INKED Inc. - a community for the counterculture

Do your tattoos show at work?

Do they?

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Permalink Reply by Rebecca Mulcahy on July 24, 2007 at 1:58pm: Unfortunately, no. Visible tattoos are not acceptable in my office. I have small one on my neck and a couple of clients have caught a glimpse of it before but no one has said anything about it except to inquire what it is.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Andrea on July 24, 2007 at 2:40pm: I don't usually show my tattoos at work. In fact, I have only shown them to a handful of the other teachers. My principal doesn't know, but I don't think she would care if she did. I wear long sleeves at work, mainly because I am concerned about some of the parents around the school. On exceptionally hot days I may take off my jacket or over shirt in my room only, so a few of my students and my instructional assistants have seen my tattoos. The kids love them and would love to parade me around the school showing them to all of their friends.

I would love to expand my pieces into full sleeves, but I tend to run around like crazy and get really hot. I don't think I could go without rolling up my sleeves on hot days.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Pyrrhus Darwin Castello on July 26, 2007 at 6:30am: At this moment they are clearly visible and I am at work (Museum). I actually try to cover them up sometimes, just because my work isnt that good. Still the same tattoos as I got younger and didnt know about quality. And its a little embarrassing, because I try to talk people at work about how tattoos are art etc. And when you are saying this to a art majors and your own work isnt good, its like

Me: "Tattoos are as respected art form as the anything else"

Art majors (looking at my hands): "Yeah, right..."

So its a little different with me. I can show them. Just last week my boss and her secretary (for the first time) asked me if I like them. I said that not all and when I have money I will get them lasered. It use to be uncomftrable, because if you dont know me, I propably look like and ex-con. So they were crearly reserved at the first, now they are more open, if you dont count the usual looks. Like when I am talking (and I talk with my hands) they might follow them :D So if its a bigger art opening etc. I keep them hidden, so people will focus on the art and not me on me (pun intented ;) )

Its like this finnish piercer said it well Its not selfish when you take a tattoo that you want. Its selfish when you expect people not to react to them.

So yes I show them. And did the same when I was working in a retirement home. But sometimess I dont want to. Because if I preach, I would have to pratice too ;); ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Dana on August 7, 2007 at 4:15pm: My tattos are covered during work. But I didn't realize before I got my tattoo how often my lower back shows when bending over. Sooo...even though I'm not wearing low cut pants and short shirts to work occasionally it shows. Sometimes the attention was nice and appropriate. However, occasionally my tattoo has shown during patient sessions and some of the home health aides or other patients have commented and whatever important discussion I was having with my patient was lost and turned to my tattoo. So yeah...I try to keep them covered so as not to detract from the patient.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Deborah on August 8, 2007 at 11:02am: When my boss is not in town and I'm in the office just with my assistant, I let them show (if weather permits, I get really really cold). When my boss is in town and I'm going to meetings with gallerist and dealing with collectors, I cover them.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by monk on August 8, 2007 at 11:05am: People cant see my tattoo if I have a collar shirt on, but if I wear T-shirt then maybe 4cm is visible on my neck.

I don't get comments that often, but when they do ask about it they get quite a shock when I say that it spreads to the whole back. Then its the usual show time, which I don't like. So I just raise bottom of the shirt a bit so that they can see the bottom part and leave the rest for their imagination.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Jenn Wimberly on August 9, 2007 at 4:55pm: Mine do. I try to wear suits or jackets when I have client meetings - but sometimes when they show it helps the client realize that I'm a person just like them and they get over me being a lawyer - I'm way over me being a lawyer. HA! In court, I'm always covered. The sleeve on my right arm stops right above the wristbone - so suits cover.

I get mixed responses from folks in my office. Most folks hate the skull and crossbones on my left forearm - but when I explain a little about the period of rage I was in at the time I got it - that somehow makes it "ok" for them. I used to cover up when our Board of Directors meets monthly at the office, but now that they know me I don't worry about it anymore.

When I was at a big firm I covered up my first 2 weeks - the employee handbook said that there could be no visible piercings (i don't have any) - so I tried to be careful. Then I decided - screw it - this is who I am. I got interesting looks from the partners, but they didn't complain about my workproduct, so I continued to be me until I left - when the real me just couldn't mesh with biglawfancypants-ness.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Gordon B. on August 21, 2007 at 9:12pm: No... mine's on my back (as my pic shows). However, I'm one of those guys who wears a shirt only when forced to when the weather's warm, and so most folks around the village know. I'm a high school teacher & teach at the school my sons attend -- there are _no_ secrets in this situation -- but it's never been a problem that basically all the students (and teachers, and administrators) in the school know I have a tattoo (I've steadfastly refused to show it to them -- there's a line!). I tell 'em that if they want to see it, catch me down by the lake during the summer, I'll be in swim trunks & then they can look all they want. Also, I belong to the local gym, and usually wear a tanktop when I lift -- and the dogs' heads peek out from underneath, for what (I'm told) is a fairly whimsical effect.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Davita on August 27, 2007 at 10:21pm: Absolutely NOT!!! i wouldnt have my job then....it sucks, but im getting use to it now!!! I live in a small hick town and figured id get the stares and questions when im out and about, but i work about 40 minutes north close to cincinnati and figured my co-workers would be more approving....man oh man, was i wrong!!! i even have to wear long sleeves on my breaks!!!!
I love the health care field, bc i love meeting new people and helping people but ive recently made a new decision to follow my dreams and become a music teacher, but with MASS concerns on parently views (any opinions please feel free)!!!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Neeraj on August 30, 2007 at 2:17pm: Currently I proudly display my tattoos show at work, but this is a story from when I used to work as a freelance developer it's kinda a WTF moment to.

I rarely met any of my clients. My business partner would attend all the business meeting, setting up of new clients, etc. If they wanted to talk to me they either called me or emailed me. Well this pro-bono lawyer organization that we had worked with for 2 years wanted me to demo the new site we built them infornt of the rest of the staff and the new CEO. Well, I don my best corporate look, starched shirt, a classic pasley tie handed down from my dad, nice wool pants and brand new shoes, I even get hair cut the day before. I demo the site infront of a projector, a part of my sleeve shows from under shirt sleeve when I stretch to point out something. The demo goes without a hitch, they love what we built for them. After the meeting a few of the staff come up to me and talk about the tattoo that they see, It's a tattoo of stitches at my wrist. I don't tell them about the rest of pieces. Well, two hours after the meeting my partner gets a call form the CEO, thanking us, congratulating, etc., just before hanging up the ceo asks my partner details about me and am I to be trusted considering I have tattoos, does he do good work etc.

What kind foolishness is that? That I cannot be trusted because I have tattoo's I don't do good work cause I have tattoo? It still bugs me almost 3 years that they question my work ability cause I have tattoos.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Dana on December 17, 2007 at 5:58pm: That would bug me too. I mean complete ignorance is to be expected sometimes but it still hurts when that ignorance is directed at your character.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Joe Smith on September 10, 2007 at 11:09pm: I wear short sleeves and when I have long sleeves I roll them up freely. Everyone knows I have them, senior managers actually seem to be better about it than some of the people I am senior to. At times they actually help with my interactions with the mechanics, it seems like they relate better to an engineer directing them who looks like I do than the stereotypical pocket protector types.

That said, I am working on applications for MBA programs right now and I am a little nervous how it will be viewed by a bunch of investment bankers and consultants. My tattoos on my wrist go pretty low, a watch covers the one on my left arm pretty well but the right pokes out when I shake hands. I have no problem covering them up if I need to but its nice not having to worry about hiding them from people.; ▶ Reply to This