Tattoo or taboo? 

USD students discuss stigma around their permanent choices

Jessica Mills / Arts & Culture Editor / The USD Vista

There are numerous reasons why someone gets a tattoo. For some, the ink can honor one’s culture, heritage, individuality and specific memories. For others, it’s about adding creative and permanent artwork to their body. Until more recently, tattoos often carried a negative connotation, indicating rebellious or even dangerous individuals. Drops of Ink explains that tattoos have changed from a mark of rebellion to a more acceptable medium of self-expression.

For USD senior Alex Fant, the stigma surrounding tattoos is mostly gone among Generation Z. 

“I think our parents’ generation still majorly stigmatizes tattoos, associating them with ‘deviant’ behavior,” Fant said. “Also, it definitely is dependent on culture as well. In some cultures, their form of tattooing is sacred, while in others they are extremely taboo. But, in the surrounding area, I would say that tattoos have become more widely accepted.”

USD first-year Ian Mai also has 10 tattoos, two of which are his favorite. 

“I have [two] favorite tattoos, [one] is orange juice [because] it’s in memory of my grandfather, and orange juice is really big in Vietnamese culture,” Mai explained. “[Second] tattoo is a matching tattoo [with] my friend, it’s a tattoo of tres leches, which is my friend and I’s favorite food, and it’s us as little animals making the cake.”

Mai believes that tattoos still hold a negative association in society. 

“There’s still a pretty big stigma around having tattoos, and I definitely think it’s harder being Asian and having tattoos,” Mai said. “So far I don’t have any visible tats [because] I hide them from my parents.”

For USD junior Sarah Sanchez, her tattoo is reminiscent of a special memory. 

“In my sorority family, everyone’s big has gone with their little to get a tattoo or piercing,” Sanchez said. “My G-big went with my Big to get one of her tattoos. Then my G-big went with me to get my first tattoo. And then I went with my Little to get her first tattoo. I also just love my tattoo, because it’s cute. It’s a cherry heart with a stem on the backside of my ribs.”

For some, tattoos can hold special memories. Photo courtesy of Sarah Sanchez

USD senior Taylor Nielsen also has a tattoo on her ribs of a Keith Haring drawing. While this artwork is meaningful to her, Nielsen believes it’s okay to get a tattoo simply because you want to. 

“I think it is 100 percent okay, when someone asks why you got a tattoo, for you to say you got it just because you liked it and not have to feel like you need to justify it with some deeper meaning,” Nielsen said. “I have a tattoo of a dinosaur, and I came up with a deeper meaning because I didn’t want to be judged, but in reality it’s just my favorite animal.” 

Nielsen’s Keith Haring tattoo on her ribs. Photo courtesy of Taylor Nielsen

USD senior Wisdom Choice has five tattoos; her favorite piece covers a tattoo she got when she was 18-years-old.

“It’s a two-faced lion, and it represents the two Leos in my family and how they contrast each other; they’re both a big part of me.” Choice said. “It’s actually a cover-up from a tattoo I got when I was 18, when I was really excited to get a tattoo, and it looked like s***. And then I was too broke to get a tattoo that I wanted, so I finally came to college and got it covered up. I like that one, because you can still kinda see the imprint of my old one, so I feel like it shows my growth as a person.”

As students enter into the work-force, many are hopeful that the stain associated with tattoos continues to lessen. There’s countless reasons to get a tattoo, but, for numerous individuals with tattoos, all that matters is that you like the work.

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