Oh and I forgot I have two hand full of rings on my fingers the only fingers that don't have a ring on them is my thumbs. They all have a special meaning to them.

JoyM I am a respectable person came from a good family one which you know. Went to St William school (with you). I have six tattoos. Would you say I should not be hired or allowed to work at a respectable job. Oh and I also have more than 1 piercing in my ears. I really think this society and Janesville in particular is very prudish!!!!!!!! I feel sorry for alot of you people!

Confession: I have my credit score tattooed on my left deltoid.

OK, OK, some small, discreetly located tattoos are OK.

You kids and your rock n roll music!

Of course standards will change from generation to generation. One of my professors said she was only allowed to wear skirts and dresses in college. When it was cold, the girls would sneak pants under their skirts and hope they didn't get caught.
Scandalous!

Similar with tats.

Wow... never would have though the prejudism ran so high. Explains a lot of behavior in society.

On edit to my previous comment:
I had hoped that comments would not go this way, but they have, so I will comment on the character of people I know, or are around that have tatoos.
You want to see ink ?? Go to a major biker rally.
I have been to Sturgis Bike Week many times, and about all you see there is ink, ink, and more ink.(OK well some skin too :-) lol)
Many of these people seem to look scary to some folks, but I have never had anything stolen off my Harley, my campsite, or anything but politeness with 99% off all attending.
My wife, who has NO tattoos is safer in Sturgis shopping, day or night, than she is in our local Malls at night. She and all others that have experienced this with us are always amazed at how respectful these folks really are.
So next time you hear about ~400,000 Bikers being in one place, my opinion is I would be around them with my wife, or grand kids any day, before I would attend a large music concert, Milwaukee fest, World series ball game, or other large get together where only the "minimal tattooed" folks go.
(If you doubt my facts, look up the crime statistics on Sturgis Bike Week)
Tattoos are not for everyone, and I respect the feelings of folks that don't like them. No problem.
But let's get in the the correct century here, the prison and criminal crap you folks are talking about is just plain incorrect.

pberge - you must not have read my entire post - I SAID: 'gazettefan - agree regarding instinctive reaction...yes, people naturally come in all shapes, sizes, and skin tones - but it is the "not found in nature" part that can be unnerving to the observer.' I am specifically discussing changes people can and do make to themselves, not their genetics. Spikesmom - I will never be impressed by baggy pants, especially the ones that sit below the underwear or more extremely, halfway down the derriere, and my son will never leave the house wearing any pants loose enough to do that. (I am NOT saying this is the way your son wears them.) I have an intense distaste for that manner of wearing them, and I have been known on more than one occasion to tell said male to pull his pants up because nobody is impressed. They all seemed stunned that anyone would say anything. (They've never told me off, maybe because I am old enough to be their mother.) If they want to express their opinions visually, they need to expect others to express their opinions verbally.

'As a matter of fact, tattoos are the common man's way of investing in art'.

- Charles Emerson Winchester III

JoyM said:

Irish_Mafia78 - I have NO idea what "modified to 0g" means - but I am not sure whether the implication of your "body art" or your screen name is more disturbing to me.

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JoyM: Modified to 0g means that two of my piercings are stretched to a larger size than what you would get with a standard ear piercing. 0g is about 8 millimeters. A hole you can fit a drinking straw or a pencil through. I wear surgical steel jewelry called tunnels.

I really don't see why you should be disturbed by my piercings and mods...or even my screen name for that matter. My mods are for me, my screen name is just a silly screen name and that's really all there is to it. I vote, I pay my taxes, I got to work and school every day, I support community businesses, I love my family and myself and I try to help others around me if I can. I bet if you actually knew me, you would probably like me. I guess that's something that will remain unknown.

gazettefan - Do not put words in my mouth and try to make me look like the bad guy who doesn't care about racism. I was in no way trying to downplay the plight of racism, nor was I comparing tattoos to skin color. I was simply asking a question specifically about profiling and pointing out the fact that it's not always possible for people to change the way they look to avoid being profiled.

In response to your previous comment, I stand by what I said earlier. You are missing the point that perceived attractiveness is not all about looks. If a beautiful woman begins a conversation with me and I sense that she has no class, lacks intelligence, or is just generally not a nice person, her level of attractiveness will be drastically reduced to me. To the contrary, I can meet someone who I don't initially find attractive and through conversation they become more and more attractive to me. This is why I say that first impressions can only carry you so far.

P.S. I'm still waiting to here where your information about tattoo history came from, and a response to my comments about reactions to tattoos being instinctive.

People can get tattoos if they want, it is legal to do so.

There is a stigma that goes with having tatoos, they are popular in prisons, popular in the drug culture, hookers adorn themselves with them, and yes the carnies sure used to have a lot of them.

I know people who wish they would not have got their tatoos, they are pretty much stuck with them. If I was looking to hire an employee, I would not hire one with any visible tatoos, nor would I hire a male with earrings or other adorments sticking out of their body. But people can get all the tatoos they want, it is their right.

pberg, you are understating the plight of victims of racism by comparing tattoos and skin piercings with skin color.

JoyM -

"Society shouldn't have to guess whether Spike is hiding his true persona or displaying it."
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Who said anything about him hiding his true persona? And what makes you think that other people around you aren't hiding their true personas? Just because you think that someone wearing baggy pants must be up to no good, doesn't mean they are trying to hide who they are. They are simply not living up to the stereotype that you have conjured up in your head.
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"Maybe he should wear different pants to go shopping so he doesn't fit the profile that security personnel are required to monitor."
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So, because some people in society are guilty of profiling, we should change the way we look to get off of their radar? What do you tell people who are victims of racial profiling? They can't just go out and change the color of their skin.
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What about looking at the issue from a different perspective. Criminals who choose to dress nicely and blend in with the crowd in order to avoid profiling. These people are truly guilty of hiding their true personas. Shouldn't they be dressed as deviants in order to alert everyone around them? Maybe we should tattoo the crimes of convicted felons onto their foreheads to alert everyone around them.
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The fact the people can behave in ways contrary to what others expect based on their outward appearance is exactly why you can't judge a book by its cover.

pberg, you certainly are wired that way. Your comments are only an attempt to present yourself in a contrary manner because you are either making an effort to transcend how you are wired -as am I, and as we all should- or you are rationalizing an odd remedy for certain ideas about your self-image. Or, a little of each.

By the way, you will make certain allowances for an attractive woman that you wouldn't make for an unattractive woman.

gazettefan - You may be the type of person who lacks the ability to judge people based on their personalty, rather than their looks, but please do not claim to speak for all men. That is not the way I am wired. I don't care how naturally attractive a woman is, if I start a conversation with her and notice a lack of class or intelligence, she is losing points very quickly in my eyes. It may be true that looks make that first impression, but first impressions can only carry you so far.

May I ask where you are getting your information on tattoos from? Specifically this... "The friction goes back to the human epoch of tribalhood. Tattoos and body piercings were warnings to outsiders that you are looking at the enemy."

I cannot find a single reference to tattoos being used for this purpose at any point in history.

I also absolutely disagree with this statement. "That visceral reaction is a force of nature, an instinct greater than any "righteous" claim to self-expression."

I learned to accept, appreciate and love tattoos later in life. I wasn't born with a love or hate of ink. I was somewhat indifferent about tattoos until I started to learn more about them and the people who choose to get them. Society dictates to a large degree what we find attractive or repulsive, it's not a force of nature. If it was instinct, then why are pierced ears considered perfectly normal and acceptable in our culture, but piercings in other areas repulsive? If it was instinct, how do you explain the steady increase in the popularity of tattoos today? I believe the reaction of people who don't like tattoos is based more on a lack of understanding and their own preconceived notions and not instinct at all.

The point of this is that if you want a tattoo, by all means get one. Get your kids name, or that chinease symbol for luck, or the naked lady, or your favortie football team logo, etc... Get your nose pierced, ears stretched, etc... along with it. If thats what you need to feel comfortable in self expresion. Onto the downside....yes it can and WILL be used to descriminate against you. Ear stretching requires surgery to fix. Tattoo removal is extremly painful, far worse than getting one...and 3-5xs as long.

The reality is that not everyone cares about your self expression. Every person (like it or not, with the blind being the exception) will have a preconcieved opinion of someone based on visual contact. This can be overturned by the conversation that may follow. Employers CAN and WILL descriminate based on how you look. You might here the "not a good fit" or they might point out something in the employee handbook regarding appearence. Any job involving customer service with face to face time, will have far stricter governing rules than someone in a cube or a factory. Employers don't care about your self expression, they care about business. If your appeareance detracts from that business, you suspect to either not getting a job or losing one. I used to work with a sales rep that had full arm tattoos. He was a great sales guy, but was told that when he was in the office, meeting with clients, attending trade shows, etc... he was required to wear long sleve shirts as his tattoos could jeapordize either a new sale or an existing one. Self expression is fine but comes with a price.

Here are the explanations. I didn't invent them; I only know what they are:

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The larger issue that eludes Khoury's grasp is that in the male mentality, naturally attractive women always trump "class." It takes a whole lot of "classlessness" (a whole lot) for a naturally attractive woman to lose appeal-points to a naturally unattractive woman with "class." This is an immutable fact of life. It is a law of the universe. It is etched in the stone of every man's ability to think about women.

As for tattoos and piercings: The reaction of people who don't like tattoos and piercings is a visceral fact of the human condition that tattooed and pierced people will have to accept -they will never win. That visceral reaction is a force of nature, an instinct greater than any "righteous" claim to self-expression. The friction goes back to the human epoch of tribalhood. Tattoos and body piercings were warnings to outsiders that you are looking at the enemy.

Joy, more than once he has come home from school overhearing some clean cut rich kid talk about their recent 100% discount they made off with the night before, probably because security was too busy following kids that look like my son. It's ridiculous "profiling" goes on when it's usually the ones you would never think are the ones doing it. Again, why should people need to be someone they're not to make a few uptights happy?

spikesmom - Society shouldn't have to guess whether Spike is hiding his true persona or displaying it. Maybe he should wear different pants to go shopping so he doesn't fit the profile that security personnel are required to monitor.

frogger - good info. Haven't eaten there in many years; maybe I will have to go just ot see how well it is enforced. Belies the comment hayburnr made - besides, I have yet to read about any law which includes tatted and pierced individuals in a protected minority class. I think the Disney World, etc. group has similar restrictions on "personal expression." Somehow they manage to have plenty of employees who are willing to comply.

I'm a 45 year old mom. I got my first tattoo 18 months after my now 17 year old son was born. It is in honor of him. I'm planning on getting a 2nd one soon, a tribute piece to my two recently departed dogs. When my son turns 18 he is going to get a tattoo in honor of my late father, something my dad drew many years ago. This same son is also an almost straight A student. Many people are surprised by that. He has long hair and baggy pants. He cannot go into a store without being followed and yet would never think to steal anything. He is always polite and I am very proud of him. Will a tattoo make him look even more untrustworthy? Probably. It's a shame we live in a society where appearances matter so much that people don't see the true person.

oldvet
Feb 9, 2012 at 5:30 a.m.
Suggest removal

To get a Tattoo, one must first qualify. You must be either an inmate in a prison, a professional football player,a stripper or live in a double wide.

I guess this would be me then. I 5000 sq foot DOUBLE wide HOME!! fAR from a trailer!!

The tradition of tattooing goes back much further than the Nazi's.

Joy- this is Cracker Barrel policy.
One ring per hand. ONE pair of earing studs only. No necklace(I think I remember correctly). Watch only no braclets or was it no watch too. Not sure there were issues with tats then. Bet it has been revised- no visible tats. Well now I say that seems a bandage could be used to cover it. HAIR restrained. Don't see that much anymore in restaurants. It is still health code I am sure but nobody seems to enforce it.
albertfish- tramp stamp is a fairly new word. These tats have been popular in that area for years. If done well and again size is important they look nice.

What makes me ill is on Desperate Housewives the wrinkly dumb brunette (not gabby) has a belly ring- ick- you are like 50.
Belt required if belt loops and DON'T cut off loops. So what did people do- cut off the loops. Yes REALLY! NO nail polish except clear.

Sigma - cigarettes might make a statement for some and are a hard habit to break for many. I have never been a smoker and never will be. My mom died of complications of a habit she steadfastly refused to give up, so if there's an article on smoking and I comment, you know which way that will go.
Irish_Mafia78 - I have NO idea what "modified to 0g" means - but I am not sure whether the implication of your "body art" or your screen name is more disturbing to me.
gazettefan - agree regarding instinctive reaction...yes, people naturally come in all shapes, sizes, and skin tones - but it is the "not found in nature" part that can be unnerving to the observer.
JimPI - love the tackle box visual!
BeenThereDoneThat - the one tattoo I would ever consider would be permanent eyeBROWS because mine are blonde and sparse. I might even lean toward thinking of that as a type of plastic surgery, sort of like the scar coverup Sigma mentions - to fix what didn't come out right in the first place or got damaged later. But I agree that the generalization of the type of people who get tattoos can go too far. For that matter, if I am made uneasy by the looks of someone waiting on me...well, then at least they are employed, aren't they? But Autoworker2 confirms the point I was trying to make when I discussed the policy I would invoke if I were an employer.

I have six tattoos all of which are covered by clothing unless it's summer and I wear a sleeveless t-shirt or swimming trunks. Some have personal meaning to me and some are just designs that I liked. It doesn't really matter to me whether anyone else likes them or not. I didn't get them for that purpose.

I'm a professional person who's never been in jail, never lived in a single or doublewide, never driven a motorcycle, played any professional sports and it's very unlikely anyone would pay to see me wrapped around a pole. I've been married to the same person for 35 years and together we've raised two children both of whom have professional careers.

I'd wanted a tattoo for a long time but the social stigma kept me from getting them until relatively recently in my 50's and it's very likely that I'll get another before too long.

If you don't have morals getting a tatoo wont fix it either. Same as if you do you wont lose them.
I have two. I love to garden. I have frogs believe it or not lol. Mom in law has small one at 60 yrs old. You would never know unless it was summer and really hot out and off of work.
Those who "complain" are just chicken.
Some are definatly ugly and out of place for the real world but again this is who they are so deal with it. People have tatoos and they have jobs. If you are a factory type guy and you have tats on your arms I see no issue getting a job. If you chose to change profession and become a lawyer you better have long sleeves. I see some very unattractive things on ladies chests but that is their body. Some of them are stiff gross wether there was a tat or not.

where is the question

oldvet: Including my permanent eyeliner, I have four tattoos (ankle, foot, shoulder and eyeliner). I have never been in prison, have never played a single down of professional football, have never used a pole in my line my line of work, and have never lived in a double-wide. I will be sure to let my tattoo artist know that he did work on me when I was not qualified to receive it.

I've often considered getting ink but fear what it will look like when I'm 80 years old. I don't have a problem with folks who have visible tats or small, tasteful piercings, for the most part. I personally don't care for the "fell face first into a tackle box" look that some people go for but to each his or her own, I guess.

We all know everyone has an opinon or their own thoughts on tattoos or piercing,but in reality all it comes down to is your own likes and wants.I do not care what anyone has to say about tattoos,like them or not! I personaly have 20 head to toe.I work as a professional in the medical field,I am a mother of two daughters.To look at me nobody even thinks that I would have that many until it is brought up.Tattoos are not evil,they are not meant for disrespect to the human race, they are art on a canvas meant for ones self and not for the approval of others or what they may think.People now days are so judgemental of everyone else,The way someone looks has become such a issue.If all someone has to do is judge or talk about others about things they PERSONALLY dont like there is a real problem.Those people have no morals,dont like themselves so talking about others makes them feel better about themselves! So tattoos,piercings,hair color, i say do what you want,do what makes you happy always!

Autoworker2 - I hate to break this to you and your wife, but if you were in a restaurant with tattooed servers there is a pretty good chance that your chef was also tattooed. Tattoos are huge in the food industry and many of the best chefs in the world right now are heavily tattooed.

Would it bother you to find out that your chef was inked, or is it just the outward appearance of your server that you take issue with? Would you not return to a restaurant if you server was extremely unattractive for reasons other than tattoos?

I would love to know why tattoos bother you so much, because the idea of crossing a good restaurant off of my list due to the servers choice of body art just seems ridiculous to me.

oldvet - I will be sure to inform my tattoo artist that I don't meet the proper requirements and he is no longer allowed to tattoo me or about 99.9% of his other customers.

I believe if people are shallow enough to judge somebody by their outward appearance, especially when it comes to tattoos, that's just sad. People are free to do what they want, who is anybody to say it's right or wrong? Small minds breed prejudice.

People are just people. Fat, slim, tattooed, dark, light and on and on. Why would any of this make a difference to anyone. It is how people treat other people that makes a difference and a person who is nice to other people is a nice person to be around.

To get a Tattoo, one must first qualify. You must be either an inmate in a prison, a professional football player,a stripper or live in a double wide.

I have several tats. Most cannot be seen until summer time when attire changes. As much as I love my ink, I also believe they should be hidden from public depending on the situation. We all wish for a right and just world but, REALLY? Would you go to your grandmothers funeral with it "all hangin' out " ? That's disrespectful in my book ! I went to a gas station not too long ago and the girl had so many piercings,, I took my change and ran ! Point is.......TIME AND PLACE !

I have one tattoo and 10 piercings, two of which are modified to 0g. The only piercings you see when I'm dressed are two in each ear and the tiny stud in my nose. The rest remain unseen, which is fine since I didn't get them for anyone but myself. I've had no trouble getting or keeping a long-term job nor am I perceived to be morally bankrupt, low class gutter-dwelling trash. Every single one of my mods mark a rite of passage in my life. What anyone thinks about them is immaterial Khoury has the right to her opinion, but she shouldn't knock something until she's tried it. She sounds scared or jealous to me.

Gazettefan, what about the thousands of troops that serve our country and get a traditional military tattoo?
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Autoworker2 - No offense but your wife sounds like a fruit cake. To judge someone you dont know based on a body art is called being prejudice. Its sad your mind can not function beyond what your eyes see.
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Prejudice - an unfavorable opinion or feeling formed beforehand or without knowledge, thought, or reason.
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I cant believe how many prejudice people there are on here... even the author of this blog. I know I can be bold and rude on here, but im far from prejudice.

We do not care for servers or clerks who have tattoos. On the occasion when we have been served by tattooed employees we are nice, but we make a point of not returning to that particular place of business again. Tattoos may be popular these days, but in our day they were only thought of as being on criminals and such. Tattoos bother both my wife and I, but each to his own.

Sig...., what about the bank robber who had tear drops tattooed on his face and got caught eating at a nearby McDonald's?

Interesting comments.
Tattoos are not for everyone. It seems people either like them or hate them...not many in between.
When I was five or six years old I was drawing on my arms with ink.
Got my first tattoo in 1961, and have several. All are from my elbows up and on my shoulders, so yes I can wear a long sleeve shirt that does not show them if I choose to, but that is rare.
Never apologized for them, but don't expect people to either like or dislike them. I like them, and that is all that counts to me.
(Oh, I am going to be (68) in a few weeks, and my birthday present from my wife is going to be another.........yep you guessed it....TATTOO !!)

hayburnr...please help me out here and tell me what law you are referring to when you write; "To not hire someone based on tattoos, hair color piercings etc. is illegal"

What abut people who get tattoos to cover up scars? I know women who have their eyebrows tattooed on, she even works in the medical field. Gazettefan... you're kind of dated.
I dont have any tattoos, but those of today that look at it as a kind of taboo, you're opinion is also very dated. Leave it to Beaver days are long gone... this is 2012 (for most of us).

The larger issue that eludes Khoury's grasp is that in the male mentality naturally attractive women always trump "class." It takes a whole lot of "classlessness" (a whole lot) for a naturally attractive woman to lose appeal-points to a naturally unattractive woman with "class." This is an immutable fact of life. It is a law of the universe. It is etched in the stone of every man's ability to think about women.

As for tattoos and piercings: The reaction of people who don't like tattoos and piercings is a visceral fact of the human condition that tattooed and pierced people will have to accept -they will never win. That visceral reaction is a force of instinctual nature greater than any "righteous" claim to self-expression. The friction goes back to the human epoch of tribalhood. Tattoos and body piercings were warnings to outsiders that you are looking at the enemy.

No tattoos here and I have nothing against most of them. If you feel the need to get your face “inked” then go for it! Don’t get offended when people stare though. If you get a tattoo that is located in a visible area you probably wanted someone to look at it or comment on it. It is the same reason people choose to wear a particular shirt out on the town; you think it looks good and want people to notice. A tattoo is a very permanent shirt. I don’t have any shirts that I want to wear two days in a row.
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If you get a tattoo on your forearm of a naked woman, flipping the bird, whilst punching a crippled puppy then more power to you (I think I now know what my first tat will be). If you show up to an interview at an animal hospital wearing a sleeveless top displaying this magnificent tattoo you might not get the job. As illegal as that practice is; it happens. They may tell you that you weren’t qualified, but I have a hunch that your naked lady punching a puppy tattoo sealed the deal.
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Completely unrelated; does anyone know a local tattoo parlor that will cut me a deal on a naked lady punching a crippled puppy? Are any animal hospitals hiring in the area?

a tattoo is a personnel choice. i dont care you if you like my hair cut and i dont care if you dont like my tattoos. i have three of them but i didnt get them untill after i turned 40. my choice.
my choice that is what makes this country great..you have the right to do things the way you want them.
but then again some people want to and will complain about everything. but that is thier choice.

JoyM - why do you think tattoos are to make a statement? If that is true the same thing can be said about ciggarettes. When I see people smoking I think they are sending a message they are trying to be tough. Theres your logic for ya...lol.

How about everyone minds their own business and stops judging based upon looks.

As a woman, with 3 tattoos, holding a professional job, I find some of these old fashioned views pathetic. I do however agree that people are judged based on looks. To not hire someone based on tattoos, hair color piercings etc. is illegal, it's called discrimination! My tattoos have nothing to do with my ability to do my job. Come on people, climb out of the dark ages, open your eyes to versatility and stop being so closed minded and judgemental...it might do you some good.

The real question is why is it anyone else's business? If you don't like them, don't get one. Plenty of people get tattoos and regret them. Plenty of people don't. For every one person you see with a visible tattoo, I would bet there are many more with them someplace you can't see. If you don't like a person's shoes, hair style, or fake tan, it's still not really any of your business. Employment situations are different. Most employers to have limits on these kinds of things, and the majority of the people getting visible tattoos are well aware of the difficulties that may arise in the employment arena. All of the people I know with visible tattoos are in fact gainfully employed (and not sitting around mooching off the system as I've seen stated many times in the Gazette comments section), and in a field that it doesn't matter. There are just as many jobs out there there a visible tattoo doesn't matter as there are jobs that it does. The real problem with Lisa Khoury's article is that she made a lot of derogatory statements about something she doesn't know anything about. She is in no position to say "nothing comes out of getting a tattoo." She doesn't have one, she cannot begin to understand some of the reasons people decide to get them because she's made up her mind it is something she would NEVER do. I have a friend with memorial tattoos for close family members. They're not visible unless she shows them to you. It's not something she did for the world to see. It's something she did to bring comfort to the intense grief of losing such important people in her life. Years later, they still bring her comfort. I don't feel like I (or anyone else) is in any position to tell her it was wrong to get them. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but Lisa Khoury should have been less ignorant about the topic if she was going to choose to print such an opinion.

This article is a bit misleading, but that is no fault of your own. I keep hearing that the paper ran the pro-tattoo article alongside Khoury's, but it wasn't made clear to readers that this was a counter point column until days after it was published. Not once was in mentioned in the original column and the link to the counterpoint column wasn't added until 5 days later.

The readers outrage was not over her opinion of tattoos, but the way she expressed those opinions as facts. Many found it to be degrading to women in general, not just those with tattoos.

Khoury was entitled to her opinion, and every person who chose to comment on the column was also entitled to theirs. It was only the sheer number of comments that turned this into a big issue. Some of the comments did cross the line from constructive to personal attacks, but to claim that a majority were hateful is a lie. In all of the response articles published by the paper (I believe there were 3), not one has acknowledged the fact that many people did leave eloquently written, constructive comments with the intention of starting a dialog with the author. They are choosing to focus on the negative and make the readers out to be the villains while portraying the author as an innocent victim.

To answer your other questions...
My tattoos cover half my back, my chest, shoulder and one arm down to the elbow. Not discrete by any means, but still completely covered while wearing typical clothing. None of my ink would ever be visible during a job interview unless I decided that I was going to become a lifeguard or some other profession that would require me to take my shirt off. I work in a professional environment and my tattoos remain covered most of the time, but I am also free to wear short sleeves and show it off when I want to.

Tattoos that extend onto the hands, neck, or face are still considered extreme by most and many artists won't touch those areas on anyone who isn't already heavily tattooed and knows what they are getting themselves into. You will be judged, and you may lose out on possible employment opportunities. Tattoos are becoming more widely accepted, but the stigma is far from gone.

The issue of aging is frequently brought up when talking about tattoos and I always give the same response. When I'm old and wrinkled, I sincerely hope that my biggest concern in life is how my tattoos look. The way I see it, old wrinkled skin is old wrinkled skin regardless of whether it has in on it or not.

Yeah, baby!

I don't mind a tattoo on a woman if it is small and tasteful. Nothing is more of a turnoff than seeing the large tattoo on the lower back/waistline. AKA- "the tramp stamp."

Sigma, most overweight people are not trying to make a statement (although there is indeed that one woman who is trying to be the fattest person on earth - she has way more trouble than the fat on her body). People with obvious tattoos or piercings or extreme hair are trying to make a statement. In their opinion, they look great. Others are entitled to their opinions otherwise.

If I were an employer, I would make it part of the dress code - no visible piercings except one pair of modest earrings for females, none for males, no rings except engagement/wedding rings/sets, no visible tattoos, no not-found-naturally-on-earth hair colors. I find that those things unnerve and distract me when I am being waited upon, so I wouldn't want my customers to feel the same way. Yes, it might be judging a book by its cover to feel that way. But people who go overboard with these displays are trying to make a personal statement of some sort, and I don't believe it is my fault if I misinterpret someone's goth look as someone who might be a mugger, etc. Every generation has its version of "I wouldn't want to meet them in a dark alley," and for me this look is included. I don't even care for the look of rings on all ten digits. Also, for young people yearning for a tattoo - have you ever seen one that's been on someone for 40 years on their now-aging skin? Just not a great look.

Anyone who voices their opinion and then references god i completely dismiss any logic in what they've said.
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Tattoos make no difference. Why judge someone with a tattoo when you have obese people out there? A tattoo says "I like body art" Obese says they cant manage their body, are lazy, or are really dumb. Like the 600lbs mom show. The lady was fighting for her life and still smuggling in greasy food and pop... DUMB. There are overweight people, big people, and fat people. I realize some are naturally big and some have health problems...So im not judging... But 600lbs..? Oh and she had a tattoo on her arm.
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But related to this.. I know some very proper and classy people that have tattoos. Even a doctor.

I don't care for them on myself, or on others.
I'm just funny that way....

Here's an interesting article:
Flint Church Opens Tattoo Parlor
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/05...

I love good tattoos. of course that is in the eye of the beholder. my wife has two. zodiac thing on her lower back. It is well proportioned so I think it will look good forever. She also has her children's footprints going up her side. I find them very attractive.
I think size and placement are the two most important parts of good ink. Of course the artist must have talent to begin with.

They will look great if you want to work on the midway at the fair.