Tattoo or not to? Tattoo discrimination in the workplace

Tattoos are everywhere, from TV shows like L.A. Ink to that hipster guy’s sleeve in the Starbucks line.

 For some reason, today’s teens and young adults have an obsession with getting tribal armbands and Chinese letters permanently etched into their skin.

Despite social taboos and the pain of a tattoo gun, it seems like everyone and their mom is getting inked up and people, more importantly employers, are starting to take notice.

Most jobs nowadays have policies where employees are required to cover up tattoos; ULM’s own nursing department requires that tattoos be covered up.

People with tattoos are still being discriminated against in the professional world, whether being forced to cover them up or even being passed over for jobs simply because of their tattoos.

I can understand where an employer would be wary hiring someone with tattoos. Traditionally tattoos have been associated with outcasts from society such as sailors, bikers and gang members.

This prejudice still holds true today with the older generations. Many of us belonging to younger generations are seen as “darn kids rebelling with their tattoos and rock and roll music.”

While this stereotype may have been true as little as 20 or 30 years ago, it doesn’t hold true today.

Many people don’t think about it, but not hiring someone or treating someone differently based on whether they have tattoos or not is a form of discrimination.

While discriminating against someone with tattoos may not be on the same level as racism or sexism, it is still discrimination. 

A person has no choice as to what color skin or gender they are born with, but a person definitely has a choice as to whether or not he or she will ink himself or herself.

 If we really claim to have equal rights in workplaces, we should not pass judgment on any skin color, whether it’s red, yellow, black or white or if it has a tiger inked on it. 

So I think it’s clear that an employee shouldn’t be discriminated against because of what is on his or her skin, but I don’t believe that the prejudice is going to go away anytime soon.

Even for the generations just a little bit older than ours, tattoos are somewhat taboo and sometimes seen as radical or rebellious. So in light of that, here are a few guidelines to think about for your future job if you’re thinking about getting a tattoo.

First, think hard about what you want.  Don’t get something that you will regret in the future and have to pay money painfully remove. Also think about the message that your tattoo will convey.

I’m all about self-expression, but you need to be mindful about what your tattoos will convey to others and future employers.

Lastly, if at all possible, get your tattoo in a place that is easily concealable.

This should be fairly easy, because unless you are going to be a professional lifeguard, most tattoos, will be hidden under the long sleeves and suits required by most of the professional world.

Overall, just be smart about your tattoo decisions.  You may think now that getting “YOLO” on your forehead gives you swag for now, but swag won’t pay the bills in the future.