Should Companies Discriminate Against Tattoos?
Tattoos have been around for as long as I can remember. They started out as brandings for slaves, but now it’s become more of a piece of art that people add to themselves. Tattoos have become very popular in many parts of the world, particularly in Europe, Japan, and North and South America. The growth in tattoo culture has seen an increase of new artists into the industry, many of whom have excellent arts training. With advancements in tattoos and the ongoing upgrade of the equipment used for tattooing, this has led to an improvement in the quality and distinct look of tattoos. It is understood to be a symbol of remembrance, love, or just a way for someone to express themselves. Since this new hobby for some has started increasing, so has the policies for companies to hire people with tattoos. As an adult, I chose to put a few tattoos on my body as a symbol of things that I really cherish. Other people in my family also have tattoos, that are visible and some that are hidden from the public by clothing or materials. In today's global marketplace, employers are taking more seriously the need to provide a work environment that welcomes employees from many different backgrounds. Bringing it closer to home, my brother has an entire sleeve on both of his arms and my mom has one tattoo on her chest. He works in the oil field and my mom has been working at Celebrating Home for almost 15 years and things are going well without the tattoo issue getting in the way. This semester plan to research why companies really don’t like to hire potential employees with tattoos, and how prospective employee are affected. I also want to dig deeper into the negative imp...
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...in separate jars. People need to consider that whatever a person does off the clock shouldn’t be dragged into the workforce. Just because someone chooses to express themselves with tattoos doesn’t mean they can’t have a career if they have the proper techniques.
I’m looking forward to this topic because I believe that everyone should be treated equal and I feel as if we aren’t being treated that way. Sooner or later I plan on getting a job but I don’t want to be denied just because a company doesn’t like it or they won’t make amends to me working and covering my tattoos. I think writing this paper will help me have a bigger outlook on people in America, companies, the real world and why some people get tattoos in general. Maybe there is some sort of light at the end of this tunnel.
In Kosut’s article “The Artification of Tattoo: Transformations within a Cultural Field”, the author takes a look at how tattoos are a form of art and should be seen this way. It also indicates how tattoo artists have to have a technical skill in order to do this job and should be seen as actual artists and not overlooked. In addition to having steady hands like a surgeon, tattoo artists create original work for their clients. If tattoo artists and their work were seen as a legitimate career, it would be even more likely that tattoos would be accepted in society.
There are many different jobs in this world for young black men my age. They can either choose to be a fireman, a police officer, a writer, or a singer, but that’s not what I want to do. I know of a career that I think that would be great for me to do and that will help me and support me and my dreams. My dreams is to become a tattoo artist because I will gets the chance to meet new people it’s every exciting, and tattoos are fantastic art.
In “Judging by the Cover” author Bonnie Gainley argues that employers have the right to discriminate against job applicants who have chosen to decorate their bodies in ways that, in the employers’ estimation, may detract from the applicants’ job performance. She supports this claim by explaining two major points: First, employers have an obligation to hire workers who will favorably “represent the business to its customers” (667), and second, job applicants with potentially offensive decorations, such as tattoos and piercings, have freely chosen to place them on their bodies, so the applicants must take responsibility for the consequences.
Seeing how not accepting tattoos and piercings in the workplace can cause greater problems, employers need to start accommodating for individuals of all different backgrounds. Businesses need to start focusing on the important matters such as, education, work ethic, attitude, and the willingness to do their job successfully. Anything else is just an
Despite tattoos becoming more accepted and mainstream in society, studies show that individuals with visible tattoos are often hired at a lower rate than people who are not tattooed. Persons without tattoos tend to view those with tattoos to be less honest than other non-tattooed people (Dean, 2010.). Many students who surveyed that currently have tattoos revealed that they want to get another tattoo and consider the location of the tattoo will have impact their future jobs/ employment. Many are thinking ahead being aware that tattoos still serve as a faux pas in business places, still continuing to express themselves by inking themselves perhaps in a more concealing way. While tattoos on auto mechanics
In today’s world there are several occupations one may choose from once receiving an education. Whether a person wants to be a doctor, a teacher, or a business person, one should be able to use their education to gain access to that job. Getting a job is no easy task, for there are many people who are also searching for that same job. Employers will interview many people just to find the right one and often times will have many stand-out applications to evaluate. When it comes down to making a decision, something as simple as having a tattoo could ruin every hope one has of getting the job. One may ask, “why does having a tattoo ruin ones chance of getting a job?” A tattoo would ruin one’s chances at getting a job simply because it is wrongly viewed as unprofessional.
Once considered taboo, tattoos have shed the social outcast stigma once associated with getting inked. One might even say tattoos have become trendy.
In addition, discrimination by appearance is really unfair to job-seekers, who do not get hired. My brother, who is Hispanic, has many visible tattoos all over his body. Each and every one of his tattoos mean something very special to him. If someone saw my brother and his tattoos, immediately, they would think he is rebellious. He is a genuine, intelligent person,
Even though tattoos are becoming part of culture and socially acceptable, the negative and prejudiced attitudes towards those with body art are still present. Not all tattoos are gang related, and one must note that they have historically been a symbol of someone’s culture or religion. Other tattoos may have just a personal meaning to its owner and was not intended to be offensive. People also do not understand that a tattoo may impede them from pursuing a professional career, regardless of their qualifications. Employers realize that the need to recruit workers from different backgrounds are important in such a competitive workforce, so they provide accommodation by having reasonable dress code policies.
A controversial topic today is whether or not body piercings and tattoos should be accepted by professionals working in health care. Currently, tattoos and piercings are allowed in health care as long as they are not visible. According to one of the studies, “Body piercing is defined as a piercing of the body anywhere other than the earlobes” (Westerfield). Therefore, the only visible piercings allowed are small studs in the lobes of the ears for females. The reason body piercings and tattoos are not suggested in health care is that they keep someone from looking professional as well as making them look intimidating. Not everyone sees them that way. The opposing side is that they do not affect
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 style. Body art is no longer socially offensive, employers are more apt to hiring tatted hopeful applicants, parents are warming up to the idea of their children inking their body and no longer a stranger on the street with a tattoo is necessarily prejudged as a criminal or safety hazard. Tattoos have become more evolved over the years because they have become more of a socially accepted element of the general public.
In American culture, tattoos have become a popular part of expressing one’s style and their differences. However, do those individuals consider the changed perceptions that people may have on them based on their tattoos? In America, people who have tattoos tend to be affiliated with gangs, are criminals, open minded, don’t have a professional job, and are modern. Tattoos can have lots of different meanings to their owners, some can be deep and for others it can be simple. Some tattoo owners are prideful of their tattoos, whereas some have a feeling of regret of getting a tattoo. I hold the following assumptions towards people who have tattoos in our culture.
Tattoos are a controversial subject in the world we live in. The kind of people that get tattoos is now varied to almost all humans regardless of race, religion, or age. What many people fail to understand or realize is how much of an effect a tattoo can have on the rest of your life. The original tattoo stereotypes have faded from what they were many years ago and yet tattoos still have a reputation as for what kind of people get tattoos. There are many reasons as to why people would get a tattoo but there are many reason why you should think before you ink. Our society and the social media today has a huge impact on the tattoo industry. Movie stars and pop singers with many tattoos are posing as role models for our generation and
Tattooing has increased widespread from all ages, careers, and social classes (Westerfield, Stafford, Speroni, & Daniel, 2012). Tattoos’ usual meaning is “to stain the skin with colorings” (Goldstein, 2007). With the growing the populations, who have tattoos and/or body piercings in the work environment, there is requiring decision about what policies to establish forward associates a professional atmosphere. Thus, there assesses patients’ perceptions of health care workers with tattoos and/or body piercing (Westerfield, Stafford, Speroni, & Daniel, 2012).
Are tattoos a kiss of death at a workplace? According to Student Research Center, nearly 4 out of every 10 Americans in their 30s have been inked. ''In April 2000 15% of Americans were tattooed (which is roughly around 40 million people) (The National Geographic).'There are different types of tattoos, from color to black and white, even glow in the dark. Number of tattoo paralos in the U.S. is 21,000'' (Tattoo Statistics 1) and more is being added every single day. People spend about $1.6 billion on tattoos once a year. ''In the U.S. more women than men are tattooed, 36% of the ages is between 18-25 and 40% of those ages are 26-40 that have at least one tattoo.''(Random facts 1) People have been getting tattoos for a while now. It has been said that ''tattoos date back as far as the Neolithic era or around the fourth to fifth millennium BC.''(skinsight.com 1) Tattoos should be acceptable at a place of business because people get tattoos for significant purposes, tattoos can tell stories and build confidence, body art is a way for someone to express themselves, make up, and tattoos are reminders of life time experiences.