People stop touching me!!

[hobish]

I don't get why anyone would want to touch someone's tattoo - it's not like differently-inked areas will have different textures (I don't think so anyway).

I've found that the one i have on my solar plexus is soft. i kind of like to pet it sometimes, it feels sort of like felt. My others feel pretty much just like skin, though, so maybe it depends on the body part or the ink color.

[Katharine]

I don't get why anyone would want to touch someone's tattoo - it's not like differently-inked areas will have different textures (I don't think so anyway).

I was allergic to the first type of ink they used for my tattoo so it never sunk in to my skin completely. It is raised and kind of cool to feel. I tell people they an feel it but it is on my lower back to people only ever see it when I raise my shirt enough to show people.

The one on my wrist just feels like skin and people don't usually try to feel it. They just want to see it.

[kingsrings]

I know some people tend to react badly to women having tattoos because it has become some kind of bizarre stereotype that a woman with one or more tattoos is promiscuous.

Yeah really. Some people's attitudes are still so behind the times when it comes to tattoos. There are still these bad stigmas associated with them. When people find out that I have a tattoo, I always get, "You don't seem like the type that would get a tattoo". Oh, and what type is that exactly?? Get with the times, people. Lots of different people have tats these days, not just scary biker dudes or societal rejects. I love mine, am proud of it, and want to get a couple more someday. 

That being said, the worst reaction I've had to my tattoo was the stage hand I had just met at a theater I was working at. Upon seeing that I had a rose tattoo on my ankle, he bent down and kissed it. Seriously. But he was a really loud, obnoxious guy, so that was just part of it.

[Quesselin]

That being said, the worst reaction I've had to my tattoo was the stage hand I had just met at a theater I was working at. Upon seeing that I had a rose tattoo on my ankle, he bent down and kissed it. Seriously. But he was a really loud, obnoxious guy, so that was just part of it.

Eeeeeeeeeeew!!!!!!

[Suze]

I wa out shopping yesterday and ran into a girl at Barns & Nobels that had a fresh tattoo. So Cool.  the Tattoo was a Bible verse that wrapped in a spiral from her elbow to her wrist.

She had only gotten it done a couple days ago and she was hoping that the final color would come out looking like henna.

(and she was really sweet about letting me look at it)

[Athos_000]

I've had a man start yelling at me in supermarket for "ruining my body" because "no men like that kind of thing on a woman." Had to tell him my body belongs to me, not to any man (and by the way, my husband loves my tattoos, and he doesn't even have any himself).

I went on a date with this guy who asked me if I had any tattoos. When I told him no he was overjoyed because ... "A mother shouldn't have tattoos, how will that affect your kids?" ... um first of all.. I don't have any kids.. second of all.. definitely not having any with YOU since this will be our one and only date... and finally, I doubt having a tattoo, or a lot of tattoos for that matter, will affect my future children at all, except to teach them to appreciate all people no matter what they look like! ugh!

My husband wants us to go get tattoos together.. but I can't decide on a design and I am terrified of needles

[HogwartsAlum]

I went on a date with this guy who asked me if I had any tattoos. When I told him no he was overjoyed because ... "A mother shouldn't have tattoos, how will that affect your kids?" ... um first of all.. I don't have any kids.. second of all.. definitely not having any with YOU since this will be our one and only date... and finally, I doubt having a tattoo, or a lot of tattoos for that matter, will affect my future children at all, except to teach them to appreciate all people no matter what they look like! ugh!
[/quote]

Oh my Gaaaawwwwwdddd...what an idiot.  I wonder what would have happened if you had told him "yes."

[Sorceress]

I think sometimes it's a cultural thing.  Personally I hate it when complete strangers touch me or poke at me.  Being poked is especially annoying.  I also worked as a corrections officer for a few years and certain training instincts can kick in when people touch without warning.

I noticed when I visited a buddy up in Canada a few years ago that people are a lot more likely to put hands on your shoulders and stuff.  We went to the mall and instead of saying "excuse me" to get by me in a few cramped shops, several people just put their hands on my shoulders without warning.  Drove me crazy.

[Athos_000]

Oh my Gaaaawwwwwdddd...what an idiot.  I wonder what would have happened if you had told him "yes."

Probably could have saved myself a wasted hour   

[DragonYoga]

I'd say the whole touch thing is cultural - I'm deaf, and as such, we can't exactly say "excuse me" to get someone else's attention, so we will touch to alert them to our presence.  Deaf or hearing, it doesn't matter; it's just MUCH easier to tap someone on the shoulder.  I have a quiet voice, and I remember recently my FH (who can hear) and I were at Universal Studios for Fright Nights.  We were trying to make our way out of this incredibly crowded place, and since I was in front for a change, it was up to me to get through the crush. I stood directly behind this woman, yelling "Excuse me! Exucse me, please!" and she didn't budge. So finally I reached out and touched her lightly on her back, putting a little pressure on. She *finally* noticed me and moved, and at the same time I said "excuse me please" *yet* again.

Sorry for the slight off topic post.

As for tattoos, I have four. And I'm proud of every single one of 'em, and I have plans of getting more! My next one will be a visual imagery of my screen name - DragonYoga.  I've had people reach up and touch the tattoos without asking, but that was rare. I do get asked frequently if my tats are real... Uhh yeah? *G*

[sylvia224]

I also have tattoos on my back, and I have also been manhandled. I mean that literally too - almost every single time it was by a man, I can only think of one woman who grabbed at me without my permission. It makes me wonder if it is a dominance or even a misguided attempt at flirting? I'm not a man-hater or anything like that, but I do wonder...

Now that I am older, I almost never wear shirts that show my tattoos, but a bit of one does tend to peek out of the top of crew or boat neck tops. And I have also had people (again, almost exclusively male) actually grab my clothing and pull it down to get a better look. It is absolutely infuriating, because I interpret that as extremely condescending and disrespectful.

Now I am eight months pregnant (I wonder if the PP's date would call CPS on me for having children as a "marked" woman lol) and people are now grabbing at my belly without permission! And for the record, only women do this. Men seem terrified of a pregnant belly, thank goodness. It's just odd. I'm not a touchy/feely person either and I never touch anyone without their permission, other than the occassional light touch on the forearm in a gesture of sympathy or appreciation. And that only for those that I know well.

[hobish]

I noticed when I visited a buddy up in Canada a few years ago that people are a lot more likely to put hands on your shoulders and stuff.  We went to the mall and instead of saying "excuse me" to get by me in a few cramped shops, several people just put their hands on my shoulders without warning.  Drove me crazy.

Wow. I think i would really love that. Not that i like being touched by strangers; i REALLY hate it, and even have to get myself mentally psyched for going places where people will be crowding (although mosh pits are fine for some reason, i dunno why) ... around here, people will just forcibly shove by you ... a hand on the shoulder actually sounds less invasive.


edited to add ... people don't really reach out & touch my tatoos, even the solar plexus one. Maybe because they are small, or maybe because i think i have developed a naturally unnaproachable stance