A note from a “heavily tattooed” individual.
Yesterday was the first day it’s been sunny enough to wear just a t-shirt out of the house and hot enough for it to be necessary. I have full sleeves on both arms, meaning not one square inch from wrist to shoulder is still bare skin. I have tattoos on my fingers, my neck, my legs, everywhere. I love my tattoos, I think they’re beautiful, I’m proud of them and my decision to get them.
I stepped onto the bus in my t-shirt and noticed all eyes on me and some whispers… I don’t like to be stared at by strangers any more than anyone else does, I was raised to think it’s rude to stare for whatever reason. I brush it off, I take my seat… and notice… a woman is taking pictures of my on her cell phone.
It’s at that point that I lost my shit.
Just because I have tattoos (and a lot of them) does not mean I do not deserve common decency, privacy and respect. It is not an open invitation for you to sneak pictures of me, pull on my clothing to see more of my arms, or post pictures of me on your blog like I don’t give a shit if you plaster my face all over the internet without my consent - And I definitely, definitely, am not asking for your fucking commentary on my appearance.
“Oh my, you’d be such a pretty girl if you didn’t have all those tattoos!” Well you’d be a decent human being if you we’re such a closed minded, shriveled up, rude bitch passing out back-handed compliments like tic-tacs.
“I think those big holes in your ears are disgusting! I just couldn’t do it!” Since when is it socially appropriate to tell a stranger they look disgusting? I think your lack of any manners whatsoever is disgusting. Now face forward and stop looking at me if it bothers you so much.
I have tattoos for me, not for you. Not to impress you, not to offend you, not for your fucking entertainment. It’s rude to stare at someone who’s missing a limb, it’s rude to point out to an obese stranger how overweight they are, it’s rude to joke about someone’s religious attire that they wear in public, it’s fucking RUDE, to point and snicker at that girl on the bus with all the tattoos and sneak her FUCKING picture to go on your piece of shit BLOG.
Being heavily tattooed doesn’t make someone any less of a human being, and it doesn’t mean you can treat them as any less than a human being. You fucking idiot.
