Piercings and tattoos at work

As for those who think tattoos are all about "being cool", I think you're just afraid of a needle in your skin. Jump in, the water is fine

mine are mostly about family, my kids names are on me and my family crest soon will be. although my first ink had no meaning and was more for the 'cool' factor, but i like to think of it as the begginings of a masterpeice lol.
ive drawn up several tattoos for myself and if i ever get the money sorted ill be under the needle quite a bit

Originally posted by getreadyalready
reply to post by Dimitri Dzengalshlevi

 

Still, you are being judged on a "commitment" that you made, of your own freewill, as an adult, knowing the likely repercussions. You knew what a Pentagram meant to some people before you got it. It is in no way comparable to being judged based on race or disability.

Yes, it most certainly is comparable.

When I try to present myself in a professional manner, the point becomes moot when the "professionals" that I am communicating with judge me because of the way I look to them. They choose to judge me NOT based on my merrits, virtues or value, but rather due to their perceived notions of what my tattoos mean to them.

This is one of the reasons why I didn't make it past the application process to get into the army. The bible-thumping army nurse took one look at my pentagram tattoo and quickly wrote "Satanic Pentagram" on my reference sheet. I tried explaining to her that it had nothing to do with religion or Satanism (especially since I am not religious nor was it actually a satanic pentagram), but she refused to alter her report. So despite the fact that I scored high enough on the aptitude/IQ testing to be anything but a pilot, I was denied by ignorant discrimitory factors such as this based SOLELY on the perception of the people interviewing me. They didn't care about their own processes, just their own prejudices.

reply to post by Dimitri Dzengalshlevi

They choose to judge me NOT based on my merrits, virtues or value, but rather due to their perceived notions of what my tattoos mean to them.

But decisions you have made, and the way you present yourself is part of your merit, virtue, and value.

Race or sex isn't something you have chosen, it is the way you were born. Everything you do after that, especially the things you've done after you reached adulthood, are fair game.

Even though I have tattoos, I still think it is worthwhile to question the decision making of someone that permanently alters their appearance in a way that cannot be hidden. It is a poor decision, and I don't want people working for me that make poor decisions.

Compare a tattoo to a scar. It wouldn't be fair to judge somebody based on a scar on their hand or face, but it is perfectly fair to judge them based on a tattoo on their hand or face.

You might not like it, but in my opinion it is not only fair, but it is important and worthwhile. It would reflect badly on me if I hired somebody that didn't represent our business well. Now, I have said all along that there are exceptions. My first impression might be completely wrong, and it is up to you to show me that very quickly. You made the decision to represent yourself with a polarizing tattoo, you know it sends a certain message, if you want to send an interviewer a different message, you better be very good, concise, and convincing, and maybe you will be able to overcome the first impression.

Still, you created the situation, it is not at all comparable to race, sex, or disability. Those things are beyond an individual's control. Your tattoo is well within your control, and it says exactly what you want it to say, so you have to either fix it or live with it.

reply to post by getreadyalready


I don't think you get it.

I live in Canada. Under the 1982 Charter of Rights and Freedoms, I have the individual right to belief, opinion and expression. This is only limited to "within reasonable limits", which means that I am constitutionally protected against such discrimination if I am not offensive myself (like if I tattood a swastika to my head, then it's beyond reasonable).

What I do with my body is my business. Humans have legally owned their own bodies for centuries. People have the right to criticize me because that is their opinion, but they cannot disprivilege me from citizen's rights because of my tattoos. If I am working at a job, I cannot legally be fired because of my tattoos unless I was breaking job policy, NOT because my manager dislikes my tattoos.

Military policy in regards to tattoos is the same as the constitution with the following exceptions: tattoos cannot be visible on the next or past the wrists, and they cannot be intended to be offensive. None of my tattoos are visible past a uniform. The nurse who inspected me had clear bias against me before she even saw my tattoo, and she made damn sure to make it out to be religiously offensive in her report by stating it was "satanic"- as if it meant that I would be sacrificing soldiers in some bloodlust or something. This was pure discrimination.

PS: I also have visible burns and scars too. People who don't know me personally definitely assume absurd things just from looking at me, descriptions of who I am far from the reality. I could have made valuable assets to many employment opportunities before, but people judge me because of how I look. Employers can choose who they employ, but the military is a state institution that any Canadian should be allowed to serve in provided that they apply to the application rules. I did, yet they found many reasons to deny me, my tattoos and scars being one reason.

reply to post by Dimitri Dzengalshlevi


I get it. I actually agree with you quite a bit of the way. I also have major scars. 25% of my body was burned "full thickness." I have skin grafts covering the majority of both legs and my entire right arm. I have tattoos on my left shoulder, both biceps, and back. I ride a Harley, I wear a Confederate Flag a lot of the time, I like my doo-rags, I support Ron Paul and the Tea Party, I'm a Mason and a Shriner, and I have the emblems on my vehicles. I carry my concealed weapon 100% of the time. You get the idea. I send plenty of messages at first impression.

There are plenty of reasons to discriminate against me, and it occasionally happens, and when it does, I totally understand it. I wouldn't fault anybody for judging me based on things I have chosen to represent myself as.

Religious rights are great. I support your choice (especially if you are the "power of man" type of satanist, and not the evil type represented in movies). BUT, as an employer, I know many people won't understand your choice, and it is my responsibility to ensure the success of my business for myself, and my other employees. So, if the Pentagram can't be covered up, then depending on my type of business, you probably can't work there. It sucks, but a private business is not a government, and it is nobody's "right" to work at my private business.

Your "choice" to worship in one way or another is a reflection of what you mentioned before. Your worth and virtue. Now, as I said, if I need a bulldozer driver, and you are the best there is, then I am going to ignore your tattoo. If I need a programmer and you are the best there is, I am going to ignore your tattoo, but if I am selling Cadillacs in Rural America, your tattoo is going to hurt my business, and you won't be considered for the job. It is what it is.

No problems here. But then again, Ive been working IN the piercing/tattoo industry for nearly 15 years. It does seem that people in general have become a lot more tolerant of it. However, there will always be those who will judge people based on appearance. Just one of many hurdles mankind as a whole will have to overcome if we are ever to be considered truly civilized.