Tattooing: The Expression of Individuality and the Significance that it brings

Essay by chickey_001University, Bachelor'sB+, January 2009

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Tattooing is a well-known art that is controversially looked upon as an ancient tribal ritual that should no longer be practised in today's contemporary civilization. However the art is still commonly practised by many people who are seeking to establish individuality. The art of tattooing should be distinguished as a means by which an individual is capable of expressing themselves in an artistic manner and crossing the line from the social normality to social deviance. It is presumed that one would spend a substantial amount of time in choosing a tattoo in which they will feel attractive for the rest of their life, portray themselves as the individual that they are, or remind them of a particular event that may have taken place.

It is common that individuals, especially women, will have themselves tattooed in order to feel more attractive. Women are more often expected to have a tattoo with little significance, other than the purpose of it having the essence of beauty or it being a sex enhancement, than men.

One researcher notes that "[t]attoos make the wearer less normal and more of a deviant" (Horne et al. 50 ). Many women decide to get an attractive tattoo because they are thriving to be set apart from other women and be more deviant. Horne also claims that women are found to view visible tattoos, on the opposite sex, slightly more attractive than do men (49). However, it is sometimes true that, people will find that the image they had chosen looses its attractiveness when they have matured. For this reason, one must be cautious and fully prepared in order to insure that this possibility will not occur. One writer rightly claims people "[tend] to investigate various options, making deliberate, rather than impulsive, choices" (Firmin et al. 200). There are...