I’ll come right out and say it from the start; I’m not void of bias about this subject, considering I’ve had a tattoo for over six months now. But in this short amount of time, it has come to my attention many times that there are many societal assumptions that need a little correcting when it comes to the topic of tattoos and the people who have them. These are my five (of many) reasons why we need to stop judging people with tattoos:

1. Judging someone because they have a tattoo is judging them for their appearance. And while I obviously know that tattoos are not naturally occurring aspects of appearance, like having two different colored eyes or a skin condition, isn’t it a little immature for anyone to judge another based simply on the way they look, natural difference or not? Your mother always told you not to judge a book by its cover. It can be difficult not to go around and pick out things you dislike about other people’s appearances, but if everyone looked the same and had the same taste, it would get very boring very quickly. Just because someone’s look is not your cup of tea doesn’t mean that you should judge him or her for expressing personal style or preferences.
2. People with tattoos are often very PROUD of them. Fine, go ahead, judge. I know some people are still going to. The problem is not just that many people are judgmental about tattoos, but that they act upon that judgment. Telling someone they need to cover their tattoo or that it’s not appropriate for the workplace can be offensive and hurtful. You wouldn’t ask someone to cover up her sweater just because you didn’t like it, would you? People take pride in having and being able to display their body art.
3. Along that same note, tattoos can give people an outlet to celebrate, remember, or make beloved artwork permanent. Tattoos aren’t always tacky or drunken mistakes (no judgements if they are). Many people get tattoos to commemorate loved ones they have lost, or to remember an important date in their life. Tattoos can be meaningful and often times planned and thought out. For example, my tattoo took at least two years of planning and drawing before I was finally ready to even consider making it permanent. Tattoos can be beautiful, elaborate, pieces of art that are personalized and important to who someone is. They are more than just a chance to put ink on skin.
4. The presence of tattoos should not hinder the ability to find a job, because they do not hinder work performance. Even before I had a tattoo, I never once thought, “Hm, I wonder if that woman’s flower tattoo is going to make my food taste worse.” I think it’s sad that anyone is denied a job because they have tattoos. Yes, maybe because they have tattoos, the company believes that will make it harder to do business or attract customers, but why is that? How is having a tattoo going to affect any part of a sale or a design or whatever aspect of work they may be involved in? Answer: it’s not. Having a tattoo is a factor of appearance, like wearing glasses. The problem is not with the person who has a tattoo, but with the person who feels they cannot trust them to do a good job because of it. I do think that we are in a time that is changing how it reacts to things like piercings, colored hair, and tattoos, but would I feel completely comfortable showing my tattoo in a professional setting? Absolutely not. And I think that really needs to change.
5. Having a tattoo is never an indicator of intelligence, worth, or value. I know many people who have MDs and PHDs and are very successful who also have tattoos. Just because someone has a tattoo does not mean they are not intellectual. It does not mean they don’t value education. It doesn’t mean they have a certain political affiliation, it doesn’t mean they want to save the planet, it doesn’t mean they want to smoke pot every day, it doesn’t mean they aren’t trustworthy. It doesn’t mean anything like that. I know many people who are extremely intelligent and successful, and some of them happen to have tattoos too. The only thing that having a tattoo makes you is a person with a tattoo. That’s it.