Teenagers, Piercing and Tattoos

[Mr. Fabulous]

Let me give the punters a bit of perspective. I used to work at a very high level in a prominent listed ASX company. One of the men that worked in a much higher level position than I did had a full back tattoo. He obviously didn't show it off during work hours, but it was quite visible underneath his shirt. He worked hard and did the job that was required of him.

Recently I put a good friend and respected member of this very community in touch with one of my clients. I have had a great deal of respect for this person as an individual and as a contributing member of the forum for a very long time. I would not have considered doing so had I not respected this person as much as I do. In my view, putting people in my network together reflects on me, so I am very careful about making said introductions. This person has tattoos.

The fact that they have tattoos does not in the slightest take away from how professional they act and how truly wonderful they are as a person. Moving forward, I would not hesitate in the slightest to make introductions to any of my other clients with this person as they are, in my opinion, considerably above most people on here as far as character is concerned.

 

[Kinnon Bell]

No, you are not a trashy ho bag. Do Angelina Jolie and Sarah Murdoch look like trashy ho bags? I don't think so. As long as you're happy in your skin, nothing else matters. Some tattoos, if you take the time to look, are real works of art. Japanese tattoos can be amazing.

Thanks PG I don't think of myself as a trash ho bag either and I'm happy enough in my own skin.

Nothing wrong with Jbhifi. I was more alluding to the fact that it is one of the only places along with the other professions mentioned where you would see a woman with excessive visible ink.

Let me give the punters a bit of perspective. I used to work at a very high level in a prominent listed ASX company. One of the men that worked in a much higher level position than I did had a full back tattoo. He obviously didn't show it off during work hours, but it was quite visible underneath his shirt. He worked hard and did the job that was required of him.

I did my days in retail but then I started working for a big 4 bank where I started out as a pleb. I soon set my sights on a particular role in head office which I achieved in a relatively short period of time. During my time in that role I often worked with, held meetings or made presentations to equals, people 'below' me and seniors such as heads of departments, general managers and on one occasion an executive general manager and I am fairly certain that my image had no bearing on my progression or how others considered my work as I was lucky enough to work in a reasonably transparent environment and my work was judged on its' merit and not what I looked like.

But then again, I am not naive enough to think that being in business for myself now that image doesn't matter, and that potential clients will judge me and may not use me because I have visible tattoos (like Skater, for example) but I am fairly certain that would be the minority.

I would rather be judged on my skillset and what I can offer my clients as a broker but hey, we can't always get what we want.

 

[geoffw]

There is something of a generational view of tattoos. I'm older, and when I grew up, tattoos were very much looked down on. Very few people had them, and those that did were probably on the wharfs or in a bikie gang. A broad generalisation, but that's the way they were viewed. They have become something much more fashionable these days, but it's hard for somebody with decades of prejudices to accept the way they're viewed today. I still don't like them, but both my daughters have them. That's their choice and I respect their choice.

 

[Mr. Fabulous]

There is something of a generational view of tattoos. I'm older, and when I grew up, tattoos were very much looked down on.

That sums it up quite nicely. I grew up in cultures where tattoos were the norm. Skateboarding, punk and metal. As you pointed out Geoff, there were certain other cultures where it was normal as well.

Society continually pushes the boundaries of what is 'normal' and as older generations make way for newer ones, what is seen as 'out there' to one generation is seen as acceptable to the next.

It will be interesting to see what is seen as 'out there' to my generation in 20 years that 'the kids' are perfectly okay with.

 

[skater]

But then again, I am not naive enough to think that being in business for myself now that image doesn't matter, and that potential clients will judge me and may not use me because I have visible tattoos (like Skater, for example) but I am fairly certain that would be the minority.

I would rather be judged on my skillset and what I can offer my clients as a broker but hey, we can't always get what we want.

I think you misunderstand.

I would use a professional, that had a tat or two, so long as I was confident in their abilities, and the tat(s) weren't offensive. However if I were looking to personally employ someone in my own business (or perhaps a corporate roll of some sort) I would not employ someone with visible tattoos.

Now, visible is the critical word here. I don't care what someone has under their clothes. Lil was telling me about someone that she used to work with. This person was in a reception roll at a Real Estate, and had to maintain a Corporate look. Everyday, she wore long sleeves & black opaque stockings to work in order to cover her tattoos. She obviously dressed in this manner because it was inappropriate to have them visible during work hours.

I know a lot of people with tats. I have friends with tats. That's their choice, and although I personally hate them (the tats, not the friends), they are still my friends.

 

[Ed Barton]

I think you misunderstand.

I would use a professional, that had a tat or two, so long as I was confident in their abilities, and the tat(s) weren't offensive. However if I were looking to personally employ someone in my own business (or perhaps a corporate roll of some sort) I would not employ someone with visible tattoos.

Now, visible is the critical word here. I don't care what someone has under their clothes. Lil was telling me about someone that she used to work with. This person was in a reception roll at a Real Estate, and had to maintain a Corporate look. Everyday, she wore long sleeves & black opaque stockings to work in order to cover her tattoos. She obviously dressed in this manner because it was inappropriate to have them visible during work hours.

I know a lot of people with tats. I have friends with tats. That's their choice, and although I personally hate them (the tats, not the friends), they are still my friends.

Let them eat cake!

 

[Macca]

It will be interesting to see what is seen as 'out there' to my generation in 20 years that 'the kids' are perfectly okay with.

My guess is puritan tee totallers who consider themselves much better than the inked drug heads who have gone before.

They will also be envious of the lucky generation that inherited the wealth of the baby boomers and are now squandering it on gene modifying procedures which enable them to live to at least 100

 

[jim1964]

I used to work at a very high level in a prominent listed ASX company. One of the men that worked in a much higher level position than I did had a full back tattoo.

Interesting point!!!! I have a brother who is CEO of a ASX listed company,tattooed but not heavily,although noticeable.He has 2500 employees !!

 

[kathryn d]

I have nothing against tattoos when they represent something.
My father was navy...so he had ships.
Same with other military, firefighters, etc
that are wearing them in this fashion.

But when you get the snakes, skulls, naked women, colored flowers, swastika,tatts all over their knuckles, and down their hands, all around their neck etc for men, I find that disturbing.


I had a co-worker who put Thumper (the rabbit...6 " tall) on her calf because her 12 yr old likes it !!!
Or they put chinese symbols on...they aren't chinese...who knows what it says.
They have butterflies, and hearts, lightening bolts, their partner's name
...I just find that trashy.


Last year, when we were accepting applications to be our live in apt super, one man wrote that he may be a bit confronting, because he was covered in tatts, but that he is a nice guy.
He may have been great for the job, but we don''t want that type of image for our building.He wasn't even considered.

People know this when they get their tatts, and they do it anyways.
It seems to be an addiction, they can''t just stop at one.

At least the clowns who color their hair, rooster red, purple, blue, green...it does go away.

 

[property_girl]

Thanks PG I don't think of myself as a trash ho bag either and I'm happy enough in my own skin.

I would rather be judged on my skillset and what I can offer my clients as a broker but hey, we can't always get what we want.

Kesse, it was when I started meeting young girls with tattoos that I discovered how cool these girls were--they were smart and ambitious but also good people; the difference was that they weren't conservative. My experience is that the tattoos have an important meaning for some people, and that their skin is their canvas.

 

[Risky Business]

I find tattoos pretty boring ever since they started giving them out with each new driver licence.

It's only the neck tattoos that make me question the decision making of the recipient. There are consequences for our decisions.

My mate had a tattoo gun. We still laugh at his VB tattoo and when it hurt too much to put the last letter of the word on his ankle.