On New Year's Eve 2011, at the age of 16, I went to get my first tattoo. It was something no one ever expected me to do, which is exactly why I didn't tell many people about it. I knew people would begin to question why I was getting a tattoo, what my tattoo meant, and how on earth my parents could let me get one. It wasn't an easy decision for me, and I took a year to make sure I really wanted the tattoo I had in mind. I knew it was permanent, and I knew I had to make the right decision. I ended up getting a tattoo on my left arm, that says "Just Breathe," as a reminder to myself that life is hard, but no matter what I can make it through anything.

You see, I wasn't raised to think that tattoos were some horrible thing that only criminals or "inappropriate" people got. I was raised thinking that tattoos were a form of art and self-expression. My mom and my older sister each had two tattoos before I even got my first one. I always thought it would be neat to have one, and I didn't see it as a bad thing. I started to think about what I wanted as my tattoo at the age of 15, and when I was 16 my mom went with me to get it. When I tell people my mom took me to get my tattoo, I get two different responses, either "That's so cool. My parents would never take me to get one" or, "You're mom took you? Wow. I can't imagine a parent doing that." The fact that people question my judgement, and the judgement of my parents because of a simple tattoo, is infuriating. Two of my mom's tattoos, are beautiful. One is a semi-colon butterfly, which raises awareness for mental health and depression. And another one of her tattoos consists of the astroglogical sign for all four of her children.

Years ago, tattoos might have been considered unprofessional and "trashy," but they are becoming more common all around the nation, and tattoos are being considered more as art than anything. We can't sit here and say that people with tattoos are unprofessional, when some of the most respected people in our communities have them. There are teachers, police officers, politicians, and parents all around the nation with tattoos. They are role models, not for their tattoos, but for their jobs and the duties they handle every day. We can't judge someone based on their tattoos, just because there are people who think it's a sin, or who disagree with their decision. If we judged and criticized every person who did something that we didn't agree with, then we would be lonely, because I can guarantee, that no two people believe the exact same thing, and think the same way.

Now at age 20, I have two tattoos, and yes, I plan on getting a couple more. There are in places that can be hidden by clothes once I graduate from college and begin looking for a job, because I know that there are still people out there who will criticize me for them. But, I am not ashamed of my tattoos. I put a lot of thought into them, they are a form of self-expression, and they are meaningful to me. I love my tattoos, I'm proud to show them off, and explain my meaning behind why I got them.