Tattoos discrimination
- Lev Narozhny
- 1 day ago
- 9 min read
Let’s address the topic of discrimination based on appearance, specifically attitudes toward people with tattoos. In this discussion, we cannot avoid logic. Throughout this article, I will be addressing you, the reader, with rhetorical questions. Consider this text not as a scientific paper, but rather as a reflective essay.
Why did I decide to write about this? Because I am a person with a large number of tattoos. How many exactly? Honestly,I no longer know. Both of my arms are completely covered with artwork. I have large tattoos on my legs, ribs, and neck. A few small ones on my face and ear. When I talk about discrimination, I am not speaking theoretically.
Recently, something revealing happened. I work as a freelance graphic designer. Sometimes clients want to meet in person before starting cooperation. During one such meeting (I was wearing closed clothing, it was cold outside, so my tattoos were not visible), the client casually mentioned: “I wouldn’t want to work with someone who looks unprofessional. You know, with tattoos and all that.” I said nothing. I simply continued discussing the project.
The work was completed successfully. The client was satisfied and invited me to celebrate the project’s completion with the team at a restaurant.
The irony? The restaurant had a waitress with many tattoos and piercings. The same manager spoke with her politely, smiled, thanked her, and left a generous tip. He clearly appreciated how she did her job.
After the event, I decided to ask him directly.
He explained it like this: “A waiter is service staff. That’s different. My employees, even temporary ones are the face of the company.”
So I asked: “Isn’t a waiter the face of the restaurant? What about flight attendants? Where is the logic?” He couldn’t define a clear boundary.
Eventually, I showed him my tattooed arms and my stretched ears (usually hidden by my long hair). He was shocked. Not angry, just genuinely surprised.
And you know what? He continued working with me. Apparently, you can cooperate with someone regardless of their appearance. Incredible, right?
Stereotypes about people with tattoos
What prejudices do we encounter at work and beyond? Let’s examine the most common ones.
1. “They’re mentally unstable.”
First of all, polite people don’t diagnose others. And with impolite people, it’s better not to engage at all. Second, most people have neither medical education nor the competence to make such conclusions. Even if someone does struggle psychologically, that does not give anyone the right to treat them with prejudice. Mental health is not a reason for discrimination.
2. “They’re criminals or marginal.”
Yes, in criminal environments tattoos can carry specific meanings.
But seriously, can’t you tell the difference between a prison tattoo and professional artistic work?
Makeup is used by people in the sex industry, by TV hosts, teachers, businesswomen. Yet makeup is not automatically considered a sign of “immorality.” Why? Because it can be removed? Is durability the only difference? Marginality is about behavior and values not a drawing on skin. If someone has aggressive or extremist symbols, such as a swastika that’s a reason to be concerned. But if it’s flowers, abstraction, art, personal symbolism, why should that define professionalism?
3. “They’re irresponsible.”
The assumption is that someone who makes a “permanent” decision doesn’t think about the future. But let’s look at it differently. A person likes an idea. Thinks about it. Researches artists. Studies portfolios. Compares styles. Consults. Does that sound impulsive? Choosing something permanent does not automatically mean the decision was careless.
4. “They’re aggressive.”
Tattoos are often perceived as rebellion against society. But tattoos vary in meaning, quality, style. They can simply be art. And on the other hand, isn’t it good that in some countries people are allowed to express their opinions openly? When I see someone with political or philosophical symbolism even if I disagree, I respect the freedom behind that expression. Who are we to silence someone?
5. “They’re not suitable for client facing jobs.”
I already gave two examples, myself and the waitress. Two real cases proving that people with tattoos can be professionals. You rarely see flight attendants or doctors with visible tattoos. Why? I understand restrictions on piercings, hygiene and safety reasons. But tattoos? They’re just pigment in skin. They cannot interfere with someone’s ability to save a life.
When you need urgent medical help, do you think about your doctor’s tattoos or their education? If a person is clean, competent, and professional, does a drawing on their skin really matter?
I once spoke with a young specialist training in elderly care. In his personal life, he looks unconventional, tattoos, piercings, colored hair.
Our opinions differed.
My position: if you don’t like how I look and refuse me to help you, that’s your choice.
His position: I’ll cover my tattoos to avoid conflict, and if tension arises, I’ll still try to find common ground to continue helping.
That’s noble. But why should a specialist, already in high demand, tolerate disrespect? My rule is simple: if you don’t like someone’s appearance, keep it to yourself. Especially if you expect help from them.
6. “They’ll regret it when they’re old.”
Do you really think that tattoos on an older body are destined to look bad? What do you think when you see examples like these?
Personally, I see beautiful bodies in those photographs. When we talk about tattoos, old age, beauty, and most importantly morality, we need to separate these concepts instead of mixing them together.
A tattoo, before we attach it to a specific body, whether young or old, is simply a drawing. A drawing can be beautiful or not. It can be liked or disliked. Every person among the nearly eight billion people on this planet has their own opinion. And here, I would suggest relying on your own sense of beauty rather than imposing it on others.
Older bodies are different. Some are athletic, some are not. Some are tall, some are short. Some have stretch marks, some do not. More broadly speaking, older people look different and they are not obligated to please anyone visually. We must honestly admit that most people tend to see beauty primarily in youth. And I believe that people who oppose tattoos on older individuals are not truly “concerned” about them, they simply want to surround themselves with bodies that satisfy their personal aesthetic expectations.
Beauty comes in many forms. Many confuse beauty with sexual attraction. But beauty does not stop within conventional boundaries, it is diverse. I genuinely feel sorry for those who cannot see beauty in art, and in all kinds of bodies.
And morality, when someone says, “I’m just worried about you.” or “Think about how it will look when you’re older.” That is not help. It is an attempt to make someone look the way you prefer. If you truly care about the outcome of a tattoo, help the person find a skilled artist. A professional will ensure quality materials and provide proper aftercare instructions. That would be real support, not disguised control.
7. “They chose it, they should accept the consequences.”
Doesn’t that sound like victim blaming? Yes, it does.
Earlier, I presented completely illogical arguments that people use against tattoos and I responded to them. When someone says things like that, they are simply reinforcing discrimination. Wouldn’t it be better if a person could live their life and look the way they choose?
Instead of blaming someone who has done nothing wrong, maybe it would be more productive to direct that energy toward fighting stigma and unfair judgments.
8. “They do it for attention.”
Even if they do, so what?
Wanting attention is not a crime. If someone seeks attention, let them. What truly matters is how that attention is used once it’s received.
I would also like to add that there is no single image or stereotype of a person with many tattoos. We are all different, just like everyone else on this planet. Some people enjoy being in the spotlight, while others prefer to stay within a close circle of friends, family, and familiar faces.
9. “Employees are the face of the company.”
Often this argument feels manipulative, as if employees must not only perform their job but also satisfy aesthetic preferences.
In many developed countries, discrimination based on appearance is formally prohibited (I hope). In reality, though, employers can simply say: “We found a better candidate.”
When I started getting tattoos, I understood the responsibility. It wasn’t rebellion it was a challenge to myself. And yes, I knew I might need to build a career where my appearance would not be a limitation, perhaps even an advantage.
Permanent body modifications should always be carefully considered. They must be your decision.
Cultural context
When speaking about tattoos in the context of discrimination, I cannot ignore the cultural specifics of different countries. In Australia, there is still a significant Indigenous population, and in many Indigenous cultures, body markings, including tattoos are part of tradition and identity from an early age. For a European person, this may sound unusual or even “wild,” but we also have traditions in our own countries that may seem strange or incomprehensible to others.
Continuing with the topic of Indigenous communities in Australia (and only them), it is important to understand that full social integration is often complicated, especially if a person does not “play by the rules” of the dominant culture. This subject deserves deep social analysis and discussion. There are academic studies showing that Indigenous people can face additional barriers in employment, including bias connected to visible cultural markers such as tattoos.
Another interesting topic is how attitudes toward tattoos differ from country to country. I spent quite some time looking into social research about which countries are more accepting of tattoos.
As expected, in countries where tattoo culture has long existed, as well as in many European countries, people tend to be more tolerant toward individuals with visible tattoos.
It is striking, however, that such a highly developed country as Japan shows relatively low levels of acceptance toward tattooed individuals. Why? I believe that in many places where tattoos are rejected, the underlying reasons are similar. Let’s look at Japan as an example. Historically, due to its island geography and long periods of isolation, Japanese society developed as highly collectivist, more so than the more individualistic cultures of Europe or North America. Within such a system, standing out from the majority has often been discouraged. There is a well known Japanese proverb: “The nail that sticks out gets hammered down.” This mindset makes permanent, highly visible self expression more socially complicated, unlike makeup, which can be removed, or wigs and extensions, which can be taken off.
It is also important to understand that in ancient Japan, tattoos were sometimes used as punishment, criminals could be marked visibly to signal their offenses to society. Over time, tattoos became strongly associated with the yakuza, reinforcing the idea that tattoos equaled danger or criminality.
However, younger generations are gradually challenging this stereotype, not only in Japan, but around the world. Today, artistic tattoos are increasingly seen as a form of personal expression rather than a social label.
It is encouraging to see that people are slowly learning to look beyond appearance and make an effort to understand the person behind it, instead of drawing quick conclusions. Gradually changing this perception. More people see tattoos as art, not social and culture labeling.
Where is the line?
To this day, no one has been able to give me a clear answer as to where the exact line lies between personal taste, ignorance, and a person’s right to self-expression. And perhaps no one ever will, because this is a deeply complex issue.
On one hand, if tattoos are considered normal within someone’s culture, criticizing them can easily be perceived not as disapproval of tattoos themselves, but as hostility toward an entire culture.
On the other hand, when it comes to purely artistic tattoos, it often seems as if people suddenly feel free to criticize without hesitation.
We live in a time when appearance is still perceived as a marker of competence. Yet competence is about knowledge, responsibility, and results.
Today, on social media, there is a popular trend called “Facts That Don’t Match My Appearance.” And perhaps the very existence of this trend reveals just how strongly society continues to think in stereotypes.
What I’ve learned
Judging a person by their appearance is ignorance and disrespect. It is convenient and quick, but very often wrong. A tattoo is a form of self expression or part of someone’s culture. Professionalism is the quality of one’s work.
There is no direct connection between these two things.
Sometimes the person who looks the least “professional” turns out to be the most reliable partner. Personally tested.
Thank you very much for your attention and remember, we are people, not 100 dollar bills, we cannot please everyone, the main thing is not to offend anyone.
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