I got my first tattoo shortly after I turned 18, but there are so many teenagers who have tattoos and aren’t even 16. While many family members, adults, and peers are very accepting of our body modifications, some are not. There are far too many instances in which we are criticized or discriminated against because we have ink on our bodies, but why? Here are a few phrases that every young person with tattoos hears on a regular basis.

“Why would you put that on your body?”

Why not? Tattoos are a form of self-expression and allow us to show off our creativity. This sounds super cliché but your body is a canvas and your tattoos are your art. It’s hard not to lash out at people who analyze my tattoos and critique where they are placed. Yes, I have a tattoo on my arm. Yes, I know it will be there forever.

“That isn’t going to look good when you’re 60.”

I hear this way too often, and my response is simple. Aging is unavoidable. Everyone is young, everyone will grow up, and everyone will get wrinkly. I won’t look any different from other 60 year olds; I’ll just be the cool grandparent with tattoos.

“How will you get a job? Nobody hires people with tattoos.”

Tattoos are growing in popularity and becoming more of a social norm. While keeping a “professional” image is important to many businesses, we shouldn’t be automatically disqualified from a hiring process because we have tattoos. For example, if employers at a hospital were given two candidates, an extraordinary doctor with tattoos and a decent one without, who would be chosen? Would you want the qualified doctor operating on your child, or the doctor that was hired solely because they didn’t have tattoos? Just think about that.

“You aren’t going to like that in five years.”

I love this one. First off, who are you to tell me what I will and will not like in the future? I don’t even know what I’ll like in five years! Who knows, maybe I won’t like it anymore, but it will always be there to remind me of what used to mean something to me. Secondly, if I really wanted to get rid of a tattoo, I could. Dermatologists everywhere offer laser tattoo removal sessions.

“Do you regret them yet?”

This comment is just plain ignorant. I’ll keep this response short and sweet. No.

While your opinions and concerns about my tattoos are completely valid, please be mindful that it’s my body. If I can’t find a job after college because nobody wants to hire the kid with tattoos, that’s on me. Whether you find tattoos unattractive or unprofessional, just try to be respectful of those with tattoos and keep unpleasant, negative remarks to yourself.