The first thing people always say to me when I tell them I'm getting a new tattoo is "Make sure it's in a place you can cover up." They say this because most jobs require you to cover up your tattoos whether they're inappropriate or not. I could understand if they were tattoos that were offensive but in general most tattoos are not. Yet we have to defer from getting tattoos in places where they can be seen. This is art we saw important enough to place on our bodies for the rest of time but we are told to cover it up and look professional.

My question is who decides what's professional? Who decided that tattoos are 'trashy' and that those who have them must be terrible and reckless human beings? Society is telling us what is okay and what isn't to put on our bodies and the last time I checked it really wasn't any of their business. I've gotten so many comments about how I'm 'ruining a good thing by getting tattoos' and that I 'look trashy and unattractive'.

Well please listen really closely for just a second: I do NOT wake up in the morning and dress myself for you. I don't do my makeup hoping that you'll enjoy it and I don't care in the slightest bit if you dislike my tattoos because they're not for you.

Tattoos are a form of art, mine make me feel beautiful and when I look at them I feel good about myself, which is unusual for me. Telling people they have to cover them up makes it seem like tattoos are a bad thing which disrespects that form of art. Telling people who let their children get tattoos at the legal age that they are terrible parents is just judgmental and rude.

People who walk around with tattoos are displaying their art, it's no different than art in museums or in art shows. People pay to see this art but then tell others to cover theirs up. It is a form of self expression no different than someone doing their make up or curling their hair. We have a freedom of speech and self expression and when you ask someone to cover up their bodies this violates that.

Telling people to cover up their tattoos or watch their placement needs to stop. It's offensive and it holds people back from being their true self.