Tattooed women come in all shapes, sizes, ages, ethnicities, and sexual orientations. Some tattooed women are represented as the models that we see in the pages of Vogue or the musicians that dominate top 40 radio while other tattooed women are academics, scholars, lawyers, and doctors. We make up 1/5th of all women in America, making us the fastest growing demographic of tattooed people in the country. We are leaders, inventors, world travelers, mothers, and mentors; yet despite our vast differences and cultural backgrounds, we are all brought together by our love for the art that lasts on our skin and our tattoos bring us together. Here are some of the things that all tattooed women can relate to
1. You can’t wait to get your next piece.
If you have tattoos, you’re probably already addicted and have a few (or a lot) planned out for the future that you cannot wait to get inked on your body. I know that about a week after I get a tattoo I’m already itching for my next and I just can’t get enough. And as ladies, we can be a bit impatient so the wait for your next tattoo can seem unbearable at times.
2. Your tattoos give you confidence.
I don’t know if you’ve noticed but tattooed people are hot as hell and getting a tattoo makes you feel like a badass. Tattoos bring out the best in people and allow for you to tell the world how awesome you are through the ink on your skin. In fact, a study conducted by Texas Tech University Professor Jerome Koch recently came out saying that tattooed women have more self-esteem because they use tattoos as a way to repair emotional losses. If you’re still not convinced, check out another article which explains Body Modificaiton and Body Confidence.
3. You’re used to being hit on by strangers.
As tattooed women, we are used to having strangers ‘tat-call’, ask what our tattoos mean, and some people even go as far to touch our tattoos without permission. It’s clear when a person is genuinely interested in you or your tattoos and if someone is just being intrusive. And while we may love being tattooed, the attention that we get from it as women can get pretty irritating at times.
4. You feel bad disappointing your parents with every new tattoo.
It is really hard for some parents to accept that their children have tattoos, but it is even harder for the children with tattoos to let down their parents, especially if they are women. Even the most progressive parents carry stereotypes of tattooed women that may have held truth back when they were young and it is hard to break through to our parents that this is who we are and that we can still live full lives and be tattooed.
5. You’ve got a soft spot for a tattooed man (AND WOMEN).
This one goes without a lot of explanation. Tattooed men and women are hot as hell and if you have tattoos yourself, it’s likely that you’ll be attracted to someone with a similarly inked persuasion.
6. You understand that not every tattoo has a meaning, but every tattoo has a story.
Some of our tattoos may have a lot of meaning and some of them may just be beautiful art, but all tattoos have a story. There is a story of who you were when you got the design, what went on in that tattoo studio, and why you choose to ornament your body with vivid works of art. And the special thing is that everyone’s tattoo story is different and unique.
7. You’ve got some serious tattoo envy
Social media is both a blessing and a curse for tattooed women. It is a blessing because we get to see thousands of new tattoo designs every day are constantly finding new artists that inspire us but it’s a burden because we have got some serious tattoo envy. I can’t tell you how many hours I spend scrolling my Instagram dashboard drooling over the tattoos of Nikko Hurtado, Sasha Unisex, Sam Smith, and Rose Hardy and wishing that they’re ink was on my body. Never fear tattooed ladies, we have years to keep building our tattoo collections.
8. You’ve got a tattoo savings account.
Tattoos cost some serious cash and if you want a beautiful tattoo you’ve got to start saving Good tattoos aren’t cheap and cheap tattoos aren’t good, so if you want a tattoo like the one you see above, you better start saving your tip money. Hey mom, at least, I’m managing my money (kind of)!
9. You know the true meaning of beauty is pain.
Don’t let anyone tell you that tattoos don’t hurt, THEY HURT. But when you have that beautifully finished tattoo, you realize that those hours of pain were worth their while. Women are biologically more tolerant to pain, which means that we can handle getting tattoos better than a man can. Women are pretty badass if I do say so myself.
10. You’re proud to be tattooed.
If you call yourself a tattooed woman, you’re most likely pretty proud to be tattooed. Tattoos are one of the most amazing ways to express who you are and getting a tattoo as a woman is like a big ‘fuck you’ to people out there telling women what they can and can’t do with their bodies. Be proud to be a badass, be proud to be beautiful, and be proud to be a uniquely inspiring tattooed woman.