Why are tattoos still taboo in 2006??

Question

For example I must wear long sleeves year round at work because tattoos are frowned upon in corporate America. I dont have tribals or skulls and naked chicks but religious work and colorful new skool designs. Why is it still frowned upon?? ALSO, its 2006 and I have to take my earrings out at work. What gives? Enlighten me please.

Answer 1

You must work for a weird company. I work in corporate America with ear ringed tattooed freaks. Lots of em. They don't have any specific dress codes. But now that I think of it, they all work in places like the mail room, shipping dock, maintenance... hmmm.... maybe your company wants you to dress for the job you're doing while you represent them in the public eye. That's just bizarre.

Answer 2

You chose when you got those tattoos to accept the fact that not everyone likes them or wants to see them in a professional setting. I understand that we are all supposed to be laid back and hip, but truth is, there will always be a taboo against tattoos in the professional world, unless your a professional tattoo artist.

I have tattoos on both feet and a pretty big design on my back, none of them offensive in the slightest, but those are all easily covered (or exposed if I want). Its just something you have to deal with (wearing long sleeves, like you said). Theres no real answer as to why its this way, its just what society, especially professional society, agrees upon. Maybe its something you should have thought out a bit more in your youth (or whenever you got them), but you cannot really change that now. Just suck it up, and enjoy long sleeves in summer. :-) Or find a new profession.

Answer 3

Any permanent markings we carry on our bodies are personal political statements.

It's no different than wearing a t-shirt around the office that says
"F&*% old white guys who don't have tatoos."

I'm 52. The way I lived back in the early 70's is very different from the way I live now.

That's the thing about life-you grow up and you change. But tatoos, you're stuck with every tequila driven decision and every wild hair cartoon you decided would look "cool" even when you're old and wrinkly and you wish like hell you'd never gotten them.

And when you say earrings, are you talking about those nasty spacers that leave your earlobes looking like your head was melted in a fire and now all you have are these fleshy gross strings of skin hanging from the sides of your head or do mean mean an actual earring? There's a big difference.

Answer 4

Tattoos are not PC in the white collar world yet.I've got about 20 tattoos,but I was a blue collar worker for 32 years. I've had tattoos since the 70s.I had to remove my earring at work because I worked for a meat processing company. I got around that by getting a small tattoo on my earlobe.

Answer 5

Because it is still a bad stereotpe. Most people still associate tattoos with drugs, crime, etc. Corporate America still likes to pretend being serious and conservative because man of their customers are middle aged people who have these stereotpes.

You may need to wait another 15 years or so to wear tattoos and earrings openly in the offce.

Answer 6

they arnt so much anymore as a matter of fact it use to be labeled for bikers and gangs but these days you see people getting them to remember a loved one all classes and societys wear them now from judges to cops to grandmas to the firemen you would be surprised on who has on
I do think there are certain looks of tattoos that still c
arry a bad name like the prison stylr no color or gang tattooss and i also know a few artist who wont tattoo the neck
If theres something you want and has meaning to you get it

Answer 7

I think that it's the "professional code of ethics." I had to take my nose ring out at my avante garde 'art-to-wear' gallery job...and my tattoos are hidden under my clothes...I'd say, find a cool job that pays better and the people are less hung-up about tattoos.

Answer 8

it does not represent a "professiona;l" imgage.. Listen I do the same thing doing what I do. No big deal. After work the custume is off and I show my tats on my fore arms .... Unless you work for your self or a small company it is their world.

Answer 9

Because bikers and gang members give them a bad name.

Answer 10

In the U.S., people still associate them with gangs, bikers, and white trash.