Essay On Body Modification

Superior Essays
Body modification is a universal culture. In every culture, people changed their bodies for various reasons. Some of the different reasons would be for religious, spiritual, personal gratification, medical or social. In recent years body modification practices such as the arts of tattooing and body piercing have experienced an increase in popularity. They have become so prolific notes Katie Zezima (2005) that a survey conducted by Harris Interactive in 2003 found that one in six adults has a tattoo. The choice I decided to write about is body modification between in women between the ages of 21 and 35. I further narrowed down my select group down to women that work in emergency medical services in the Midwest. One of the reasons I decided to write about this topic is because several employers have a stringent dress code while in uniform. Also, the reason I chose women over men is because men typical have tattoos which can easily be covered with long sleeve shirts, however women tend to have more piercing in their multiple ear piercings, nose piercings, lip piercings and tattoos.

According to Victoria Pitts (2003),
…show more content…
According to the article, “Factors that Influence Attitudes Toward Women With Tattoos,” “historically, although men with tattoos have experienced negative judgments and reactions, they have arguably received greater social acceptance than have women with tattoos” (Hawkes, Senn, and Thorn 2004). All of women that returned my survey have tattoos. I found that number particularly interesting since it encompassed all of them. What I was not surprised to find out is, most of the women’s tattoos are already being covered with their normal uniform. The location varied from the small of the back, panty area, thighs and feet. However, some did have tattoos that would be visible outside of their normal uniform. All of the employers would make the woman cover up the tattoo with some type of

Related Documents

  • Decent Essays

    Lee Smith Tattoo Summary

    • 429 Words
    • 2 Pages

    In the Nursing Standard article, a male student Lee Smith who has been a healthcare assistant for eight years talks about his tattoos. He mentions that he thought that his body art would cause controversy before he started working as a nurse. Although he concluded that it did not discomfort his patients and was mostly just asked several questions about them. The tattoos he had were located on either end of his neck, a very noticeable place. His tattoos were inoffensive as he had both of his daughter's initiation printed.…

    • 429 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In Barrie Gross’ article “Tattoos in the Workplace: What’s an Employer to Do?” he explains how times have changed and people should not be judged for what they have done with their bodies. I agree with Gross’ opinion because tattoos are art to some people. Gross’ view on tattoos are much like my own. People with tattoos work in all levels of each work place.…

    • 746 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Understanding body modifications Tattoos and piercings in today’s age are commonly seen on teens. They are gradually becoming more popular as more of the youth are struggling to stand out and find themselves today. Although this is becoming the new common trend in today’s mainstream of fashion on teens and young adults, there are still many people who argue both for and against tattoos and piercings. Author Andrew Martin published an article titled “On teenagers and tattoos”. Martin guides his article in the positive direction regarding the tattoos and piercings on teenagers.…

    • 933 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Tattoos and Piercings Bias Tattoos and piercings have become more and more popular fashion statements as artists continue to create new ideas, as well as the acceptance of the ink and jewelry. Although it may seem that there is an approval towards this style, many are put into stereotypical categories based on their appearance. Regardless of who the person truly is, the bias associated with tattoos and piercings often leads him/her to be percieved as less intelligent, fraudulent, and less spiritual.…

    • 1006 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The media tends to stereotype people with tattoos and piercings as an untrustworthy group of people. Media believes that a person should look clean and respectable. A person with tattoos and piercings gets criticized over not meeting the media’s standard way of looking. The media judges a person with any sort of body modification before the said person has a chance to prove their self. Media portrays people with tattoos and piercings as unprofessional, bad parents, and criminals.…

    • 601 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    There is a famous saying by unknown author that says, “sometimes the nicest people you meet are covered in tattoos and sometimes the most judgmental people you meet go to church on Sundays,” this quote helps to examine how looks doesn’t matter but action does. Having tattoos shouldn’t be considered against social norms and value because tattoo should be looked as freedom of speech or of expression. In Ronald P. White’s article “The Art, the First Amendment and the Courts” helps demonstrates how tattoos and the art of tattooing are forms of pure expression fully protected by the 1st Amendment which helps protects freedom of speech. People get tattoos to tell one’s story to the world through a visual representation of an important moment, person…

    • 230 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Why Do People Wear Tattoos

    • 1230 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Tattoos are a huge problem in the world today. Everyone I know has tattoos. In the world today, specifically the job world, we do not accept tattoos. Tattoos do not and cannot get you a job because they look “unprofessional” to people. I have two tattoos of my own.…

    • 1230 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    It is surprising with how many people that got tattoos and piercings and it is still a big deal to cover them up. The things that have meaning to us we have to cover it up because some people don’t like tattoos and piercings, or they judge you because you have them. We all remember when we was little and all the adults around us said never judge a book by it’s cover. Well it seems like they never practiced what they preached. If you come in with tattoos and piercings you may not get the job no matter how qualified for the job you are.…

    • 1075 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Shenanigan's Tattoo

    • 1397 Words
    • 6 Pages

    It seems almost as though in the last couple of years, it has skyrocketed into normality around the world, especially in America. There is evidence of tattooing from centuries ago, specifically more than 5,000 years ago. In 1991, a frozen man was recovered in the Alps that would change history. Ötzi the Iceman is “the most famous tattooed ancient man” in history (Lobell and Powell 1). They discovered that Ötzi’s body contained over fifty tattoos that covered his skin, becoming one of the best preserved human remains found with evidence of tattoo art.…

    • 1397 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary a tattoo is defined as “an indelible mark or figure fixed upon the body by insertion of pigment under the skin or by production of scars.” Tattooing and body modification has been practice dating back to Eurasian Neolithic farmers in 4000 BC, thought to be a healing remedy based on the particular placement on the arms, legs and throughout the body consisting of various dots and lines. In today’s culture, the idea of getting a tattoo has shifted from the healing benefits to primitive symbols depicting a story or to simply add a unique detail to ones skin. “A tattoo is more then a painting on skin; its meaning and reverberations cannot be comprehended without a knowledge of the history and mythology…

    • 1077 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    Is there a difference between men having tattoos in the workforce compared to women? Men are seen more as a punk rock kind of life style where women are not, so if you are going to be a wild woman a lot of the social norms would like to see you as lady like in the streets and visible tattoos make that impossible in some eyes. Despite what people say the main reason people do not get hired in the workforce because of body art is usually due to the location. If a man has a neck tattoo he is more than likely not going to get hired but if a women has one she might get hired because she can cover it up with long…

    • 127 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Social Deviance

    • 1492 Words
    • 6 Pages

    When associated with deviance tattoos and piercing and other body modifications fall into a spectrum rather than a simple yes or no answer. People with excessive tattooing are more likely to be criminal. Having excessive tattoo can impact a person life in a negative way. Over time the deviance of tattoos and piercings has changed from a nominal yes or no to a spectrum that encompasses all levels of tattooing and piercings and other body modifications.…

    • 1492 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Inked: Informative Speech Outline General Purpose: The general purpose of this speech is to inform about tattoo culture. Specific Purpose: I wish to convey to the class the evolution of society’s perspective of tattoo culture. Thesis Statement: In this presentation, I will inform you on the change in perspective of tattoo culture over time, from the Ancient Era, to the Modern Era, and finally, to the Postmodern Era. Introduction 1.…

    • 838 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Human Body Art Essay

    • 1861 Words
    • 8 Pages

    The human body has been a mainstay in the art world and its use spans across time and most ever culture. The human form has been used to tell stories, communicate cultural values, and reflect religious beliefs. It can be used to show emotion like happiness, sadness, despair and status such as power, importance, or poverty. The artist may use a realistic form or something morphed or stylistic based on what he is trying to convey to his audience. Whatever the purpose may be, the use of the human form is common, but the way it is depicted differs greatly across artists, races, cultures and time.…

    • 1861 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Society today, companies to be specific, need to start to relook at the problem of tattoos in the workplace. In 2012 21% of people in the United States had at least one or more tattoos. That number has doubled sense. This problem of “your tattoos make you less qualified” is becoming obsolete and is limiting the number of quality employees There are many arguments against tattoos.…

    • 951 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Superior Essays