I would like to bet a ridiculous amount of money on the fact that you, dear reader, know at least one person who has a tattoo if you don’t already have one yourself.
Tattoos of different styles and meanings have had a noticeable rise in popularity over the last five to ten years, and no one sees that changing any time soon; and that’s a good thing! Tattoos are a beautiful and nuanced form of self-expression that have sacred roots in many cultures, and therefore deserve to be celebrated in all forms of social and professional circles, not just in those that are considered “edgy”.
Despite all this, in many fields of work it is looked down upon to have tattoos and those with them are often actively discriminated against. Thus, a myriad of unnecessary and harmful social fissures stem from the formal workplace. So why are tattoo professionalism standards still in place, and why should we get rid of them? Let’s chat about it.
There is pressure to only work in certain fields if you have tattoos.
Many jobs that have been deemed less professional or “blue-collar” have a workforce that disproportionately has tattoos, and this is no accident. Corporate jobs and other occupations like them often subscribe to the idea that only dangerous or unreliable people have tattoos and therefore steer clear of them throughout the hiring process.
Due to these social taboos, many people with tattoos are then forced into industries that traditionally don’t provide as much compensation or benefits, resulting in a very discriminatory system that upholds unfair preconceived notions due to the way a person looks. Organizations often lose out on wonderful additions to their team because of hiring practices like these. Archaic norms establishing a person’s ability to be professional is severely harming the workforce, both from an employer and employee standpoint.
Biases against tattoos are inherently racist and sexist.
Hiring practices that discriminate against those who have tattoos are rooted in racist ideas about what being “civilized” means. It’s no secret that America has a lasting history of asserting its values on people who are excluded from who and what is traditionally considered “American”. The workplace is no exception.
In cultures in Polynesia such as Hawai’i and Samoa, tattoos are considered sacred and a crucial part of growing up into a contributing member of their society. Religious leaders and other people of deep importance signify their position, and their pride, through tattoos. This form of outward expression of identity did not reach the United States until as early as 1846, far later than the art itself was recognized in other places around the world. Tattoos were heavily tabooed, often being associated with criminals and thugs, unless you were a post-World War II serviceman. There is a seemingly obvious connection between who was allowed to have tattoos, and who was cast out for having them.
Only recently have tattoos in general, but especially those tied to cultural traditions, been accepted into general society, as well as the workplace. People of color from around the world have held a sanctity for tattoos for thousands of years, but only white American men who have served in the military were validated for their tattoos. Racists and imperialist concepts of being “civilized” come into play in a major way here, and it is crucial to acknowledge it when seeking to understand this phenomenon.
These standards for professionalism are outdated and are no longer relevant for the current times.
In a workforce that has been built by an older generation and is swiftly taken over by a younger generation, conversations around the bygone understandings of hireability have boomed with the incoming leaders of the labor force. Those who are entering positions of leadership are often millennials who understand the fact that many of the most qualified people for positions have at least one tattoo, and therefore should not be left out of the hiring process. In fact, 76% of these professionals would still consider hiring someone if they had tattoos.
As people with tattoos begin taking up leadership positions within organizations, the phasing out of outdated leadership ideologies is happening at a steady rate. Of course, there are reasonable expectations for the appropriateness of said tattoos. These expectations obviously align with pre-existing values of professionalism, such as no vulgar language on visible clothing and expectations of modesty.
One can expect to see an increase in inked-up individuals the next time they walk into their doctor’s office, real-estate consultant’s office, and favorite coffee shop. The gradual acceptance of tattoos confirms a movement of creativity and freedom of expression sweeping the nation and its pockets of professionalism. Now is the time to get that thigh piece you’ve always wanted and capitalize on this emerging tattoo professionalism.