    I work in a Government office.

    I have my nose pierced, and always wear my stud.

    I also have a tattoo on my chest, which is visible with V-neck tops, that I most often wear... I also have one on my ankle that is visible when I wear skirts and capris. I have never been told to cover up.
  • fbmandy55
    fbmandy55 Posts: 5,263 Member
    This is becoming a thing of the past.

    I work in an office and have to interact with other professionals, bankers, even CEO's of large companies and have never been asked to cover my tattoos. One of the VP's of one of our largest vendors has a large tattoo on her leg that I've seen.

    Most retail places allow tattoos and piercings without exception.

    Common sense is all that is needed. You can still look well put together and professional with tattoos, you can still look like a bum without them.
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  • summertime_girl
    summertime_girl Posts: 3,945 Member
    I have some very uptight clients, in very uptight fields. I have several tattoos, and more planned, but they will always be able to be hidden.

    And, because Mom. She scares me too.
  • Llyrian
    Llyrian Posts: 100 Member
    Some places do indeed discriminate, but not all. I work for a web development company that is very casual in terms of dress. I have a lot of tattoos, dyed hair and a lip ring. No one cares. However, if I worked in the PR department of the company I would not be able to get away with the same look, as they are all about appearance.
  • OllyReeves
    OllyReeves Posts: 579 Member
    Over the fullness of time, I will have lots. But because I work in a white collar public facing job, they will stop below my collar, and above my wrists.

    I am very excited about my body art, but I'm not stupid.

    I like being able to further my chosen career, more than I need face or hand tattoos. I can fully express myself on all the other areas of my body that will not limit my career.
  • sillygoosie
    sillygoosie Posts: 1,109 Member
    I show mine (back, thigh, ankle) at work in the summer. No one has ever said anything. If they asked me to cover them, I would.
  • IpuffyheartHeelsinthegym
    IpuffyheartHeelsinthegym Posts: 5,573 Member
    Hi everyone -

    Just curious as to how many people on here have tattoos. What do you do for a living and do your tattoos affect how you are treated/perceived in the workplace? Do you have to hide them, or are they out in the open? Do you think you've ever been discriminated against because of your ink?

    I work in an office as an insurance analyst and no one in our office is allowed to have any ink showing. If they are in places that cannot be covered, we are required to cover them with bandages. I have 4, but they are all in places that are covered with work attire or anything other than a bikini.
  • caramelgyrlk
    caramelgyrlk Posts: 1,112 Member
    I think some places discriminate.

    It's their company, they can call the shots. You may call it discrimnation. I call it the right to hire who they want and your right to work there if you so choose.

    I agree with Maximus
  • NoxDineen
    NoxDineen Posts: 497 Member
    I have 5 tattoos, including one on each wrist that are almost always visible, and a pierced nose. As a software developer nobody cares at all about my tattoos. Two of our sysadmins have full sleeves, one also has his hands tattooed and the other has tattoos on his shaved head.

    Working in software you're so in demand nobody cares what you look like as long as you can wrangle networks or crank out sensible, well-tested code.
  • Some_Watery_Tart
    Some_Watery_Tart Posts: 2,250 Member
    I think it depends heavily on your field of work. In my workplace, we keep tattoos covered up. It's a professional government office.
  • NoxDineen
    NoxDineen Posts: 497 Member
    I think some places discriminate.

    It's their company, they can call the shots. You may call it discrimnation. I call it the right to hire who they want and your right to work there if you so choose.
    I'm not sure discrimination laws agree with you. I suppose it depends where you live, but almost anywhere in Canada and the US you'd have a reasonable lawsuit on your hands in virtually all professions.
  • OllyReeves
    OllyReeves Posts: 579 Member
    I think some places discriminate.

    It's their company, they can call the shots. You may call it discrimnation. I call it the right to hire who they want and your right to work there if you so choose.

    I agree with Maximus

    Yeah me too, it's just not discrimination.
  • wolverine66
    wolverine66 Posts: 3,779 Member
    I think some places discriminate.

    It's their company, they can call the shots. You may call it discrimnation. I call it the right to hire who they want and your right to work there if you so choose.

    but what you call it is so many more words
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I have two tattoos...neither are visible when I am clothed. Visible tattoos would not be appropriate at either the CPA firm that I used to work for or my current place of employment. Both are professional environments and require interaction and a considerable amount of face time with clients...clients who are paying big bucks for professionalism.
  • bradXdale
    bradXdale Posts: 399
    I work in an advertising agency.

    I have two amazing bosses that completely care less about my tattoos or piercings.

    I have two face dermals

    They look like this:

    Img267_MD_face.jpg (Two on the right side, on the side of my face).

    I also have 7 tattoos that can be visibly seen & shown when I do not wear long sleeves or pants.

    To me it's up to the boss & the profession. You can't walk into a medical office & expect to get a job with your face, neck and hands tattooed. Is it right people discriminate and judge before they get to know you? Sure, of course it is. Is it a natural reaction that most people have? Absolutely.

    Think before you get tattooed. The long term consequences will always follow you. Like my dermal piercings which I'm getting removed soon (bored of them, had them for almost two years now). Which I watched my wife get hers removed and it made me cringe hard. :/
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I think some places discriminate.

    It's their company, they can call the shots. You may call it discrimnation. I call it the right to hire who they want and your right to work there if you so choose.
    I'm not sure discrimination laws agree with you. I suppose it depends where you live, but almost anywhere in Canada and the US you'd have a reasonable lawsuit on your hands in virtually all professions.

    Actually, you wouldn't.
  • ironrat79
    ironrat79 Posts: 273 Member
    I'm a professional, but have plenty of visible ink. Boss just asks that I wear long sleeves to cover it up when doing presentations, which isn't a problem because I prefer long sleeve dress shirts. To me, it's art..some people hang it in their house, some people wear it on their skin. I think it's also becoming more socially acceptable as the new generations are replacing the older (no offense) in owner and supervisory roles.
  • Donna36232399
    Donna36232399 Posts: 10 Member
    I work in a construction related office, so no discrimination against them. I have 2 that I got on same day less than a year ago. One is very visible on my wrist and depending on clothing choice of the day I have a large one on my back, never have had a problem. It is becoming more acceptable these days and I notice it all over the city here in Santa Barbara, CA that less and less office settings are discriminating against them in their "qualifications" called out in ads.
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  • jessilyn76
    jessilyn76 Posts: 532 Member
    I think some places discriminate.

    It's their company, they can call the shots. You may call it discrimnation. I call it the right to hire who they want and your right to work there if you so choose.

    Absolutely. I am a bank manager in a very small town. I have several, including a half sleeve. I would never consider not covering. I also expect my employees to cover. My company is conservative, I love my job, and respect my organizations wishes.
  • wolfsbayne
    wolfsbayne Posts: 3,116 Member
    I think some places discriminate.

    It's their company, they can call the shots. You may call it discrimnation. I call it the right to hire who they want and your right to work there if you so choose.

    I agree with you on this one. I don't think bad about a person or company that wants to project a certain image. It's their choice.
  • GothyFaery
    GothyFaery Posts: 762 Member
    I have 12 tattoos and I work a desk job on a Navy base. Most the men that work above me are retired sailors so most have tattoos. Still when I was interviewing for the job, I wore clothes that hid my tattoos and only brought them up after I had been offered the position. I do get some looks around the office but I have never been asked to cover them and no one has said anything negative about them. Tattoos are still banned in a lot of work places but they are getting more popular so eventually, employers will have to openly accept them.
  • CaitlinW19
    CaitlinW19 Posts: 431 Member
    I do not have any tattoos or piercings (besides each ear lobe) but I was a trainer for flight attendants up until about 1.5 years ago. In that situation, tattoos all must be covered by clothing (make-up is not acceptable cover) and piercings are limited to two per ear lobe, no where else visable is allowed. This was an issue for some, for example if you have an ankle tatoo you would never be allowed to wear anything put pants at work, when dresses and skirts are options for others. Long sleeves too would be required to cover arm tattoos...pretty uncomfortable in warm weather.

    If I was to get a tattoo, personally I would keep these types of limitations in mind and get it somewhere that is always covered with typical work wear.
  • fbmandy55
    fbmandy55 Posts: 5,263 Member
    I think some places discriminate.

    It's their company, they can call the shots. You may call it discrimnation. I call it the right to hire who they want and your right to work there if you so choose.

    I agree with Maximus

    Yeah me too, it's just not discrimination.

    Not always but it CAN be.
  • khkjkk
    khkjkk Posts: 55 Member
    There may be less discrimination based on tattoos in my work place than in others. I work with a fair amount of veterans, and many of them tend to be tattooed. I suppose my company has realized that not hiring individuals based solely on the fact that they have tattoos is a silly and increasingly outdated concept. Most of us cover up when going into big meetings -- not intentionally, but due to the nature of business attire. Regardless, the number of folks with visible arm and leg tattoos in the office is increasing, as is the number of people accepting that tattoos =/= unprofessional.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    I don't have any tattoos but in my company (government contractor - healthcare) people with tattoos are asked to cover them. Since I am involved in some of the hiring, I know that some applicants have not been considered because of tattoos or piercings. And, some current employees with tattoos have been passed over for promotion because of it.
  • b_ray_73
    b_ray_73 Posts: 110 Member
    I think some places discriminate.

    It's their company, they can call the shots. You may call it discrimnation. I call it the right to hire who they want and your right to work there if you so choose.
    I'm not sure discrimination laws agree with you. I suppose it depends where you live, but almost anywhere in Canada and the US you'd have a reasonable lawsuit on your hands in virtually all professions.
    Not entirely true. I've worked many places where it was included in the company dress code that ink was not to be visible to the client. Having tattoos is not a protected status AFAIK. I chose to be a consultant where I wore long sleeve professional clothes for years because it was in the dress code that tattoos could not be in visible places due to the impression we needed to have for our clients. I now work somewhere where I can wear tank tops or short sleeves and my tattoos can be seen daily.

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