Tattoo Etiquette

[hollandoates]

1. Do not grab the tattooed body part for a closer look.
2. Do not scream about how much you also love tattoos.
3. Do not strip and show off your own tattoos
Edit 4. Do not make snide comments about tattoos being for "sailors", "bikers" or "trash". These three things are not related, and have
     nothing to do with being tattooed.
5. Do not press for some long explanation of the symbolism: inquiring is fine, but, sometimes, there simply isn't any higher meaning.
6. Do not ask "but how will it look when you're old?" - it's really not your concern.
7. Tattoos are expensive and they hurt. The answer is obvious. If you must ask, it's better to frame it as "did that body part especially hurt?" or "how many sessions did it take?" The more sessions, the more money it cost.
8. Do not tell the tattooed person that they "won't be able to get a job with that tattoo". A tattooed person has generally considered   
   the benefits and drawbacks to their tattoos. You don't know anything about their ambitions or job prospects- not every office bans
tattoos, not every tattooed person wants to be a CEO.

[Lynnv]

4. Do not make snide comments about tattoos being for "sailors", "bikers" or "trash"- this cultural perception is changing, and you are   
    clearly trying to insult the tattooed person.

Especially don't to this since you are also insulting both sailors and bikers by equating them with "trash."  You have, by saying this, managed to insult at least three groups of people, when you really only meant to be insulting to one group.  Oops.

[lollylegs]

Don't ask a tattoo artist to draw something up unless you're serious about getting it done (that doesn't mean that you can't change your mind because you don't like what he or she comes up with). Especially especially don't take the design the design to another artist. Yep, that happened to a friend of mine.

[iradney]

Don't scratch the tattoo to "Check if it's real or not". Bonus points if the tattoo is only a few days old. Ouch 

[Dandy Andy's Daddy's Love]

"Tattoojacking" is just as annoying as any other kind of conversation hijack. We know you're excited about your new ink, but just because you are passionate enough about something to have it tattooed on your body doesn't mean we want to listen to you talk about it all evening.

Besides official dress codes, no one should have to cover a tattoo unless the level of formality indicates that the particular body part displaying the tattoo should be covered. In other words, if one (untattooed) bridesmaid is allowed to show her shoulders, any other bridesmaid is also allowed to do so, regardless of any visible ink.

Tattoos that contain language or images that are inappropriate for mixed company should be covered when in mixed company.

[shadowfox79]

Having expressed interest in someone's tattoo, do not spend the next half-hour talking about how you hate that particular symbol.

I have a Playboy bunny on my back. A friend of a friend, who was a teacher, asked about it, looked at it, then began to lecture the entire room about how disgusting the Playboy label was and how she always confiscated any such things from the kids in her care.

[EmsMommy]

Don't comment every time you see me with a snarky joke of "oh, you still have that ink mess on your wrist."  We've been over this several times...it's a tattoo.  No, it's not going to magically wash off or move places at your whim.

[Wonderflonium]

Don't scratch the tattoo to "Check if it's real or not". Bonus points if the tattoo is only a few days old. Ouch 

 

People DO that?!?!

[Lynnv]

Don't scratch the tattoo to "Check if it's real or not". Bonus points if the tattoo is only a few days old. Ouch 

 

People DO that?!?!

Youch!  Never ran into that one (thank goodness).

[Larrabee]

2. Do not scream about how much you also love tattoos.

Sorry, I don't understand this one.  Are referring to literally screaming?  Because that's always rude, I don't think its rude to share enthusiasm, is it?

[iradney]

Don't scratch the tattoo to "Check if it's real or not". Bonus points if the tattoo is only a few days old. Ouch 

 

People DO that?!?!

I got a new one in June this year on my wrist. I had to grab someone's hand as they were reaching for it while it was still healing (and this was after I explained that it was still healing). I have two on my spine - the first one I got 10 years ago, and at my old workplace, while showing my coworkers, someone actually did scratch it. I ashamedly confess that I let a few four letter words fly off at this person as a) it hurt b) it really hurt c) I was now at risk of infection and d) they might have damaged it (thankfully they didn't).

[Wonderflonium]

What is WRONG with people?!

[hollandoates]

4. Do not make snide comments about tattoos being for "sailors", "bikers" or "trash"- this cultural perception is changing, and you are   
    clearly trying to insult the tattooed person.

Especially don't to this since you are also insulting both sailors and bikers by equating them with "trash."  You have, by saying this, managed to insult at least three groups of people, when you really only meant to be insulting to one group.  Oops.

Since it's before my morning coffee, I have to clarify- is this directed at my wording, or the "general" you? I certainly don't think bikers or sailors are trash, nor do I think that having a tattoo makes one trashy. Hmmm. Perhaps the wording needs to be fixed.

[hollandoates]

2. Do not scream about how much you also love tattoos.

Sorry, I don't understand this one.  Are referring to literally screaming?  Because that's always rude, I don't think its rude to share enthusiasm, is it?

My tattoos are not as visible or prevalent as some of my friends, and they have expressed a lot of frustration about people running up to them and yelling really loudly in their faces about tattoos. This usually follows with groping the tattooed body part or stripping to show their own tattoos! Enthusiasm is nice, and sometimes it's nice to talk about mutual interests with strangers, but I think there are acceptable levels of enthusiasm.

[BeagleMommy]

Just because someone gets one tattoo doesn't mean they plan to ink their entire body.  Some people like only one; other like many.  To each, his own.