Tattoos: A brag book for the body
I know there’s a generational divide when it comes to tattoos, but this week’s comments on body art were vicious. I expected some head shaking and follies-of-youth tsk-tsk-ing. What I saw was condemnation.
“It sure is strange that these ‘weirdos’ try to justify marking up their bodies by using their children!” Chowdogz wrote. “It doesn’t matter how many colors you put into your ‘tats,’ they’re NOT pretty and they only display your immaturity.”
Kay Luna’s story about parents paying tribute to their kids with tattooed portraits, baby footprints or other symbols, riled up the judgmental crowd for several reasons. In the minds of some commenters, any parent getting a tattoo in honor of their child was obviously a low-class ne’er-do-well blowing their welfare check on ink instead of Cheerios.
“How ’bout take that money for the tattoo and, let’s say, put it in a college fund?” Jam12 wrote. “What a better way to show a tribute.”
Others simply find tattoos distasteful.
“I personally have never met a person who has matured who would do it all over again,” Times critic wrote. “Would be a cold day in hell before I could disrespect my body like that. Do any of these people understand the consequences of getting jobs? Face the music, it affects your life far more than ‘expressing myself.’ Impulsive way of getting attention. Sickening and immature behavior.”
I guess you can count me and half the people I know as “immature.” Most of my friends, whether in their 20s or 50s, have at least one, strategically positioned tattoo that holds personal meaning, but can be covered in the workplace. Even my sister, who has most of her upper body inked, can accommodate a strict dress code, though, like Atheist, she prefers to display her unique canvas.
“Some of us who are self-employed get the tattoos to say, ‘Ha, I’m not working for The Man,’ ” Atheist wrote. “I’m in my late 30s, make a great living and have tattoos all over. Each one is a reminder of a time in my life that I want to remember. I say it’s more disgusting that people disfigure their body with cheeseburgers and french fries.”
Slim was still puzzled about why a wallet full of photos was not enough for today’s parents.
“All parents, with a few exceptions throughout time, have loved their children,” Slim wrote. “However, the vast majority have not required a tattoo to show the world how much they care for their kids.”
Most parents of the past also didn’t need a video iPod loaded with home movies or a cell phone photo gallery. The brag book has evolved. As far as tattoos go, children are a pretty safe bet when choosing a design you won’t outgrow.
Nobodyspecial shared his reason for going under the needle: “I’m not one for bodies covered in tattoos, but my wife and I both have a memorial of our daughter. She only lived to be about 3 weeks old due to a heart defect. Every morning, my wife can now wake up, look down at her foot, and see the baby’s footprint. I have angel wings on my upper arm with her name as well, so when I look in the mirror, there she is. Not only is it a way to remember her, it pays tribute to her. And we definitely do not live in a trailer. We are mid-20s professionals.”
For Westendgirl77, it comes down to minding one’s own business. “Why is everyone so worried about what everyone else is doing?” she wrote. “Why do people care about what other people have on their bodies? Is it anyone’s business or concern? I think not! People need to lighten up. Times change.”
They do indeed. But that old saying about books and their covers still applies.
Melissa Coulter writes on the comments posted online at qctimes.com.