DEMONIZING INK: WHY THE TATTOO TABOO IS A RESTRICTION OF FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION
December, 2019
Getting inked is a form of permanent personal expression like no other and with it comes its fair share of controversy. But as the number of American adults with tattoos inches closer and closer to 50 percent, the stigma surrounding tattoos seems increasingly outdated.
Though tattoos and tattooed individuals should be protected by the freedom of speech granted by the First Amendment, in practice the government does little to prevent discrimination against them. In fact, government policies and actions are often perpetrators of intolerance towards tattoos.
On Tuesday, Dec. 3, the Bettendorf City Council passed an ordinance banning certain types of businesses, tattoo parlors included, from being established in the downtown region. Jeff Reiter, the Bettendorf Economic Development director, said the decision was made to help support business growth in the area by restricting businesses that could be viewed unfavorably.
Reiter told Our Quad Cities the ordinance would, “promote more walkability, livability, and places where people could shop and feel good about the downtown environment.”
Organizational discrimination against tattoos is not just limited to government, businesses and the workplace. The negative image surrounding tattoos is extensive enough that a simple web search of tattoos on the Pleasant Valley High School internet results in blocked sites.
Yet while the stigma surrounding tattoos is discriminatory and often damaging to those with them, there are cases in which the negative connotations surrounding tattoos may be warranted.
Science teacher Audrey Holland said, “For a lot of people it can be the topic of the tattoo in question that they have a problem with rather than the general existence of a tattoo.” Tattoos with offensive meanings, ones that incite violence or hate, or even humorous tattoos done in bad taste can make people uncomfortable and justifiably so.
But by focusing on the potential negatives related to tattoos the many possibilities offered by tattoos as a platform for personal and artistic expression are ignored.
Senior Peggy Klingler said society still seems to associate tattoos with the unattractive notions of crime and rebellion, rather than accepting them as a unique form of personal expression.
“Tattoos give people the opportunity to express themselves and show people what matters to them and who they are,” she said. “They also can act as reminders of people or things of significance. I got my tattoo with my mom so when she’s gone I’ll have it to remember her by.”
Reflection
There are several opinion pieces that I wrote throughout my time on the Spartan Shield, but I found this last opinion piece to be the best example of my writing. I have always wanted a tattoo and thought it was important to share why exactly tattoos and tattooed individuals should not continue to face so much criticism. I was lucky enough to come across a fellow student with a tattoo during the research process which helped me to get my ideas across without having to rely on my own bias as much as in previous opinion articles. What allowed this opinion article to stand out from my others is that while it is a topic I have strong feelings about I was able to incorporate other opinions and research in a way that made my opinion less aggressive. I chose to include this article in my portfolio as I feel it shows my ability to get my points across through the voices of those I interview. I also believe my take on the government’s responsibilities surrounding tattoos allowed me to explore a more inquisitive type of journalism.