So I guess by now you would have all seen this article.  While I respect her choice of not liking tattoos, like many others I found her article insulting.  I wrote a response to her article which can be found below.  In the mean time, next week I am meeting with my tattoo artist to discuss colour for this baby below.  Exciting!

Dear Lisa Khoury,

It is without doubt that this letter is one among many, that I’m not sure why I am even responding when there are  more eloquent and succinct responses out there.

Tattoos are not a modern invention, they has been around for centuries and if you done your homework, you would find that they hold very significant spiritual and cultural values in many parts of the world. Tattoos have and always be an expression of one’s self and societal status.  For example the Moko tattoo in Maori culture was traditionally seen as a sign of status and now has become a symbol of the revival of the language and culture.

But this isn’t about tattoos, and their histories or your dislike for them. You’re entitled to that opinion.  This is about the harmful message you are broadcasting to those who are still yet impressionable. It is about the reinforcement of outdated ideals that reek in sexism, cultural insensitivity and pure shallowness.

It is about the idea that a women’s purpose, value and worth lies only  in her physical ability to make “heads turn”, “guys drool” and that the notion of class and elegance is derived from this. It is about claiming that activities such as going to the gym, shopping, high heels are symbols of class and elegance but intelligence, self expression, kindness and acceptance of others and confidence are not.  It is about the perception that one’s morals and values is inanely wrapped up in one’s physical appearance and  that those who do not fall  within your perceived societal norm will find themselves struggling to teach any form of moral code.  It is about classifying women as objects and commodities of desire.  It is about inadvertently dismissing those who fall out of the hetreosexual/ cis  female gender realm.

That is my problem with your opinion piece because quite frankly I don’t give two hoots if you like tattoos or not.

yours sincerely,

Rochelle