I have always had a 3.59-3.88 GPA in college, and even higher in high school. I have worked as a barista and in a country club. I have helped found different school organizations and been leaders on many teams and organizations throughout my life.

I make friends easily, constantly bring a smile to friends, family, and strangers alike. I know my manners and try to use them frequently. I study film and history, though I have a natural knack for sales, marketing, and advertising. I do art, photography, write, create films, model, take care of those in need, try my best, and always stay true to who I am.

I've been to exclusive social events. I've traveled and been to many places not the average person can go to. I can read some French, and I constantly try to explore the limits to my creativity.

And I have 13 tattoos.

Many people may be shocked at the number of tattoos I have, some large, many small, and shocked at all of the things I've done and do with my life that aren't often correlated with a person who has tattoos. And they may even be shocked that I have a single tattoo at all.

I don't have anything vulgar or "trashy" on my body: I have a satellite, a rose, a daisy, a bouquet of flowers, a pine tree, cactus, a wave with a sun, etc. etc. Nothing about these should make someone just me negatively or want me to cover them up, even for a simple minimum wage job, yet, my tattoos lead to prejudice by other constantly.

They're not always easy to cover, but usually, I don't mind. If I walk into a social setting that recieves ill vibes towards me simply because some of my tattoos are showing, I stride around in confidence.

Many people seem to think that tattoos are a symbol of low intellect, of poor family raising, of poor ideals, low income, and a trashy, ignorant character of the individuals.

Sorry, not sorry, but that's really not the case, not with a vast number of people with tattoos.

Yes, there's a boundary crossed when tasteful tattoos become tasteless, but tasteless tattoos aren't always the case with people. And if you very well ask me, none of mine are tasteless, even if someone were to think so. They're my tattoos, chosen, hand-drawn, and meaningful in ways very special to me.

They go with any outfit, and even if someone doesn't think so, at the end of the day, it's not up to them what tattoos I do and don't have and how they come across.

I'm a strong, independent female. The last thing I need is someone sneering at me because I have tattoos, thinking I'm some stereotype that I am not, simply because there's, unfortunately, a negative stigma towards tattoos.

So to anyone who has tattoos and finds comfort and confidence in them, own them. You're probably not trashy, at least not as much as many may like to think.

You cannot define who I am as a person, simply because I have tattoos, and unfortunately, too many people still do. We need to end the negative stigmatization towards tattoos.