Tattoos and Piercings Entering the Workplace

Today more and more young adults are getting facial piercings and tattoos. The point of piercings and tattoos are for self-expression and showcasing art on your body. Many people have hard opinions on whether tattoos are professional or will hold back ones’ professional career. 

In my case, I have twelve piercings and a medium-sized tattoo, and the only people who have had issues with them are older people. Even older people, who I don’t even know will ask why I decided to “put a hole in my face” or permanently tattoo something on my body. It is nobody’s business but mine, but people feel as if they should have a say in someone else’s personal choices. 

The main issue for adults, I believe, is thinking their child won’t look professional and therefore won’t get a job. Yet, at my current job all my co-workers and managers have tattoos and piercings. People choose to judge others for decisions they would not have made.  

Even if, permanent body art becomes an issue in the future there are methods to conceal and remove piercings and/ or tattoos. Certain jobs that do not allow their employees to have visible piercings or tattoos are jobs in the medical field, since it looks “unprofessional”. However, I do believe that with time these fields of work will become more accepting towards self-expression.  

A thought is how can tattoos be unprofessional and lead to career failures, when some of the most successful influencers have tattoos or piercings of some sort. I understand this is far-fetched, but former President Theodore Roosevelt had a tattoo of his family crest yet was still respected and admired. Some of the most brilliant individuals have ink; tattoos would not be available if Thomas Edison didn’t create the first “electric pen” (tattoo gun).  

Tattoos were created to symbolize memories and showcase art on one’s body. My point of view on body art is that one’s body is a canvas and can chose to do with it as they want. Tattoos and piercings have great historical meaning behind them and are supported by highly successful people. Yet, there is still a lack of acceptance of body art in future professional careers.  

I think with more time; younger people will be taking over jobs and are naturally more open-minded. This open-mindedness will create a more accepting future workplace.