Tats and Class.

I have been waiting for the perfect time to discuss my tattoos, and with all the hype surrounding Lisa Khoury's distaste for them, I thought I'd chime in. (She responded here.)

You'll be shocked to find out that as a tattooed woman, I tend to agree on some level that tattoos can be distasteful. WHAT!? Just because I have them, doesn't mean I am going to defend an entire subculture, whom to my dismay represented themselves rather poorly in response to her article. (Not all responses were bad, but most were down right mean.)

I find this funny since the argument was, it is classier to be tattoo free, and yet 90% of the folks commenting on her article were nothing short of classless bullies.

As much as I would love to appreciate all tattoos as beautiful pieces of art work, that simply is not the case.

Not all graffiti is created equal, folks.

My brother for example, has a PIG tattooed on his head.. A PIG ON HIS HEAD.... and don't get me started on pretty girls with flaming sculls; I've yet to see one of those beautifully done, and they usually just make me wonder what she was thinking not where did she get that? (My opinion, not sorry for it) But, at the end of the day, it is their body, and they can do whatever the heck they want with it, and I am sure the girl with a flame tattoo thinks my my pistol is what stupid girls scene girls did when they were in High School. {There were certainly girls who were far more "hipster" than I, but my pink Mohawk, ratted jeans, pistol tattoo and smoking cloves probably didn't help my case much.}


I have to say I was kind of shocked at how nasty people were to this girl. She is 19! I agree she didn't articulate herself well, but who cares if she doesn't like tattoos or if she thinks woman are classier without them?..and did I mention she is NINETEEN?

Why are people who don't want to be judged calling her a CUNT? At first I was a little angry when I read her article, my main concern was that this poor girl made it seem like she thinks women have to me manicured and in the latest fashion to be valuable. When I think the real point was, there are less permanent solutions to changing ones appearance.  I think people would have realized that if they weren't so busy getting their panties in a bunch and taking her stance on morality as a personal attack... and perhaps if the writer would have used a little more tact in her delivery, that point would have been received. Truth is, I don't know many people my age with tact, so I hardly expect it from a 19 year old.

Let's face it, young people make stupid decisions, and a lot young people who get tattooed, run off to the shop on their 18th birthday as an act of rebellion. I know I did. Luckily my first tattoo was a lotus, something I don't regret and thought about for two years. That being said, young people also don't always think about how they articulate their thoughts. Blogs I had at 19 talk about things I would NEVER divulge on public forum at 25, ever.

She has a point about tattoos though, I would never put a bumper sticker on my fararri, but I would tattoo a pistol on my back hip?

I personally have two tattoos out of eight that I would like to cover, not because the art is shotty, but because they say nothing about me as a person anymore... and I am not really sure what I thought they should have said about me in the first place.

I have a wine bottle that makes me feel like I am an alcoholic every time someone points it out, and I have a pistol that is pointing to my ass on my back hip. What the hell was I thinking? (I wasn't. I was 18 and my frontal lobe still wasn't fully attached. It's true.)

I think about where I am now and I would have told 18 and 19 year old Ryan to hold off on that pistol, and to think twice about that wine bottle. I would have saved the $300 I wasted on tattoos I don't care about anymore and gone to visit my sister, or NYC, or I would have treated my self to 15 pedicures, something I enjoy and never regret.

I go to the gym and see these old Florida dudes with sun faded tats and sagging skin, and it makes me wonder what my generation will look like 40 years from now, when some of those chest pieces sag on down with the "twin girls." I wonder what my own (almost) half sleeve will look like if I don't keep my arms toned.


There is a time and a place for tattoos.

I have a grandmother who hates tattoos. She comes from a different time, where tattoos were stamped all over the bodies of harden criminals. She doesn't give a flying flute that a lotus represents mental clarity and spiritual purification, or that the tree of life represents love and growth(and my love for LOTR), or that I like to think of the bird on my neck as a muse, or that the dragonfly on my rib cage represents my uncle, her dead son, where through his passing, I had one of the craziest & vivid spiritual experiences of my life.

bad pic of my fave tat

ohm & cherry blossom tree. Ohm from 2006, Cherry blossom from 2011

She thinks they are ugly, and she is allowed to think that.

I am not offended and I have NO problem wearing a sweater in her presence, WHY flaunt them? I love her and I want her to be proud of me, if showing off my tattoos leaves a bad taste in her mouth, why even remind her that they are there?

My brother and I have a lot of conflict over this, he is heavily tattooed and refuses to wear long sleeves to dinner with her, and you know what.. the entire time we are at dinner, I have to listen to how horrid she thinks they are. It's like bringing up GOD at work, whats the point? No one is going to agree, so just avoid it all together.

I have another grandmother who thinks my tattoos are pretty, so I don't bother covering up. On a day to day basis, they are out.. but if I am interviewing, they are covered. Why even risk someone thinking I am not as awesome as I am because they think tattoos are irresponsible? I'll show them I am awesome first, and prove them wrong about stereotypes later. Through tattoos, I have learned there is more power in being subtle-- especially when you are dealing with old-school thinkers who have missed the progressive thought train. 

I am currently looking for something to wear on my wedding day.. and guess what.. I am looking for a dress that COVERS my tats. I am not in the slightest bit ashamed of my tattoos, even the ones I don't like as much.. but I promised my parents they would would not have to stare of my tattoos on their mantle for the rest of their lives, and agreed to find a dress accordingly. My parents don't care that I have tattoos, they just have an image of me as their sweet little girl, and my tats remind them that I am a rebellious asshole. (I'M Kidding!)

I didn't like that Lisa simplified the process of getting a tattoo, for many of us tattoos are badges of honor. Mementos. Reminders of where we have been, and where we want to be. My very first tattoo was a lotus on  my shoulder. I come from a rough beginning, and the lotus reminds me that even the most beautiful creatures can come from the mud, and that all roads lead to love.

But for many others, significant meaning or not, tattoos are an act of vandalism on the temple you are borrowing in this life. That belief does not in anyway shape or form make someone ugly, stupid, ignorant, or my least favorite out of all the insults.. a cunt.

If you think this 19 year old girl set woman back 100 years in woman's rights, then you must really have no regard for how far we've actually come. The truth is, a lot of woman, tattooed or not, do not know how to represent themselves, and that was quite apparent through this article, and it was a darn shame to see how many rude, hypocritical people actually do exist out there.

Will I continue to get tattoos? ABSOLUTELY. The wine glass and pistol will be covered with beautiful flowers, and I have an unfinished half sleeve going on my right arm. But I will also continue to respect that many people see tattoos as an act of vandalism on the greatest gift we've receive in this life, our body.

As an artist I have a tremendous amount of respect not only for tattoo artists, but for folks with beautiful canvas of work on their body. I think tattoos can be a beautiful addition to your image, but I also think they can be a regrettable one, and I certainly believe there is a time and a place to flaunt your tats.

I know some classy looking chicks, but they do not exude the grace and charm in their personal lives that their threads and lack of tattoos suggest. So me thinks, the next time you let someone enrage you with their opinion on what equates to a classy woman and what does not, take a step back and figure out what it is you are really pissed off about, don't be so quick to drink the hateraide.

I am just really surprise more people, woman claiming to have class especially, didn't encourage this girl to represent her brand more carefully and thoughtfully. That's class, not personal attacks on her upbringing and physical appearance.