Many individuals use tattoos for identity expression and formation, and yet a lot of these individuals keep the existence of their tattoos secret from the general public. This is the “mixed message” that the author is talking about. Why do we keep these things hidden from the general public? I think it’s because people still attribute negative consequences with getting tattoos and having the general public see them. For example, if a person has a visible tattoo on their arm, a company may not hire them because they feel this tattoo may interfere with their business. Also people feel a need to justify their tattoos. For example, in the reading it says, “tattooees often feel pressured to give accounts of their tattoos to others in order to justify what is an otherwise ‘socially undesirable’ act”. So while half of all adolescents have seriously considered getting a tattoo, most likely a lot of them will be getting them in places where people won’t see them.
I completely agree with your blog post! It's crazy to me that so many people want tattoos but then hide them or are constantly thinking of ways to hide them so others wont judge them. I don't have a tattoo but am not against getting one. If I do get one though I will probably be one of those who hides it under clothing. Not because i'm ashamed of it, but because I feel that it is something personal and would hate for it to stop me from getting a job one day.
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