Let's be honest with ourselves. When you see the picture above, what first comes to mind? That this man has a criminal history? That he's a certified bad ass? That he's harsh with his words and silent with his actions? Society has this belief that people who have tattoos are different. Society automatically judges someone with tattoos without hearing their story first. It's sad and people need to stop being so closed minded about tattoos. Tattoos are pieces of art. A beautiful, well thought out piece of art. If someone believes in something enough to permanently get it tattooed on their skin, I think that's brave. Sure, there are people who get pointless tattoos and there are tattoos that can look "trashy", but that's not all of them.

I would be filthy rich if I had a dollar for every time someone said, "Don't you know that's going to be on you forever?" or "Why would you do that?" YES, I'm fully aware that it's permanent and BECAUSE I wanted to get it. What I get inked on my body is none of your business because I look at it everyday, not you. A person shouldn't get immediately judged because of what's on their skin. Tattoos do not make anyone less intelligent than a person without a tattoo. Tattoos don't affect a person's ability to perform a job, take a test, critically think, or help a customer. People with tattoo's have feelings, concerns, and emotions just like everyone else, but they just choose to express themselves in a more creative manner. I'm not saying that everyone needs to jump on the tattoo train, but I do believe everyone needs to shut down the judgy eyes.

I've always believed in tattoos, but the last time that I went in to get a tattoo really hit home with this thought. To my left, there was a man getting a horrid tattoo on his arm. It was the ugliest and most terrible drawing of a tattoo I had ever seen. I leaned over and whispered to my tattoo artist, "Uhm did that man have his eyes closed when he agreed to have that tattooed on his skin"? He sort of shook his head and said, "That man with the terrible tattoo has an amazing story. His brother died in a car accident when he was about 9 years old and he had drawn that for him the day before. He said it reminds him that his brother is always with him, but also that life can change just like that." So before you judge someone with tattoos, realize that it's art to them and it just might possess a meaning that's much deeper than the surface.