Thursday, September 29, 2011

A Tale of Two Tattooed Women: Tattoos in the Workplace




I am one of those fortunate persons who work for a company with a fairly laidback dress-code policy.  As long as my garments are in good repair, I am well turned-out, and have bathed at least once in the past 48 hours good ole’ Captain Dan is happy to see me.  I and many of my fellow crew members, as well as a few on the management team, have visible tattoos.  Our store is located in a conservative community, though our company is known for being a little eccentric, so our overwhelmingly elderly clientele don’t make much fuss about our art.  Surprisingly enough, my customers seemed to take more objection to my dread locks than they ever have to my tattoos.  One diminutive, timeworn lady even asked if I had corn husks woven into my hair.

My experiences as a tattooed person in the workplace have been, insofar, positive.  I have never been denied a task or position, and I have never been asked to cover myself up.  My work has always been in retail, with face-to-face contact with the public, vendors, and representatives from various industries.  I conduct myself in a respectful manner and field questions about my tattoos demurely and with humor.  Regrettably, not all employers are as open minded as Trader Joe’s.  Many companies forbid tattoos even if their employees have no contact with the public.  Federal anti-discrimination laws do not protect tattoos (Norman, 2005), so it is up to employers to develop a policy that suits their needs, not their personal feelings, when it comes to body art.

Melena is in an employment predicament all too common among tattooed persons.  She was hired by the Accounts Payable department, of a company we shall call Berguson, in 2008.  The company’s tattoo policy states that they need to be “minimized” to the best of the wearer’s ability.  Melena sits in a cubicle for her eight hour work day, and only communicates with those outside of her department via phone, and email.  In 2009 a new administrator took over Melena’s department, and established her own dress-code policy for the department.  Though the company’s official policy has never changed, Melena must now wear a button up cardigan, dark tights, and her hair down at all times.  Because Melena and only one other woman seem to be the targets of this new policy (it is not enforced upon those with smaller visible tattoos), she is fearful daily.  She avoids her supervisor, and is terrified anytime she is called into the office that she will be written up or fired (M. Rucero, personal communication, September 22, 2011).[1]

Every employer and field has a unique attitude on tattoos in the place of work.  According to the OC Register, a person’s tattoos my affect their employability in specific fields; therefore, tattooed employees should elect for the conservative side to ensure success in the workplace.  Employers should adopt a dress code that is uniformly enforced.  Jobs in the public and financial sector may be closed to those with visible tattoos.  Certain industries such as: entertainment, the arts, and sports, are more accepting and tolerant of tattoos.  Tattoos that cannot be covered (face, neck, and hand tattoos) can severely limit one’s employment opportunities, even in more lenient businesses (Norman, 2008).

It is a reality, in our culture, that if you tattoo yourself you are limiting where you can go, and how far you can rise in the area of employment.  However, these boundaries are everyday being pushed further and further.  With one in 10 Americans having tattoos, versus one in 100 thirty years ago, employers are becoming more accommodating of tattoos (Norman, 2008).  With that being said, tattoos are a choice.  When one choses to get tattooed they are indirectly making a choice about the fields they will work in in the future. 

I made my choice early.  I knew by the age of 15 that I was not cut out for a desk job, nor for hustling sales; so my first tattoo was in place by the age of 19.  I do not intend to stay in retail forever, but have chosen a line of education that will lead me to a field where my tattoos will not be an issue.  I have also chosen to place my tattoos so that they may be covered if the need ever arises.  This allows me to move in circles that may otherwise be closed to me.  The younger Rachel would have called me a conformist, but I know that this has been a wise decision.  I doubt I would have been well received at my friend’s Muslim funeral will tattoos on my neck or face.

As Melena was tattooed at the time she was hired, and performed her job without incident until a change in policy, it can be said that she is a victim of an unjust and prejudiced manager.  Melena did chose to get tattooed as much as I did, and the burden of that decision now lay before her.  Her manager’s perception of tattooed people, unfair as it may be, has led him/her to make a decision based on opinion rather than fact.  Whether Melena stands up, or keeps her head low will be for her to decide.  Melena is also perusing an education and I have no doubt that she will find a professional environment that accepts her for her many talents, rather than persecute her for her body art.

In closing let me address two different groups of people.

Employers: You are not obligated by law to adopt an inclusive policy toward tattoos.  You are however, selling your company short by eliminating candidates for employment based on appearance.  With the increasing regularity of tattoos in our  society you are best served by working for compromise, and making an honest assessment as to whether tattoos really affect the job your people do.

Employees: Your employer does have the right to make you cover your tattoos, but only if this policy is uniformly enforced.  Also, recognize that your tattoos will limit you, so make good decisions about what you get and where.





 Norman, J. (2005, June, 18). A piercing question in the workplace: to tattoo or not to tattoo.  The Orange County Register. Retrieved September 13, 2011.  Newspaper Source Plus.








[1] Name has been changed to protect interviewee.

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Do Tattoos Affect People’s opinions of one another?


Angel or Succubus?
This woman’s tattoo represents purity and honesty,
but what does it really make you think of her?
(Angel, n.d.)
“Never judge a book by its cover”, “Things aren’t always what they seem”, “Appearances can be deceiving,” these are all phrases that most mothers have told their children at some point; mine said them to me quite regularly.  In an ideal world none of us judge each other based on appearance, and first impressions are passing and easily reversed.  The sad reality is that we do judge each other based on what we see, and create associations based on opinion.  Consequently, we create a first impression before the person we are interacting with has a chance to act.
My tattoos cause me a lot of problems with men.  Virtually every day at work, school, even at the park with my daughter I deal with lascivious looks and comments.  I do not dress in a provocative nature, maybe a little unconventional, but my crazy goth/punk rock days are far behind me.  I have become expert at deflecting and ignoring unwelcome advances.  Here’s how it plays out:
Rachel.  Stocking shelves at Trader Joe’s.  Male stranger approaches.
Stranger: Excuse me, where are the dark chocolate covered raspberry wafer cakes?
Rachel turns.  Stranger steps in closer.
Rachel: Right over here, sir.  I will walk you to them.
Rachel walks Stranger to product, and hands product to Stranger.
Stranger: Thank you.  Nice tatts.  How many do you have?
Stranger touches Rachel’s arm, stroking a tattoo.  Rachel steps back.
Rachel: Thank you, I have several.  Excuse me, I am needed at the register.
Rachel quickly walks away.
This scene or a variation thereof, occurs every day.  Firstly, let me make something clear.  People with tattoos do not say, “Nice tatts.”  As a rule we do not even use the word “tatts.”  It is considered somewhat garish, and uncouth.  “Nice tatts” is generally used by people without tattoos to start a conversation with a tattooed person.  This is fine, unless you are using it as a conversation starter to hit on a married woman. 
It is obvious that strangers are making assumptions about what I find acceptable based on my appearance.  But, what are they assuming?  Some (too many in my opinion) find it suitable to touch me, frequently without even talking to me first.  I wear a wedding ring, yet they persist even after I bring my hand to my face where they can no doubt see it.  What lies are my tattoos telling people?
Controlled studies show that tattoos affect people’s opinions of one another. Tattooed persons are perceived as engaging in more risky and promiscuous behavior than non-tattooed persons.  Tattoos create a perception of an association with certain subcultures and rebellious behavior.  Tattooed persons are viewed as less inhibited, and as voracious seekers of excitement and pleasure.  Tattoos are commonly associated with uninhibited sexual behavior and undesirable characteristics (Wohlrab, et. al., 2009).  
So, my tattoos are triggering these associations and thus influencing people’s behavior towards me.  It is assumed that I do not adhere to social norms and may be sexually promiscuous, therefore it is acceptable to touch me in an intimate fashion uninvited.  Tattoos are also associated will lower intelligence in (Wohlrab, et. al., 2009).  Thankfully I have been able to combat this assumption by being well spoken and polite.
To a certain extent the behaviors associated with tattoos are accurate, though not universal.  I, and most of my tattooed friends, do seek out new experiences and “risky” activities; we are “sensation seekers” (Wohlrab, et. al., 2009). We are, most of us, however in long term, monogamous relationships.  I have known many people who engage in risky sexual practices, and have multiple partners; though I can’t say that a disproportionate amount of them were tattooed.
Tattoos do act as indicators of certain things about people, but only if you are educated about tattooing in general.  A few things I have been able to tell about a person based on their tattoos are: if they have been in prison, their theological beliefs, if they are from the East coast or West, what subculture they identify with, and what kind of music they like.  Unless a person has a tattoo of a very specific nature their tattoos will not tell you: their sexual preferences or habits, nor if the frequently engage in risky and undesirable activities. 
It is always important to remember that tattoos tell a story of a person’s past.  Even if a person’s tattoos tell me they have been incarcerated, I make no assumptions about who they are now.  To truly know a person, you should let their action speak for them, not their outward appearance.  My mom taught me that, and I try to live by it every day.

Wohlrab,S., et. al. (2009). Differences in personality attributions toward tattooed and nontattooed virtual human characters.  Journal of Individual Differences,  Retrieved September 13, 2011.  PsychARTICLES.
Angel Tattoo Image. (n.d.) Tattoo on Tattoo. Retrieved September 18, 2011.  http://tattoontattoo.com/tattoos/angel-tattoo/