Hw 32

They are very common in many societies; for some individuals it shows toughness, a way to say “back off.” For others it’s a way to show off a body part, for example young women having something inked on their lower backs. Tattoos are considered as something normal in our society. People look at it and walk away, yet so many people still are getting themselves under the needle; why are all these individuals: young and old getting branded. “I did it because it represents me” is not a good enough answer. For some it tells a story about their life, for some it’s their way to show passionate love for somebody (i.e. having a loved ones name permanently inked).

I personally do not plan on getting any tattoo in the future. I feel like tattoos are like company logos that are “punctured into the flesh”. Whether it is something written in a different language or a favorite childhood cartoon character, these people are adding a price to their body. I have many mixed feelings on the topic of tattoos itself, for the individuals who have had their flesh punctured I respect their thoughts and reasons for why they got under the needle. Everybody has their own story to tell, it’s their own body and they can do whatever they want to do with it.

Why is it that for a man to get a tattoo, it’s usually considered as if they are creating a “tough” look and make them appear superior? While for a female it’s usually considered in some way sexual or her wanting to flaunt her body? Even though my thoughts are a bit affected by what the society says, I feel like the main point of having a tattoo is to show off something, or gain some attention. I asked a friend of mine why she got her tattoo, and what caused her to get it; she stated: “My father has tattoos and I gave them a lot of attention. I only like the ones with color. I got mine after having my son to show love. People out there get it done for different reasons.” (Reyes, Sasha) She has her tattoo on her upper part of the right arm. To be honest I feel that she went for the punk, and tough kind of look, I was right after confirming it. She has a heart with a butterfly on it, with the name and birth date of her son. She said she got the heart with the name and birth date for her son, and she got the butterfly sitting on top of the heart to show that she has grown and matured and started a new life.

Personally I think that we should resist this trend because I feel like getting tattoos is like “ohhh, look at me…I am “different” with this tattoo”. Even though I respect the people who do have tattoos out there, I think that our bodies should not be covered with artwork you would pay for, while our natural body is a form of art itself. People say that our bodies are priceless, but by paying to cover them with other forms of art is just adding unnecessary value to the body. To me, people that have tattoos, usually with a name or date just want to get themselves out there and let everyone else know their business. I think that all these parts of life should stay personal and private. They should not be exhibited in front of the eyes of strangers.

To me tattoos can signify a variety of things; love, religion, toughness, etc…; but I do not feel that all these things should be signified by using our body as a material that should be drawn on. I feel that tattoos represent “a sheep pushing forward for branding to pledge permanent allegiance to her particular herd.” We should accept the way that our body is and not add things to the mixture. I may be a hypocrite saying this, but I would not do anything to my body that would leave a permanent mark on it.

It’s funny how so many people create “excuses” for why they got their tattoo yet they are all attempting the same action. They all want to get the most attention; even though the tattoo may be a different image and mean something different, but at the end of the day it all falls into the category of receiving attention and becoming “cool”. I would say for all the people out there that do not have tattoos is not an attempt to be special at all. That’s the way they were naturally born and they are proud of it. They do not need to “decorate” themselves with unnecessary items. It’s all about how you are personality wise, not by what your body is covered with, at least that’s the case in my opinion.

I stated before that I was being a bit hypocritical with what I said earlier, but hey, I am being honest with you. As an individual from the areas in the Middle East/The Greater Middle East, in my culture henna tattoos are very common. Since I was a young child growing up, I had henna put on my hands on specials holidays and wedding ceremonies; I still do to this day. But to me henna is a different story; henna is like a natural tattoo to meand naturally fades away on its own. “Henna or Hina (Lawsonia inermis, syn. L. alba) is a flowering plant, the sole species in the genus Lawsonia in the family Lythraceae. The word "henna" (حــنــا) comes from the Arabic name for the plant.” ("Wikipedia") Henna is a natural concoction of henna leaves and they leave an orange/reddish/brownish color on the skin when in contact. Henna will fade away in a week or two depending on how good it is. I am personally a fan of henna and know how to do it myself after learning from my cousins and living in such a culture. I would say tattoos and henna are on completely different levels in my honest opinion…

Works Cited:

Personal Friend/ Co-worker Sasha Reyes

"Henna." Wikipedia. 31 December 2009 at 05:29. Web. 7 Jan 2010. .