Piercings and Tattoos

[MasterCombine 316]

I have no tattoos or piercings (and never want any piercings) but I don't have a problem with them. I can, however, understand why some employers might have some misgivings about them. 

[Guest]

I have no tattoos or piercings (and never want any piercings) but I don't have a problem with them. I can, however, understand why some employers might have some misgivings about them. 

If it was a safety risk, I can understand, like piercings falling out into food. However McDonalds has no reason to turn down people with tattoos. It's not like people going into McDonalds are expecting this insane professional atmosphere that does not exist there. That's what irks me, some McDonalds don't even allow tattoos, and it's like... There is no justifiable reason for it besides just to remind employees that they own them. It's a power trip or something to them, to show their employees they can control them even outside of work. I worked at one for 2 years, and their policies are so insanely strict for no real reason. I saw a guy who got fired because they found out he had a tattoo... On his back. It is covered ALL the time by his shirt, but the moment they found out about it, he was fired because it "violates company policy" it was never even visible, and they have the right to do that too, which is complete and utter bullcrap.

[GearheadWilliams 64]

Well, I think it depends on the job here. If it's something physical, I think you shouldn't be allowed to wear any piercings. They are dangerous for stuff like that; just like rings, necklaces, and the like. I do agree with you on the part that it's bullshit to not allow them at a job where it's not exactly dangerous to wear them or it doesn't even affect it.

 As for tattoos... I think they should be okay with that too as long as they can be hidden.

Perhaps one of the problems with this is that it is probably associated with being informal.

[cuteycindyhoney 13,283]

I have two piercings. One in each earlobe. I mainly wear small stud type earrings, as I don't like ones that dangle. Right now I'm rockin' (Thinking of Maude) garnets.

[Snow Frostflame 3,567]

personally I think piercings look ugly I wouldn't pay anyone to have them stick metal in my skin

 

as for tattoos I might get one when I turn 19 or 20

[Fire Lily 86]

I had both of my ears pierced back in high school, presently I'm up to 1/2 inch gauges and am staying there. I still don't get people that get anything else pierced. It just seems highly inconvienient. As for tatoos as long as it's something that means something to you and has a story I'm all for them. It's the one's people just get to be "cool" I don't understand, that's not going to be awesome to anyone in 10 years, and odds are it won't ever totally go away even with lasers. I probably won't ever get one though since my family is VERY against them, and I REALLY don't like needles.

[Guest]

I had both of my ears pierced back in high school, presently I'm up to 1/2 inch gauges and am staying there. I still don't get people that get anything else pierced. It just seems highly inconvienient. As for tatoos as long as it's something that means something to you and has a story I'm all for them. It's the one's people just get to be "cool" I don't understand, that's not going to be awesome to anyone in 10 years, and odds are it won't ever totally go away even with lasers. I probably won't ever get one though since my family is VERY against them, and I REALLY don't like needles.

Different strokes for different folks. I actually attract a lot of positive attention from the opposite sex because of my piercings.

[Lost 1,409]

Okay, to start this out, I actually have a good amount of piercings, as I am writing this, I count 5 including snake bites. I love them, and they are definitely something I'm passionate about. I want to get an industrial through my left ear, and even a genital piercing (yes, I know). I also am on my way to get my first tattoo hopefully next week, so I am totally excited for that. I love the piercing and tattoo community, because there is like... This unity where people look out for each other that you don't seem to find anywhere else. They all stick up for each other, and it's amazing.

 

What I don't like though, is how NON-progressive the rest of the world is these days. You can't not hire someone for being gay, but you can for having a tattoo. It's insane how many jobs won't even hire you for HAVING piercings and tattoos even if you offer to cover them up/take them out. Personally you shouldn't have to take them out or cover them. So long as they are not offensive, who cares? I hear the same excuse over and over "it doesn't look good on the corporation". Our lives are more or less defined by what the corporations feel is "professional" but professional all a matter of opinion. The corporations could see them as professional then they would be.

 

How many customers walk into Walmart saying "Boy, I love these savings! But I won't shop here again because that boy has a nose ring"? Not to mention even if people like that existed, giving into them is just pushing the world to continue its shallowness. Shouldn't we be pushing more towards telling people to just accept people as they are?

 

It just gets on my nerves because when I am at work, I do what I am paid to do, but so many jobs these days police what you do OUTSIDE of work too. Why are no more laws being put into place to stop these kinds of problems? Why can your boss fire you for what you post privately on Facebook? I understand it might be seen as "offensive" to the company, but people have been fired for having pictures of themselves at a party. Also I can't get my own piercings outside of work BECAUSE of work. It's just insane that in 2014 people are still so iffy about piercings and tattoos to the point where they won't hire people with them, and will fire people for having them. This really should be covered in the discrimination laws.

 

Not to mention to this day, I STILL get people who think I worship Satan because I have black hair and snake bites. How have we gotten so progressive in terms of acceptance of homosexuality, but not piercings and tattoos which have existed almost as long?

 

 

I dont agree with your comparison of acceptance of tattoos to acceptance of homosexuality, tattoos and piercings are a choice man.

 

 

That being said, i have a sizeable tattoo on my back which shouldnt effect my chances of a job, however the sleeve i'm getting when i can afford it definitely will, which is a shame, however you could always get a job then get a tattoo after and cover it up, if your employers find out later on theres little they can do about it, its not a good enough reason to fire you for.

[Stalliongrad 982]

You have every bit a right to place whatever piercings and tattoos you want to place on your body. But you have to understand that society has norms for every situation. With Tattoos and Piercings there is a norm to what is acceptable. Hidden tattoos that can be covered with clothing or make up, and ear and nose piercings. Studs and Rings only. When you step outside of this box. You make life more difficult on yourself because you have chosen too. Companies by law are not allowed to discriminate based on sexual orientation. Tattoos and Piercings will never fall under that category. The best advice is to reach out into the tattoo community and find which employers have lax rules about it. In my opinion they are totally justified. When you work for a company, your appearance is the most important thing the customer notices. You have to find a company culture that clicks with you. Hot Topic for example has a more lax company culture regarding tattoos and piercings. Every time I go to Hot Topic someone helping me has industrials and gauges. Its not odd because that's what you expect from Hot Topic. However if you work in the grocery store or a high end retailer its just not going to work out for you. The Company loses money because of your tattoos and piercings. Customers wont view you as approachable and will go to another store.  

 

Its not just tattoos and piercings, its hair too. If you have what some companies call "extreme hairstyle" its what is not acceptable in the workplace. Dreadlocks are very popular now. But many companies have rules regarding dreadlocks. Some companies will hire you if your dreads are neat, kept up and tied. Or some wont hire you at all.

 

My advice to you is to seriously consider this is what you want for yourself in the next 3-5 Years. Don't try to join the Military with piercings and tattoos that are vulgar or not coverable, it wont happen.  You have a "box" placed over you because of your choice. Now in order to get the job, you will have to interview 10x better than the regular guy to be considered.

[Guest]

I dont agree with your comparison of acceptance of tattoos to acceptance of homosexuality, tattoos and piercings are a choice man.

 

 

That being said, i have a sizeable tattoo on my back which shouldnt effect my chances of a job, however the sleeve i'm getting when i can afford it definitely will, which is a shame, however you could always get a job then get a tattoo after and cover it up, if your employers find out later on theres little they can do about it, its not a good enough reason to fire you for.

The issue I have with that is you can't be fired for religious reasons either, even though religion is a choice. If your religion requires you to wear a yamica even though there is a no hat policy, a lot of places make that exception. I just question why religion gets a free pass, but freedom of expression doesn't.

 

I am hoping in the future laws are passed that will prevent discrimination of all kinds for employment. I mean I kind of feel that if a company places a policy into effect they should be able to explain it to every employee with a justifiable reason. Like McDonalds not hiring because of tattoos? What reasoning could they have? "It looks bad to customers?" What if I work in back where customers never see me? Also I doubt they actually did research to verify clientele loss to back that up. I think a lot of it is just CEOs are stuck in the past. I am doubting people would suddenly stop shopping because of tattoos or piercings.

[SwigglySwiggly 358]

People are judgmental.

It's your body, do as you please to it but when the consequences kick in, be prepared to blame no-one but yourself.

You can do whatever you want to you body BUT you are responsible for any backfire that may come.

This even includes other people's reactions.

 

If I tattooed a dickbutt on my forehead, I should be prepared for the consequences (people callimg me "dickhead")

[Guest]

You have every bit a right to place whatever piercings and tattoos you want to place on your body. But you have to understand that society has norms for every situation. With Tattoos and Piercings there is a norm to what is acceptable. Hidden tattoos that can be covered with clothing or make up, and ear and nose piercings. Studs and Rings only. When you step outside of this box. You make life more difficult on yourself because you have chosen too. Companies by law are not allowed to discriminate based on sexual orientation. Tattoos and Piercings will never fall under that category. The best advice is to reach out into the tattoo community and find which employers have lax rules about it. In my opinion they are totally justified. When you work for a company, your appearance is the most important thing the customer notices. You have to find a company culture that clicks with you. Hot Topic for example has a more lax company culture regarding tattoos and piercings. Every time I go to Hot Topic someone helping me has industrials and gauges. Its not odd because that's what you expect from Hot Topic. However if you work in the grocery store or a high end retailer its just not going to work out for you. The Company loses money because of your tattoos and piercings. Customers wont view you as approachable and will go to another store.  

 

Its not just tattoos and piercings, its hair too. If you have what some companies call "extreme hairstyle" its what is not acceptable in the workplace. Dreadlocks are very popular now. But many companies have rules regarding dreadlocks. Some companies will hire you if your dreads are neat, kept up and tied. Or some wont hire you at all.

 

My advice to you is to seriously consider this is what you want for yourself in the next 3-5 Years. Don't try to join the Military with piercings and tattoos that are vulgar or not coverable, it wont happen.  You have a "box" placed over you because of your choice. Now in order to get the job, you will have to interview 10x better than the regular guy to be considered.

 

The bolded is what I have a problem with and what I disagree with severely. I am not making life more difficult for myself (Unless of course I get something STUPID tattooed on me, obviously), the employers are making life more difficult on me. Their mentality of "can't embrace new trends" is forcing people out of jobs that they are perfectly qualified for. The problem with most of the employers that are relaxed with tattoos and piercings is they are very low paying dead end jobs with no future. I love Hot topic, and I'd love to work there, but the problem is, it's minimum wage with little to no change of moving up. How is it fair that because say I get a Triforce tattooed on my neck that 90% of jobs now think I am less qualified? How should it NOT be illegal to not even LOOK At my resume? I could have a masters degree, and 10 years of work experience and it should be fair to hire someone who just graduated high school because I have a nose ring?

 

There is actually little to no actual research done to prove that customers would drop if more people with tattoos and piercings were hired. Actually continuing to NOT hire them, is actually making the problem worse. We are encouraging the mentality that it's "bad" by trying to keep them out of site more and more. What about smoking? Smoking is bad, and it's damaging to your health and others health? There are tons of people against smoking, yet smoking never seems to affect if people are hired. I mean we can't support that "gang member tattoo" life style, but we can support smoking as a company? Wouldn't smoking employees drive customers away too?

 

The fact of the matter is there is almost no research to prove that any company would suffer profit loss because of tattoos and piercings. In fact, if we hired more people in more places with them, people would become more used to them and thus it would be a moot point. It's a problem that THEY are creating for themselves by barring people from jobs.

 

It is completely unfair and should be unlawful to not hire someone just because of their appearance unless you can prove it would be a hindrance for the job. Like in food service, I can understand it's a safety risk, but I'm sorry, selling electronics at Walmart you really have no justifiable reason beyond "some customers won't like it." Until I see the charts to prove that they would suffer any kind of significant long term profit loss, I am not buying it. It's not like if we allowed them more suddenly every job would be 90% people with tattoos and piercings. One or two people with tattoos and piercings is NOT going to suddenly run the company into bankruptcy or drive away enough customers to where you are going to have to lay anyone off.

 

In FACT, more people would shop there because of showing you're equal opportunities. MANY people will NOT shop at places because they do not want to support companies that have unfair hiring practices or policies. If your company showed you supported tattoos and piercings, you also would gain business from people who have them. Any clients you lost you'd get right back.

 

I have not placed a box over myself, ignorant employers who are stuck in the past have, and it's wrong and should not be allowed. I have written to my senator about this twice now, in hopes that eventually a law will be passed to end all hire discrimination. Just because it's a choice does not mean it gives people the rights to deny my credentials and tell me that I now have to only work with a select tiny amount of jobs. It's unfair practice, and this is supposed to be the land of free expression. Jewish people can wear yamicas to work even if there is a no hat policy, Muslims can wear veils to work, and thus I should be allowed to wear piercings. If some crusty old CEO who hasn't even lived in middle-lower class America in 40 years doesn't like it because "back in my day, we didn't do that" then I don't give a crap. We have let these old geezers run this country, and control the middle and lower class for so long and it's about time we told them that they need to wake up to the 21st century. This isn't 1930 anymore, people express themselves now, and you have no right to police what they do OUTSIDE of work if it has no effect on your company. Really it just comes off as a control thing, they just want to remind employees that they own you and can do whatever they want and if you don't like it, they can throw you out into the unemployment line to deal with it.

 

Honestly by removing these people from jobs and making it harder for them to find jobs, you're only encouraging them to live off of government services and cheat the system. No matter which way you slice it, the negative effect is always the same: you're losing more money than you're saving for being stuck in your old ways. Services get used more, taxes go up, taxes go up, businesses pay more, businesses pay more, CEOs lose money. It all comes full circle, they'd be better off just learning to deal with the fact that young people are not the same as they were 40 years ago. Progressive is needed if we want to keep America afloat.

 

We complain about unemployment, but we don't do anything about companies passing up on perfectly qualified candidates based upon idiotic reasoning. They will sooner hire someone with a GED than someone with a masters based upon some stupid prejudice and nothing is done. What's worse is our society is pushed the mentality of "well, that's their choice. You should have thought about that before getting a piercing." We are chastising the VICTIMS, not the cause of the problem! The EMPLOYERS are the problem, not the people applying to jobs. They have pushed this mentality of "piercings and tattoos are bad" onto society so that they can stay in their old ways and not be forced to change. Don't be a sheep, ask yourself how much someone having snakebites working at Walmart will REALLY affect the company. Ask yourself if it would affect your shopping experience at all. Ask yourself if you think that the service would somehow decline. Open your eyes and realize that the problem is not people getting body art, its other people's perception of it. If someone steals, we don't tell the store it's their fault for not having better theft technology, it's the thief's fault for stealing.

 

Sorry for the long reply, this is an issue I am very passionate about, and I think the laws for this absolutely should be changed.

[Vermillion 613]

i have a lot of piercings but i hardly wear any of them 

i shall list them off

• ears (both)
• nostril
• septum
• lip (3 places)
• nipple

as far as tattoos go i have none

[Stalliongrad 982]

unfortunately that is the way the workplace has always been and always will be. Employers have every right to set a standard for the type of individual they want to hire. When you are trying to join a company you are entering a small world where there is a set culture and code of conduct. If you decide you want to go somewhere that pays well. Then its an unfortunate reality that you are going to have to adjust yourself to fit in with the company culture or the company will find someone else who can. Employment is a very cutthroat thing. I understand how you feel but you have to realize how it makes you look when you working for an employer. They envision the perfect employee as being "Neat, Well Groomed and maintain a professional appearance" You can cover yourself in tattoos and be clean and neat. But its not professional in the workplace. Why do you think you wear a uniform when you go to work? (If not a suit and tie?) because it is professional and you are showing you are part of the company culture. You need to find that balance where companies will accept you but you cant go over the top. Its a battle that cant be won. It is not fair I agree, but its not going to change. Either you find a company culture that clicks with you and your personal appearance choices. Or you will have to adapt and tone down whatever it is that turns employers off.

 

 

And you would be surprised to know that there are employers out there who do have no smoking policies. They don't want to have to dish out extra money for your health insurance because you Choose to smoke I hate to break it to you. But even if you didn't have piercings and tattoos employers 9/10 don't even care about your Resume. They care about how you look, how you speak and how well you interview. You have to see the big picture. Companies like Wal-Mart or any big company can be as picky as they want with regards to hiring someone. They get hundreds of applications a day if not thousands.

 

The only way I can see your situation working is if you possessed a skill that is high and demand and the employer cant be as picky. Lets be honest. EVERYONE is qualified to work at Wal-Mart, McDonalds, etc. When you fill out the application have you ever paid any attention to the question that asks something like "Do you have any problem standing for at least 5 hours?" "Can you lift bend and stoop ?" "Can you lift 50 lbs?" Generally speaking EVERYONE can do those things. So they get to be picky. If you acquired a skill that not EVERYONE had then perhaps you would get the job.

 

 

Edited September 26, 2014 by EQRoyalGuardSGT

[GGG 176]

im getting myself a tattoo, mostly around my right arm

 

this design.

 

i have been told it hurts less in the area before the elbow, but its still really painfull so im kinda scared

[Redacted 71]

Spooky thread is spooky

[Celli 4,332]

I had my left ear pierced, and I regret ever doing so. I'm glad I took it out. I hate piercings, and I'll never get a tattoo.

[Midnight Solace 5,129]

I'm probably going to get a tattoo of Midnight's cutie mark on my left hoof. I also might get one of Twilight on my right shoulder.

[Dreambiscuit 8,023]

I have no tattoos or piercings of any kind (not even pierced ears) and I have no desire to change that fact. I don't think it's natural to perforate my person with sharp metallic thingies and I don't want any artwork adorning me that I can't wash off. I like to keep myself as natural as the day i was born. 

Edited January 16, 2019 by Dreambiscuit

[Cash In 21,498]

I don't have any of either and I don't plan on getting them. I don't have a problem with people who have them, as that makes them happy.

[Guest]

4 hours ago, Dreambiscuit said:

I have no tattoos or piercings of any kind (not even pierced ears) and I have no desire to change that fact. I don't think it's natural to perforate my person with sharp metallic thingies and I don't want any artwork adorning me that I can't wash off. I like to keep myself as natural as the day i was born. 

I mean you do you, but literally is anything humans do natural? Wearing clothing? Dying our hair? Shaving? Etc.

[Venomous 18,813]

I have eight tattoos right now and two piercings. I plan on covering my body in tattoos (aside from my face).

[Thuja 3,658]

I'm waiting until after I get top surgery to even think about getting a tattoo.  I would love to have a bear over my heart and I want to dedicate one arm to nature themed tats and nerdy tats on the other but mostly on my upper arms for now since I also want to get a certain surgery which requires taking some skin from either the forearm or the thigh.  I'd also love having some simple tats on my back.  I don't really want to get any piercings at this point, there're some pretty cool looking piercings out there and I would love hanging MORE jewelry off of myself, just not interested in it at this time(though I HAVE thought of it). 

Personally I feel that we're all walking works of art but our skin is a blank canvas.  Why spend your life not marking that canvas?  I don't really care that the ink starts to look a bit "off" with older tats, that's just the body doing it's thing, it's the memories surrounding it that matter.  Even if it wasn't something with great meaning to you, something that was just for the heck of it.  People are just judgemental, a lot of cultures still connect tattoos with criminals or you're "ruining yourself" with tattoos(which is a ridiculous thought).  I mean, if ear piercings are accepted for the most part, why can't a septum piercing be too?  Or something else?  I think piercings and tattoos just have all this unnecessary stigma around them but I feel we're chipping it away bit by bit.

[IronM17 5,145]

I don't have any tattoos or piercings and I also don't want some. I don't like them. It just not my style. When somebody wants some, than it is ok, but this is nothing for me. 

[Lucky Bolt 34,914]

I've never been the type to get piercings  (except the piercings I have on my ears) but I would love to get a tattoo someday. Nothing too wild, just something small and meaningful, as to what that'll be and where on my body I'll have it, I don't know yet.