Tattoos Are A Symbol Of Sexual And Bodily Freedom

In various societies, tattoos have had different meanings or significance. They have been popular for thousands of years in different cultures, as a common form of body modification. They can be symbolic of one’s self-expression, ‘a mark of individuality’, and body alteration as a compelling symbol. (Tiggemann & Golder, 2006; Patterson & Schroeder, 2010 as cited in Atik & Yildirim, 2014). Tattoos have been around for so many years that its existence is unclear thus its origin remains a debate in today’s society. However, the earliest record was traced back to the East Mediterranean, mainly in places like Egypt, Turkey, Greece, Italy etc. (Atik and Yildirm, 2014). During those times, tattoos were believed to be used to protect the body from

Body modifications have existed in our society for centuries and the way in which it is perceived has changed somewhat over the years. But certain stigmas still persists to this contemporary day. One such body modification is the act of inking or marking the skin: Tattooing. Like most body modifications, tattoos are an often misunderstood form of body modification. Despite the stigmas, tattoos have become a unique object of desire to diverse groups of people. But are the popular perceptions of tattoos out of synch with the true meaning behind them? This essay will explore the social and cultural practices of tattooing and the causal connection between the mind and the tattooed body. It will also explore why tattoos engender

Traditionally, tattoos were meant for sailors, soldiers, bikers and gangs. Along with several changes in the industrialized and technological society of the twenty-first century, the standard for getting body modifications have altered as well. Everyday, people are willing to get permanently marked as an individual choice rather than the customarily perception of belonging to a certain group. Tattoo and piercing shops are not seen as “the backstreet” of the commercial civilization today, it is somewhat an expected sight in all public places. Josie Appleton in “The Body

Tattoos are a source of self-expression, and there are countless of ideas that one can forever ink on their body. There are people whose life story is captured and told by the inking that scatters their physique, yet there are others who believe this is a representation of a bad character. When I began digging, I knew that starting off with an individual's clashing experience with their tattoo would be

It is this sort of strictly prescribed, highly ritualistic decoration that Beckwith and Fisher depict in African ceremonies. “ We have tried to show how body art is relevant to every stage of development, from birth to death”, says Fisher. But while the traditional, often spiritually based versions of bod mod are quickly disappearing among indigenous peoples, the impulses behind personal adornment remain unchanged: attracting a mate, signaling status, declaring allegiance to a group( Lemonick 75). For men, the tattoo is a public identity symbol, and their first is usually on their arm. Women reserve their tattoo for a more intimate audience, and they usually choose their breast. For most, the tattoo is symbolic of their individuality and having withstood a painful and exciting event. Tattooees enjoy being noticed, although they reveal their tattoos selectively ( Davis 471). Anthropologists describe body art or modification as a way of identifying oneself as being a part of a group, a tribe, or a gang: of denoting one’s financial status or marital status: or even as a way of beautifying the body (Grief, Hewitt 368).

Tattoos are like symbols, it has different meanings and people can interpret it differently. Tattoos could be interpreted as good, bad, evil, cute, past, present, future, personality, memories, events or about something dear in their life. My tattoo has several symbols that have different meanings to me. It is about my past, present, future, personality, and important people in my life. The tattoo that I would be getting has a rose as a stem, dirt for the foundation, sunflower as the flower, inside the dirt and the root of the flower are people, the steam and leaves have different symbols which are a book, more people, basketball, and buildings. I would also put this tattoo on my forearm. These are the symbols that would be in

Body modifications, with the focus of tattoos, have existed in our society for centuries and the way in which it is perceived has changed somewhat over the years, yet certain dishonors still remain our modern day. Like most body modifications, tattoos are an often misunderstood form of body modification. Despite the stigmas, tattoos have become a unique object of desire to endless diverse groups of people. But are the popular assumptions of tattoos out of sync with the true meaning behind them? Further explanation and exploration of the history will reveal the social and cultural practices of tattooing and the causal connection between the mind and the tattooed body, in addition to providing answers as to why tattoos stimulate uneasiness

“On Teenagers and Tattoos” is an informational article, written by Andres Martin, which discusses the reasons and psychology behind the rising popularity of tattoos amongst adolescents. Martin (2000) starts by identifying the simple reason of causation concerning the spike, stating that “tattoos and piercing can offer a concrete and readily available solution for many of the identity crises and conflicts normative to adolescent development” (p.143). Martin then details the strenuous nature of adolescence, and shows that tattoos have more of a symbolic meaning than just a skull, and provides 2 examples of such cases. Afterward, Martin explains in further detail,

Tattooing has become a mainstream event; about one in five adults in the United States have at least one tattoo (Stanglin, 2012). In the United States, tattoos were once seen as a symbol of rebellion. They were mostly seen on bikers or people who were consider tough. These stereotypes brought about the assumption that people with tattoos are deviant and are more willing to engage in risky behavior and commit crimes. This negative perception of tattooed individuals is what brings us to look deeper into the actions and minds of those who “get inked”.

Tattooing has been part of the culture and identity of people through history. This type of body decoration was introduced in the Western Society by the British expeditionary and it has been described since then as a “promiscuous traveling sign, moving literally on the bodies of pilgrims, transported convicts, criminals, sailors, and soldiers.” (Rees, Michael,160) This explains the natural association that has prevailed till these days between tattoos and delinquency. This is associated mainly

The rising popularity of tattoos and body piercing is more than just the latest fashion craze. This type of body art has been a part of this world for thousands of years. Tattoos and piercings have served as amulets, status symbols, declarations of love, signs of religious beliefs, adornments and even forms of punishment (Smithsonian.com). In the later years (1940 – 2000) tattoos and piercings were more common among teenagers and young adults, but now, people of all ages are expressing themselves through body art. To try and understand this rise in the desire to permanently mark ones self, we must first determine the origin and history of tattoos and piercings.

A persons’ image is vital when meeting someone for the first time. Our peers, employers, family, superiors, even strangers that you walk past can automatically judge someone, and imagine how they present themselves to the world. Tattoos have been predominantly linked with a rebellious attitude and pictured on out of control stereotypes such as rock starts, bikers, sailors, and disobedient teenagers who want nothing more than to hack off their parents. With a new coming of age generation and a step into a more lenient and liberal society these types of patrons still participate in body art but so do doctors, lawyers, or just the run of the mill house mom. Tattoos signify religious beliefs, cultural influence, or each individual’s sole

She further perpetuates this notion through her statement that “those…were an indication of control”, and “a sign that the bearer has a value that hovered somewhere between property and machine” As such, Day conveys that tattoos debased humans as inanimate objects, capable of no humanity and thought, and hence the reader may be incited to view such tattoos as offensive due to their historical meanings, complementing her contention that tattoos originally had more “power” and significance in the past.

The word “tattoo” is actually the combination of words from two different cultures. The Polynesian word to strike something, “ta”, and the Tahitian word meaning to mark something, “tatau” (Designboom, 2010). The form of body art known as tattooing has developed artistically, improved technically, and changed stylistically throughout the past two centuries. Not only has the public perception changed over the years, but the methods and machinery used to create these wonderful pieces of art has also changed drastically. Once viewed as only acceptable for sailors, criminals, and circus performers; tattoos, have taken a giant leap from their humble roots. However, they couldn’t have become as popular as they have without the inspirational

For as long as there have been people, there have been methods of distinction amongst them. Throughout the years we have discovered ways in which to express our beliefs, our ideals, and our passions. Tattooing has been one of forefront methods in expressing our humanity, or in certain cases, our lack there of. For so many, they have taken on many different representations, each with an equal level of significance. The importance found in the symbolism of tattoos and their cultural relevance has consistently been a trend found throughout history, religion, and art.