Breaking the Tattoo Taboo
Home to the “king of ink” and with hundreds of Tattoo Parlours dotted around the West Midlands, the large amount of people within the West Midlands are a part of the one fifth within the UK to have a tattoo on their body, could this be possible linked with the unemployment rate at 7.2 per cent?
By Georgia Fraser
Its common that all businesses have a “dress policy” and part of that policy is that tattoos are covered up which is easy during the cold, winter months but in the hot summer, long sleeve shirts and woolly socks will create a grumpy, sweaty employee which isn’t suitable for any business.
So let’s imagine you’re a high flying senior business owner or manager, sitting in your comfortable office knowing your bills are paid, waiting for your potential employees to walk in to interview for a new position in your company. What do you look for when they walk in? Are they dressed smartly? Are they polite? Would you look at the colour of their skin? Of course not because that would be racist and discriminative under the 2010 Equality Act.
It is stated that under the Equality Act 2010 tattoos are not defined as severe disfigurements and do not have an effect on an employee’s ability to carry out any day-to-day activity. But on the other hand there is an exception under the 2010 equality act if the tattoo is connected to their religion or beliefs, and potential employees are within their right to take legal action.
Previously, tattoos were only for certain types of people such as sailors or criminals, and because of those categories there was a certain prejudice against hard working people who had body art and were seen as being suspicious, untrustworthy or just a bad character in general. But with tattoos becoming more popular, even the Prime Ministers’ wife, Samantha Cameron has a tattoo of a dolphin on her ankle, it’s interesting to see how the world still has an old fashioned view on body art.
Recently in the news, the Rosetta project has changed the scientific world and could give the world plenty of new opportunities, it’s possible a landmark in history. One of the scientists to take part, Matt Taylor is covered in tattoos, now if his bosses were against body art he wouldn’t have been hired, would we have even got so far into space without him?
The same thought could be linked with live saving careers, Health Care Assistant, Gabrielle Purchase works in a local hospital in the West Midlands where she states that male and female staff have their tattoos freely on show. She says that, “I was worried in my previous job (nursery nurse) about my tattoos, bosses would have a problem and comment, but here as long as I am doing my job properly they are not bothered.”
There are also many pages on social network sites such as 'Tattoos in the Work Place', who I approached about the topic and had interesting feedback from many online users such as;
“I have tattoos as well, and I am trying to get my Master’s degree to become a college professor. However, everyone I talk to says that I will never get the job because of my tattoos below my elbow. I think about this every day and I am worried. Even though I will be over qualified, will they flat out say no because I have visible tattoos? Will all my efforts be in vain? These things terrify me and I hope by the time I can be a teacher, people's minds will change and I can do what I love for the rest of my life.” Samantha E. Lavrischeff.
“Tattoos are spiritual to me. I was getting them Willy nilly until I learned more and awakened a little. Now I see tattoos as more of a scarification and unification of what your symbol means to you and what else to gain that unity and change but through pain? It's unfair for someone to take away what means most to me though it doesn't hurt anyone with proper education. I feel that Social norms Are naturally slow to conform to social reality, but there is change happening.” Chad McNeil.
I also spoke to tattoo artist, John Wilcox, listen to the full conversation here.
Throughout my research it amazes me how tattoos are still a taboo subject in 2014 are how people choose to be judgemental when tattoos are accepted in life saving circumstances, but can be highly offensive when it comes to selling a pair of shoes. I believe tattoos are down to common sense, that they are easy to cover up and not offensive to any member of the public.
As a student, I have tattoos on my wrist, hip and feet and with all those I am employed but my tattoos have to be completely covered up for my employers clean image reputation, the debate of tattoos in the workplace will last as long as the tattoos themselves, are people ruining the freedom of body art by taking things too far? I believe subtle tattoos that aren’t offensive or garish should be part of the equality act as part of race as someone is qualified for a job whether their skins is black, white, pink or green. We are all equal.
