Diversity is a four syllable word for being different and expressing one's culture or life. In today's society we are told to be diverse and to express one's self. There are many ways to showcase your diversion from the status quo, but at this time in society the new and most popular way is through body ink, better known as a tattoo. According to a recent study, researchers found that 14 percent of all Americans have at least one tattoo. That's about 45 million people who have ink on their body. Of people ages 18-25 years old, 36 percent have at least one tattoo. Similarly, of people ages 26-40 years old, 40 percent also have at least one tattoo. These figures show you that this generation consisting of college-aged students to working adults is using the art of body ink for expression.

The problem that is at hand for these 45 million people is that society looks down upon people for their way of expression. When people hear the word, “tattoo,” people think of the words “unprofessional,” “inappropriate,” and “childish.” The question at hand is, “Why?” Tattoos have been used for over a thousand years, and in the past decade they have been become especially popular. This makes me wonder what makes tattoos so bad. A tattoo is an expression of one's self, not a mark of criminal acts or act of rebellion, but society still sees it that way. I understand that not every tattoo in the world has meaning or wasn't an intoxicated mistake, but that doesn't mean that the ones that have meaning lose their importance.

I myself have a tattoo on my body, which may cause this article to be biased, but for everyone who doesn't have a tattoo that doesn't what I am saying doesn't have credibility. My tattoo consists of a cross wrapped in ribbon with my baptismal and confirmation names written on that ribbon. This tattoo has a lot of meaning to me for two reasons. The first is that I want everyone to see and know my religious beliefs and stance. The second has to do with my grandfather in respects to my confirmation name being named after him. He was a very important and inspirational person in my life, but unfortunately he passed away in the summer of 2013. I felt the best way to honor him was to be confirmed in his name, which was eventually was taken one step farther through my expression of faith in my tattoo.

Every tattoo is different. Some express a significant date like an anniversary, a victory, or loss of a loved one, some a name, and others an expression of family or friendship. Each has meaning no matter how little or how big. To ask someone to cover their expressive art or symbol is almost as if they never had it at all. The main point of a tattoo is expression and if you aren't allowed to show it then what is the point?

The profession I am going into is education, and being told that a tattoo is inappropriate for a place of learning is making me scratch my head. It is not like they do not know that they exist or people have them. How does ink of expression on my body express my ability to teach and be a helping hand to students in this society? Society hasn't adjusted to the current times and trends of expression and remembrance.

Andrew Jackson, Teddy Roosevelt, and Winston Churchill reportedly all had tattoos. Knowing this information, does this change your view or opinion of these men? Two of these men were presidents of this great country and they were still able to lead and be successful. So the question I ask myself and all others who have tattoos is "Why not me [us]? Why can’t we be successful and live out our dreams?”. I want to be a high school history teacher first, and inspiration to others second. I hope this article sheds light on my beliefs and I hope you can relate or at least understand my perception.

Some Tattoos My Friends Have: