With tattoos and body modifications becoming a phenomenal trend in 2019, people are getting tattoos and piercings at a younger age. Piercing kits and tattoos guns are becoming cheaper and more attainable by younger people, so at school, students may see septum piercings or people with a giant tattoo on their arm. Is it a big deal?

Many would say it is a big deal. Those people may be concerned parents, or employers trying to have a clean name. But with body modifications becoming normalized and receiving more publicity, it is very hard to stay away from the culture that is body modifications. Personally, my mom was not very happy when she learned I had a tattoo. I did it behind her back, which I do not recommend, and she said to me, “You are so young, you will regret it when you are older.”

Body modifications can be revoked. A lot of people don’t seem to think about this. Piercings will close, tattoos will fade or can be laser removed, and other body modifications can always be stitched back up.

There is also hesitation of employers to hire a body modded employee because they perceive the image to not be ‘innocent’ or ‘pure.’ From what I know, tattoos have been around for longer than most corporations, with it being common with indigenous tribes to certain areas. Tattoos are a way of showing your experiences, wisdom, and truth. To me, that is not impure.

Of course, I understand an employer not hiring somebody if their tattoo is extremely inappropriate or promotes gangs, but other than that, tattoos are made for the sole purpose of telling a story. Every tattoo is worth a thousand words.

I’ve learned to not judge the appearance of people. Whether they have no hair or they have a scar on their cheek or they have a sleeve of tattoos, and I think you should to.