I'm 19 and I have 6 tattoos. Some people say that's too many to have at such a young age. I mean, the legal age to get a tattoo in RI is 18. It used to be 16 with a parent's consent but times have since changed. However, I got my first tattoo when I was 16, yes my parents let me. And ever since then I've gotten at least one a year. I personally love tattoos. Here's what I think about tattoos:

I believe that tattoos are works of art. We never know why someone has a tattoo unless you ask them. Tattoos can be extremely personal for some people. They may signify the death of a loved one, or the rebirth of a new life. They may be related to a child or a close family member. Tattoos are used to spread love and to seal a bond forever. They mean a lot of different things.

My tattoo story is this. I love music. The first tattoo that I got is a treble clef and a bass clef in the shape of a heart with a piano inside. The piano was more for my sister but meant a great deal to me because of my love for them. The second tattoo I have is lettering saying "Art Is A Weapon". This is meaningful to me because I use music and writing as a way to cope and Art itself can help heal. I believe it is one of the most powerful weapons of all time.

My third tattoo is my biggest and it means the most to me. I got a larger tattoo of an array of flowers on my left forearm because I use to self harm a lot. For a while now I haven't hurt myself and I'm proud but that tattoo is covering many, many scars. Those scars I felt ashamed of for a long time. They reminded me of a sadder time so I got it covered on my 18th birthday. It was empowering and real.

I have three more tattoos and they all mean something to me but this isn't about me. I was just proving how tattoos can be meaningful. Tattoos are art, not distractions.

Many workplaces prohibit tattoos. However tattoos are becoming a very recognized and normal culture. Before, in times of the tattooed man and the vampire lady, tattoos were thought of as disgusting and sinful and wicked and pieces of hell on sinners' skins. Now people embrace tattoos and have love for them, well most people. Multiple places of work deny people jobs and even fire people for tattoos. Why?

Why are tattoos seen as unprofessional? This is discrimination. You are telling a person who decided to embellish their own skin with art that they cannot work for you because you don't like their art. That is unacceptable. And covering tattoos is a pain. The summer months where it is almost impossible to wear long sleeves without dying are even harder.

I've seen an extremely qualified woman get denied for a job for having tattoos. She had 8 years of experience. The woman they hired had 2 years of experience but no tattoos. My job recently put in a new policy saying all tattoos have to be covered and I know most of the people I work with are upset. More than half have tattoos and do not want to spend the summer in sweaters and long pants because the system doesn't believe tattoos are professional.

I hope one day places of business realize what they're doing. Discrimination is the same everywhere. It's just like hiring a white person instead of a black person. It's just like hiring a man instead of a woman regardless of experience and ability. It's actually quite disgusting and hopefully the world views it as I do, as beautiful personalized art.