Have young women getting frequently tattooed ruined the art and culture of tattooing?

Question

I’m all for women’s equal “right” to get tattooed. This question has nothing to do with whether or not one thinks it is “proper” or “classy/trashy” to be tattooed. In fact, I find tattooing on women to be attractive, though that’s only one aspect of tattooing. And I highly respect women like “Somebody” on here, who are very smart about and dedicated to tattooing.

My question is serious – not sexist.

Tattooing in Western society has had a “culture” of it’s own, and we all know that culture is about MEANING. What does it mean to be tattooed? Why do people get tattooed? My OPINION on the right reasons to get tattooed includes:
--the images being tattooed inspire you
--the images fuel your imagination
--a more recent thing (in the West): love of art and taking that art beyond banal “canvases” of museums (along with this there is something “deep” about the permanence of it and the fact that it is on skin, w/ blood, etc)

--to mark affiliation with a group. Affiliation with a group makes people feel like they are a part of something larger than themselves.
--a memorial

Along with these comes a sense of permanence. Permanence reinforces commitment. Finally, I think tattooing has also been resorted to by marginalized/disenfranchised people as a type of property. If nothing else in this world, at least they have their tattoos, which will go with them to their death.

Think for example of sailors who were among the first to popularize getting tattooed. During long shipping voyages in crap conditions, they could use all the inspiration they got. And these people really had no property—even the clothes on their backs were often in pawn! If they went “overboard,” the one thing they would have is their tattoos—also what they look at and dream about during long days away from home.

Now why are trendy people getting tattooed nowadays?
--“dangerous” factor. People thinks it makes them “wild” or “dangerous” in some way. But guess what? It used to be much harder to get tattooed. You had to travel or interact with certain “dangerous” people to do so. These people were not “polite,” not there to be nice to you or stand for any of your bullcrap. It sickens me how encouraging people are on this site towards people asking “Should I get this tattoo?” No! Tattooing is not meant to be as easy to get (even if cheaper than) Starbucks.

In the current atmosphere of “Have a nice day,” “convenience” tattooing, any associations of “danger” are actually removed.

--to “symbolize” something. This is such a load of b.s. Yes, tattoos do “symbolize”...they indeed “mean” something. But there are many different ways of representing or symbolizing. The type of signing that trendy people usually do is not the type of signing common to tattoo culture. It would take a long and complicated discussion to explain this... you either get it or you don’t.

--to memorialize. This was the one past (traditional tattoo culture) motivation for tattooing that the trendy people have harped in on and blown all out of proportion. I don’t know if it’s because they see stuff like Miami Ink where everyone (as instructed to them by the show’s producers) walks in with some story about how blah blah happened and they need this tattoo of blah blah to represent that.
Trendy people seem to feel the need just to make ANY mark on their bodies to mark that something happened. “This shooting star is because my grandma died.” Huh?

--anxiousness to be “experienced.” As teens, most of us felt anxious about losing our virginity. Once you had sex, you joined the ranks of the non-virgin population—the EXPERIENCED population! A similar process seems to be at work with tattooing—people are anxious to get MARKED in any way to join this “club”.

But here is the thing: joining the “club” isn’t meant to be easy. There is inconvenience....pain....stigma....permanence. Inconvenience, Pain, Stigma, Permanence—these are the things that the trendy tattoo people are bent on getting around. Everything (questions on Yahoo Answers, for instance) are driven towards avoiding these obstacles--- BUT THEY ARE THE VERY OBSTACLES that give MEANING to being tattooed, to being in the “club”!!

In the absense of this meaning (tattoos have become meaningless fashion), the trendy people try to add “meaning”—“symbolism”. In real tattoo culture, someone is inspired by something so much that they want it permanently put on their body. In trendy tattooing, people decide first that they “need” to get tattooed (to become part of the cool, experiened club, to attract people sexually, to work out their psychological issues of things like isolation and poor self image)...and THEN they try to “think up” a tattoo (usually some banal shape or image inspired by commercial logo-ing/branding) and add to it some stated “meaning.” Do I need to go any further in explaining how utterly bankrupt this trendy tattoo culture is?

Trendy men and women are equally guilty of lowering the standards of tattoo culture and turning it into cheap branding. But women especially seem significant in this process. Because of the nature of popular “women’s culture” ALONG WITH women’s historical relationship to the art of tattooing, they especially have sought to remove the
INCONVENIENCE (“Can I pay with my credit card?” “What brand of lotion should I buy?” “How many times a day should I rub it in?” “Let me just get a little star here on the spot today” “Let me go online and ask...”)
PAIN (“Where does it hurt least?” “What creams can I use to reduce to numb it?”...)
STIGMA (“Stop calling it a tramp stamp” “I got my tattoos for me, they are mine” “Why get it in a place where you can’t show it off?”)
PERMANENCE (“How much does tattoo removal cost and does it really work?”).

Notice that the vast majority of people asking tattoo questions on this site are women.

What do you think this means? Thanks

I wish I could change the title of this question a bit; It is hard to articulate succintly.

I don't really like the sound of "women ruining" -- it makes it sound like women (of course I only mean certain ones) as the agents....
I think a better way to say it is that tattooing has changed towards ACCOMODATING this class of trendy people--both sexes, but especially to accomodate some of the desires of women, who are a relatively "new" clientele for tattooing.

Answer 1

I read all of what you have written, and I agree with most of your major points. I do think tattoos have sort of become a trend, and I know exactly what you mean by "can I pay with a credit card". tattoos are a whole lot easier to get now than they were when sailors were getting them. I do think it's rediculous that people get tattoos in an effort to show that it symbolizes something when really they just got it to be cool. As far as women sort of changing the idea and culture of tattooing... I think this is one of your least valid points. Yes, maybe some things have changed since 1925! But isn't that what ALL cultures do? maybe it sucks every little meaning behind tattoo culture, maybe it's just changing and you don't want to be put into that group of trendy men and women you keep talking about. So in order not to be in it (because obviously your reasons for getting inked are so much better) you criticize it. All I have to say, is that my entire family has gotten inked (except me). Grandparents included. Now THEY got tattoos when they were hard to get! I think tattoos are body art, I think the history is awesome, I think some tattoos are EFFING REDICULOUS (a playboy bunny? what the...?). But overall, tattooing is available, it is growing in popularity, more people want them, more women want them, women generally take better care of themselves (why are you freaking out about the fact that someone asked what kind of lotion to use?). Yes, I think you have valid points. Not every one should get a tattoo.But your whole deal about women and trendy tattoos sort of taking away from the culture... I think your just whining because you don't want the original hardcore tattoo peeps to be thinking that you got your tattoos to be cool and fit in with the growing popularity of it all. hell, if you want to be original, don't get a tattoo.

Answer 2

I agree with you half way. I think society as a whole has tainted the art of the tattoo. Not women. You are spot on in your assesment that tattoos are just the trendy thing to do now. It sickens me when I'm in a shop getting worked on and I see a group of 18 year old *** wads excited to get matching dolphin art. Come on...be original.

I started getting tattoos because I love the art and I love the trade. I have no artistic ability myself so what better way to pay homage to an artists skills than to let them put their mark on your body.

Some out there are fake. They say it's because they love the art, love the artist. Whatever. Try doing this....research an artist to find a style you appreciate. Make an appointment, then walk in and tell the artist to go to work. Don't give any direction. Let the artist express themselves through artwork on your body. I promise you will get the best piece that artist has done. They are putting a part of their being into it. then you will know the true art/joy of a tattoo.

Answer 3

You could say the same about men-- but a lot of men seem to be afraid to ask questions, and there are less men on this site. Most just suck it up and prepare to take a dive-- some don't think about what they're doing enough to ask questions beforehand. So maybe that's why you only notice women's answers and questions, because women are more likely to accept the fact that sometimes they need help.

On the historical relationship of tattooing and women, what are you referring to? In the past ten years archaelogists have been discovering the tombs of priestesses that are completely covered in the tattoos of their gods. Women have had tattoos for thousands of years, the practice wasn't limited just to men until the past few hundred years.

Well I'm a woman but not trying to be trendy. Hell, I'd get a tattoo even if it was dangerous, difficult, and took a lot of patience and effort. I designed my own tattoo, and yes it does have symbolism-- something I want, something I am, and something that I truly believe in.

I've been staring at it a year, and decided that it's going on the underside of my forearm-- that's okay if it hurts, and I want it to be permanant. Even if I stop believing in what it represents, it will be a reminder of what I once believed and what I once was. I don't care what it ends up as or how I change, it will be a reminder.

Perhaps you're looking into this a bit far? Tattoos are tattoos, and people are going to keep getting them and similarly keep speaking out against them.

http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewImage&friendID=17145565&albumID=707604&imageID=15198459

Answer 4

You come off as a total blowhard. I didn't read your whole question because you were going around in circles and not making much sense.

Why do you care so much why women get tattooed? If you care so much about the exclusivity of tattoo culture, go camp out with the Aborigines.

Nobody really cares what you think, and especially not people on Yahoo Answers. You're an elitist snob, obviously too young to understand that a lot of women who get tattooed are doing it for reasons that have nothing to do with men like you. Not every woman cares what navel-gazers like you consider them.

I don't really feel as if I owe you any more of my time. You're over-educated, under-smart scum, and should go find something to do other than put women down because they can do things you don't approve of.

Answer 5

Gender is irrelevant. Young people that go out and get tattooed without thinking about it are what's giving tats a bad name.
Nobody stops to think, "Hey, maybe I won't want the cover art from Fall Out Boy's album on my chest forever"
Nobody ever wants to wait for anything theses days, its not just tattoos. People rush into marriage and into having kids to among other things. I don't understand why nobody can wait.
I always wait at least a year to get any tattoo, that means I think long and hard about it and it's significance to me.


Bloody Kids.

Answer 6

Didn't read your whole thing.
I personally don't care for tattoos or piercings either one, and I think that maybe it's because people are just doing it to fit in and be "hip". I find that shallow. Same thing with bikers.....people are dressing the part and riding Harleys because it's a trend. I know bikers who have been bikers 40 years and I grew up around people with tattoos. That I can accept.
I don't think it's girls that have ruined it, it's the wannabes, both boys and girls, who have ruined it.
Personally, though, I find tats and peircings on a girl to be a huge turn-off. If you were born into a tough life and that's your life, then I accept that, but I'm not impressed by the wannabes.

Answer 7

okay... at first i was all prepared to punch you in your cyber face but i totally agree. of course the wording of your title makes it sound like it is just women who have done some fashion of ruining tattoos.

one thing to think about... maybe there is more of a majority of women on here asking questions because women are more willing to acknowledge that they don't know everything and seek the answers they don't have. women are definitely more willing to stop and ask for directions when lost where as many men would rather drive until they run out of gas before asking a simple question... hmmmmmm. =)

Answer 8

wow, that was a long question! I'm not sure where to start. I'm a woman and I have 2 tattoos. Yes one of them is a memorial, but it has significance to me. My grandma was an amazing green thumb (I sadly am not) as she got sick, all of her plants died, I tried to rescue one and nurse it back to health, it died a few months after she did (her death was fairly sudden). I tattooed the plant on my side in honor of her and her talent with plants and growing things. I have another tattoo that is a dreamcatcher with a peace sign in the middle to denote my native american heritage and my hippie-esque tendencies and philosophies. I do believe that tattoos shouldn't be easy, I know mine were easier than they used to be, but I hate the "snap" decisions to get one, I have plenty of friends who have done this and regretted it. I would love to get a traditional tattoo (tapping method), but I'm not ready for that yet, I believe that it should be a process that you build up to and make sure you are in the right place in your life for something like that. I disagree that women are more significant than men in lowering the standard of the culture. I know TONS of guys who have the standard bicep band of a tribal design, or soem sort of skull design on their bicep. It's equally as trashy and overdone as the "tramp stamp" style tattoo on women. they think it will make them macho, but many of the guys I know look ridiculous with it.

I kind of lost my train of thought and where to continue with this answer, but those are my thoughts so far. I appreciate your question, it's one of the better ones I've seen on this site!

Answer 9

I liked it. Maybe it'll wake up a few who don't really need em. I have four myself, and they have been inspired by things that have come to pass. I don't get them to fit in, what's the point? By the time a person catches up to a trend it's out by that time anyway. I actually enjoyed reading the whole question, it made a lot of sense and was very well written. Thank you for writing it. :-)

Answer 10

A Tatoo is a tatoo and plenty of people have them, whenever, wherever stop being so boring and get over it.
I hate people who explain things so much its makes it so un- interesting.