To Be Inked.....

[Judy Canty]

While lunching at a national 24-hour diner chain, a young woman came in to apply for a job. She was dressed in scrubs, probably from an office in the medical building nearby, quite well groomed and polite. The manager was obviously impressed, until they shook hands. The young woman had tattoos on her hands. After she left, I heard the manager remark that she couldn't hire anyone with tattoos on their hands. Other areas didn't seem to be a problem, but they drew the line at hands. Just sayin'.

[optilady1]

I think if it's that much of an issue with your job, you should just find shirts that fit better.

My response to the "Can't we all just get along" talk: Keep dreaming, it ain't gonna happen. We all judge. It's wrong, it hurts, but it's reality. I think we have a few more generations before the more 'taboo' body decorations become acceptable in mainstream jobs. We can't even get over the prejudices of race, religion or sex. It's gonna be a long time before we get over ink and body piercings.

[Wes]

Let's not kid ourselves: people get tattoos because they want others to see them. I have no tattoos or piercings. They are an invitation to be passed over for serious opportunities.

Regarding hiring for a professional position or one that works with the public:
I would not hire anyone with tattoos that could not be covered by business attire.
As far as piercings go, small inconspicuous earrings for females only. Professionals do not have faces full of metal.

[vcom]

I have some tattoos, yet get very annoyed with people who complain about the discrimination they feel because of their own tattoos. We live in a society where appearance plays a major role in perception of character. Tattoos are a choice. When I hear a tattoed person get all ****** off because they couldn't get a job at the local pet store because of their neck tattoo, my response is this; You chose to get that tattoo on your neck. It's the same as if you went to apply for a job at a daycare with 'a F*** The Police' t-shirt on. You chose to wear that shirt. You chose to get that tattoo. As adults, we all need to be held responsible for our own actions, and expect the consequences. Someone with a swastika tattooed on their forehead needs to give up on their dream of being a Justice of The Supreme Court. It's not discrimination. It's a civilized society, with a moral code of conduct. Go ahead and be rebellious. Please, by all means express yourself. But don't act all hurt when some people are offended by your choices.

[obxeyeguy]

I have 1 tat, covered, no piercings. A couple of the ladies in the office have visable ankle and foot tats, and no one seems to care. I was going to get another on my calf, but because I work in shorts in the summer, have hesitated.

When interviewing, I do have a problem with facial piercings and have skipped over people with even a little nose piercing. Just not my thing.

[MikeAurelius]

I have some tattoos, yet get very annoyed with people who complain about the discrimination they feel because of their own tattoos. We live in a society where appearance plays a major role in perception of character. Tattoos are a choice. When I hear a tattoed person get all ****** off because they couldn't get a job at the local pet store because of their neck tattoo, my response is this; You chose to get that tattoo on your neck. It's the same as if you went to apply for a job at a daycare with 'a F*** The Police' t-shirt on. You chose to wear that shirt. You chose to get that tattoo. As adults, we all need to be held responsible for our own actions, and expect the consequences. Someone with a swastika tattooed on their forehead needs to give up on their dream of being a Justice of The Supreme Court. It's not discrimination. It's a civilized society, with a moral code of conduct. Go ahead and be rebellious. Please, by all means express yourself. But don't act all hurt when some people are offended by your choices.

The ONLY thing I question in your statement is this: "It's a civilized society, with a moral code of conduct."

Straight out of the Republican fact book, in fact, I'll bet if I looked hard enough, either Rush Limburger or one of his cohorts probably said it.

There is no such thing as a "moral code of conduct". If there was, discrimination of ANY KIND would not exist. The only reason that people with long hair, tat's, and piercings are allowed to be discriminated against in word and deed is because it hasn't been made illegal (yet).

If you want to live by a so-called "moral code of conduct", stop swearing (or using *** to indicate a swear word). Stop judging other people on how they appear. Behave in a proper moral manner. Act in a moral manner. Speak and write in a moral manner. None of which you have done in your post.

[Judy Canty]

Whoa...we seem to have struck a nerve here. It's time to dial it back before things get ugly.
Personal choices are personal choices.
Employers and business owners get to make reasonable rules governing their businesses. That's their choice to make.
We can all disagree with each other, but in the long run, vcom is correct.
We are responible for the choices we make.

[becc971]

When interviewing, I do have a problem with facial piercings and have skipped over people with even a little nose piercing. Just not my thing.

Facial piercings are one of those things for me that i'm back and forth on, i had a nose piercing, i worked in multiple professional settings with it and was never questioned or had it brought up until i started a bartending job a few years ago and even they took a long time to notice. I've also seen people with tongue and eyebrow piercings in professional settings. I feel as long as you can keep it tasteful and not ridiculous (i.e. crazy colors, dangly things, giant gauges in your earlobes) you can make it look "nice." Mine was never anything more than a small silver ball or a diamond. i wore crazier earrings than that and didn't have an issue. my 80 year old incredibly conservative christian grandmother told me it made me look cute :) however she still doesn't know about my tattoo haha

I also feel like they arent something i would hire someone with if they went overboard, if they had nose eyebrow lebre lip and the monroe, i would probably tell them to seek employment elsewhere. but a small one isn't anything to get too worked up about for me :)

[vcom]

I'm not judging people at all. I just don't want to hear people who put themselves in a position where they are more likely to offend others, complain about the reaction they get. And we do live with a moral code of conduct. We can all agree on certain things being more potentially offensive than others. If I died my hair pink, it would be slightly shocking, but not that offensive, however I would have to expect some sort of reaction. If I stood outside an aids clinic with a 3 word sign stating what I beleived to be God's negative opinion of the patients of that clinic, it would be very shocking, it would be offensive to many, and I would have to expect a serious reaction. That is my point. I don't want to hear people complain about the reaction they get, when they do something that encites a reaction. Stop whining. You made a choice you knew might be shocking at the time. That's kind of the point. Let's remember the cool thing about civilization is it can evolve. There was a time when a woman showing her belly button at the beach was shocking and offensive. But she chose to show her belly button, knowing full well how people would react at the time. I'm all for freedoms and choices and community and working together for a better tomorrow. Just sick of the whining. Own up to your choices. (Can you tell I have 2 teenagers?)

[MikeAurelius]

The minute we start using a so-called "moral code of conduct" to judge others is the minute we have all lost our personal freedom, especially when that "moral code of conduct" is forced upon us by others and we have no say in it.

Yes, it's touched a nerve. And it should touch EVERYONES nerve. If you don't speak out against this kind of thing, we are doomed to repeat the past. The "moral code of conduct" is responsible for such things as demanding transvaginal ultrasounds before abortion. The "moral code of conduct" is responsible for the far right-wing tea-baggers in the Repugnant Party being against so-called "gay marriage". Yep, it's touched a nerve.

[Judy Canty]

I said dial it back, and I mean it.

[chip anderson]

Imagine people that think they are so ugly that thier appearance will be enhanced by a tattoo.

Maybe phychiatrists should be a numerous and inexpensive as tattoo parlors.

Really strange part is most civilian tattoos are done while the customer is sober.

Chip

[MasterCrafter]

Imagine people that think they are so ugly that thier appearance will be enhanced by a tattoo.

I'm with you Chip.

Why do people even get Tats?

Do they not like the way they look? Lets be honest guys. Would you rather look at a woman in the buff who is all tated up. Or do you like SKIN?

I'm sayin SKIN TO WIN

Then there's the image of the "tatoo Grandma" ........ I bet the Grandkids like that....... NOT!!

PS - One time Tatoo's were for sailors. God I wish they would have stayed there !!!

[vcom]

I'm certainly not trying to get everybody fired up on tuesday morning. Just saying I don't like all the whining. "waaaaah that hot coffee I bought was too hot and it burned me when I held it with my knees while trying to text and drive and now Im going to sue you". "waaaaaaah english class is so boring I had to play with my ipod just to stay awake, if the teacher was more interesting I would'nt break the rules". Stop whining. Hold yourself accountable. Blaming somebody else for your troubles doesn't fix anything. If you don't like the rules, change them! You get what you give. Imagine if mayflies sat around complaining how hard it was to find a mate, instead of just going out and making it happen. There would be no more mayflies.

[MikeAurelius]

I don't have a problem with saying "hold yourself accountable". I *DO* have a major problem with saying "we have a moral code of conduct and it requires you to (insert your favorite forced desire)". That's pretty much the gist of what you first wrote, and I've expressed my dislike of that approach enough.

The more push-back there is on tats and body piercings, the more those being discriminated against will push back, and perhaps eventually into the courts. As time goes by and the the old-school judges are pushed out for newer, younger, more socially aware judges, I suspect there will come a time when it will become illegal to discriminate on the basis of "body art", just as it did with men's long hair some number of years ago. I believe personal liberties are a wonderful thing (can you tell?), and while I don't force anyone to share my beliefs, neither do I like someone trying to force their personal beliefs on me and mine.

If you don't wish to hire someone with body art, that's your business. But please, keep the "morality" of body art to yourself.