Lindsay

Taylor Lindsay
Instructor: Malcolm Campbell
UWRT 1103
22 November 2016
The Heart to Heart About Body Art in the Workplace
I started working at Airbound Trampoline Park in Winston-Salem, North Carolina two
days before my 17th birthday. My co-workers were welcoming and immediately accepted me in
their circle, making the first day of work less intimidating. As I talked among them, I studied
their appearances. Everyone appeared young and happy, but it wasnt until I noticed the
magnitude of body art that they appeared to be free from restrictions and able to express
themselves. Here I expanded on what they were free from. Their tattoos were all unique in
their own ways, and as I got to know my co-workers better I learned the stories behind them.
They had ear piercings that came with great risk. I expanded on the risk. One wrong puncture
could result in a serious infection or even severe nerve damage, but it was worth it to them. I
came to love my job, the owners, and my managers. Many jobs I had applied to in the past turned
me down due to my piercings and eye-catching hair colors, but I could express myself however I
wanted here. After my first year, my co-workers had encouraged and accompanied me to get an
additional piercing and my first tattoo. They had also added on to their collections.
Now, two years have flown by and my friends are starting to graduate college and trying
to migrate from Airbound, but most of them are having a hard time. The majority of them have
switched to jobs relating to their major, but cant progress because of their exposed ink. My other
co-workers have decided to cover their tattoos with makeup or clothing and take out their body
jewelry for their interviews and days at their job. I didnt list what they were doing this for.

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They are not the only ones facing this obstacle. As tattoos and piercings become more popular
and as young adults graduate college, employers may turn down qualified workers due to body
art and studs. My co-workers are starting to question the permanent decisions they have made
and wonder if they will ever obtain the job they studied for. The more I thought about it, I
wondered if employers would have to give in because eventually, they will need new, skilled
employees to carry out their work. Will professional careers start to accept tattoos and piercings?
Kelly Colihan, a medical writer, shares, Forty-four percent of young adults say they get tattoos
to feel unique, thirty-three percent want to feel independent, and twenty-eight percent wanted to
bring attention to a particular life experience. As the need for fresh workers is increasing so is
the desire for piercings and body art. I provided the statistics to prove this claim.
In the past, tattoos and piercings were perceived as savage and were associated with
individuals who were up to no good. According to Michael Atkinson, the successful author of
Tattooing, body art was a social deviance and a symbolism for trouble. In the 1920s, servicemen
and the working class got tattoos of patriotic art for the love of their nation and their hard work,
but in the 1950s tattoos were often seen on criminals who wanted to make their crimes known to
the public. As time went on, bikers and gang members sported and further tarnished the view of
them. However, the perception of body art changed at the end of the 70s when women used it as
a symbol to express their equality and empowerment.
I indented for a new paragraph. Americans today tend to believe that tattoos and
piercings are a part of pop culture because they have become common in modern culture and
spread throughout mass media to attract a younger audience. It is common to see individuals
covered in art when leaving your house, and tattoo and piercing parlors are in every direction. I
spelled out the quantity because its at the beginning of the sentence. Thirty-six percent of

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Millennials, ages 18 to 25, have at least one tattoo as stated by Mik Thobo-Carlsen, a journalist
for the Huffington Post. I had to italicize my sources. Fourteen percent of them have a piercing
that is not on the lobe of the ear, but located somewhere else on the body. These practices have
become a form of art and a symbol of freedom. Every day, young adults go under the needle to
express their interest, remember loved ones, or make memories. Added However, what one
individual may cherish, the employer may find distracting in the professional work setting.
Garrette Kennedy, writer for the website Labordish, informs young adults that 60% of
professionals said that visible tattoos and piercings would have a negative impact on the
applicants chance of being hired. This raises the question if people will be out of a job due to
their decisions of expressing themselves or will employers give in to what is now a part of pop
culture?
People often feel employers are using an act of discrimination when they are told that
their tattoos or piercings are unacceptable in the work place. Garrette Kennedy argues, There is
no overt protection for employees with body art. The expression of it is protected from the
criminal law by the constitution, but is not federally protected in the workplace. The only acts of
discrimination prohibited in the workplace is age, gender, Added religion, disability, national
origin, and pregnancy. Therefore, hiring managers have the right not to hire an individual due to
their piercings and tattoos, and it is ultimately their decision if they do or not. Their decision is
influenced by their own beliefs or what the company expects. I didnt state a source. As
reported by Amanda Haddaway, the author of Destination Real World: Success After Graduation,
many traditional places prefer a conservative look, and want a neat, clean, and professional
image. They fear the presence of tattoos and piercings in the professional work setting implies
that the worker is not qualified. Customers tend to have a negative bias saying individuals with

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body art and piercings are less intelligent, attractive, and more rebellious proving why companies
hire individuals with a more polished look. Four percent of tattooed or pierced people say they
have faced discrimination in their current job. States with the highest tattoo discrimination
statistic are South Carolina, Oklahoma, and Florida.
In the opinion of Barrie Gross, an experienced small sales business owner, I added what
type of business. the key for employers is to have a written policy about dress code and
appearance that employees are required to read and sign, and then to enforce that policy
consistently. The policies should have a reason to back up the decision and be the best choice for
the business. If the employers have the authority to create a policy, they have the authority to
come to agreement with their workers. I then wondered are some employers more lenient than
others? This is all up to the employer and what he or she finds acceptable. STAPAW stands for
Support Tattoos and Piercings at Work and is an organization that provides great examples of
professional careers that have been lenient with their tattoo policy. According to this
organization, the government has the most lenient tattoos and piercing policies. However, only
8% of government employees have ink or piercings. Added Companies with innovative
employers, like Apple and Google, explain that they are never restrained by how things use to be
done. Therefore, they allow employees to expose their tattoos and piercings and believe this can
provide a friendly, accepting invitation to customers. In comparison to this, organizations like
Starbucks, Disney World, and Universal Studios have included no piercings or tattoos policies so
their workers maintain a specific appearance. As claimed by Megan Schultz, an author for
several academic journals, It is up to the employer and what they believe to be fit.
Added The actual design of the tattoo, size, and placement can determine whether it is
allowed in the work setting. As believed by Barrie Gross, employers do show some flexibility

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and may overlook tattoos if they are not provocative or offensive. Studies show that men tend to
be more overlooked than women when being hired. Are there some companies that might be
willing to accept exposed, meaningful tattoos? As mentioned earlier, discrimination is prohibited
when dealing with religion, and employers are expected to reasonably accommodate sincerely
held religious beliefs and practices. This is not to say if an individual has a cross on their wrist
the employer cant discriminate against them. If an individual has a tattoo that is required of their
religious belief or based on traditional ethnic customs, then the employer cannot discriminate
against their body markings. There are some individuals who are satisfied with one tattoo, but the
vast majority of people feel they need more. According to the Harris Poll, 26% of people who
have a tattoo have five or more tattoos. When tattoos start to cover an individuals entire arm or
leg, it is known as a sleeve. Employers are more willing to accept a single tattoo than multiple,
exposed ones.
The millennial generation consist of the children who were born between 1982 to 2002.
There are more than 77 million millennials, and they are entering college in record numbers at
more than 50% (Vanian). They receive their education and try to find work that is fulfilling and
will bring them guaranteed success. Added In 2015, the millennials took over the majority of the
workforce, and by 2030 75% of them will make up the workforce. As stated in the article
Reshaping the Workplace, by the PWC company, millennials are more ambitious, looking for
personal growth, and benefit from the long term aim. Fifty-two percent of young adults look at
how much they can progress in a company and let that determine what job they will choose, and
fifty-six percent believe they can rise to the top with their employer. Progressing in their career is
their top priority and they have the skills to do so.

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According to Jake Schwartz, the CEO of the business education company General
Assembly, 88% of millennials reported wanting a fun and social workplace. Studies proves a
business could lose $20,000 when a millennial leaves a company because they are losing a hardworking, young adult who had a better knowledge of the technology businesses use today. The
use of tech sets millennials apart. I had to explain why companies can lose the money.
Schwartz was the most convincing voice when he explains that individuals in companies want to
keep the younger employees satisfied and will tolerate their demands. In other words, employers
must think of their employees as customers who they need to keep constantly happy. If
employers are desperate to keep their millennials and make them happy, then they may come to
an agreement that the young individuals can express themselves freely with tattoos and piercings
in the professional workplace. The employer may weigh the importance of fresh, qualified
workers over the appearance they have to maintain. I agree with Schwartz with how successful
young adults have become in receiving their education and are very skilled. Over time, the
millennials will become successful, rise to authority, and will make decisions for companies.
Because they have been exposed to tattoos, piercings, and pop culture, policies in the
professional careers may start to shift as new beliefs enter the environment.
Added Due to the negative bias that still exist in the workplace about tattoos and
piercings, some individuals may start to regret the choices that they have made at an earlier age.
In disagreement with this statement William Jordan, an editor for the website YouGov, makes
clear, Seventy-eight percent of people have no regrets of their tattoos with the remaining
twenty-two percent regretting at least one tattoo. The majority of people are pleased with their
body art and decide to embrace it or dont mind covering it up for work. Out of the 22% of
people who regret their tattoos, only 6% seek removal. This can be done with the lengthy process

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of laser tattoo removal. According to Kelly Colihan, laser removal removes tattoos by breaking
up the pigment of colors with a high intensity light beam. The average removal takes 2 to 4
visits, but can take up to 10 visits and can cost $200 to $500 each session. Tattoo removal can be
expensive, very painful, put individuals at risk for infection, or may leave a permanent scar.
Thirty-eight percent of people who went through with the removal process explained they made
this decision due to their career. The vast majority of people who turned to laser removal
couldnt provide a specific reason why they did. They simply said, I just decided to remove it.
Added For those that dont want to endure the pain of a tattoo or may be worried about
the consequences of their actions, there is an alternative. Henna tattoos are known as the art of
temporary tattoos. According to Nisha, a website about henna culture, henna is a paste made out
of crushed leaves from the Henna plant. For a time, it was used to color skin, fingernails, hair,
leather and wool in South Africa, but now 1% of people provide henna services to individuals.
Customers can choose from several designs provided, the artist applies the black paste design,
and after a day has passed, the black becomes a dark orange stain that stays on the skin for 4 to
15 days. Henna booths and shops are widely seen at special community events, amusement
parks, or areas with a large amount of tourism. Recently, stores like Target and Kohls sell Henna
kits.
All of the employees at Airbound Trampoline have taken different directions for their
future, but we still make time to reconnect. My closest co-worker, who majored in zoology, now
works as the director of a zoo in North Carolina and has five exposed tattoos, all of animals. The
majority of my co-workers decided to take out their piercings and cover their tattoos to be able to
obtain a professional career. There are some who are still at Airbound and are still having a hard
time finding another job. They are unwilling or unable to cover all of their tattoos and are turned

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down for job positions. I didnt include why they were having a hard time. All of their
outcomes are different just as employers all have different beliefs and perceptions of tattoos and
piercings.
My research has made me more aware of my own future and how my decisions about my
body can have consequences. Employers have the right to deny me a job because of my piercings
and body art, and I need to be careful of the size, placement, and meaning of them. I hope my
readers consider contemplating getting a tattoo longer and ask themselves is it worth it.
According to the Harris Poll, the top reason individuals regretted getting a tattoo is getting one at
a young age, followed by personality changes. Taking the time to consider how your tattoos may
affect you in the future can save you a lot of regrets and expenses if you decide to pursue
removal. If the career you prefer is lenient with body art and you are sure about the career path
you are going to take, then go for it!
I remain curious about what the future holds and how pop culture could eventually affect
the professional work place. How long will it take for the millennials to bring change? They have
been exposed to the idea that tattoos and piercings are a way of expression and individuals
should be able to freely express themselves anywhere. The millennials are hardworking, struggle
less with technology than their employers, and entering the professional work setting in large
numbers. Still, the older generation doubts them due to their need for guidance and constant
seeking for approval. Could this be vice versa? Employers want to keep their young employees
happy and can suffer a great loss when a millennial chooses to leave the company. The company
PWC states, More than 50% of millennials will leave their job after 3 years due to lack of
satisfaction and having to compromise their terms with their employers. Employers are trying to
find a way to keep their employees from leaving, and being lenient with the companys policies

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may be the answer. The majority of adults dont regret their tattoos and have ranked their regrets
for having a tattoo due to obtaining a career as low. As millennials work their way up the career
ladder, they are challenging the traditional policies and beliefs. I had a time writing a stronger
conclusion. I completely got rid of my conclusion in my first draft and started from scratch.
Instead of concluding with a list of questions, I provided statements that would provoke
more thought and exploration.

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Works Cited
Attention, Employers: Millennials Have Made Their Demands The Atlantic. N.D.
Web. 2 Oct. 2016.
Colihan, Kelley. Removing Tattoos: Who Does It and Why? WebMD. 21 July 2008. Web.
16 Nov. 2016.
Gross, Barrie. Tattoos in the Workplace: Whats an Employer to Do? AllBusiness: Your Small
Business Advantage. N.D. Web. 29 Oct. 2016.
Haddaway, Amanda. Hiring Discrimination Against Tattoos and Piercings Work It Daily.
11 Mar. 2015. Web. 29 Oct. 2016.
Henna Tattoos Myths and Facts Nisha Henna Arts. N.D. Web. 16 Nov. 2016.
Kennedy, Garette D. Tattoo-ism: Where Body Art Meets Employment Discrimination The
Labordish. 22 June 2015. Web. 29 Oct. 2016.
Lyons, Jenny. The Tattoo: Then and Now New University: University of California, Irvine.
9 Oct. 2012. Web 29 Oct. 2016.
Reshaping the Workplace PWC Business. N.D. Web. 16 Nov. 2016
Schultz, Megan, Diane M. Harvey, and Susan M. Boscoe. "Tattoos and Body Piercings in the
Workplace." Proceedings for the Northeast Region Decision Sciences Institute (NEDSI):
1-10. Business Source Complete. 1 Jan. 2015. Web. 11 Oct. 2016
Tattoos in the Workplace Statistics StaPaw: Support Tattoos and Piercings at Work.
N.D. Web. 26 Oct. 2016.
The Tattoo Takeover: Three in Ten Americans Have Tattoos, and Most Just Dont Stop at One
Harris Poll. 10 Feb. 2016. Web. 22 Nov. 2016.
Thobo-Carlsen, Mik. How Tattoos Went from Subculture to Pop Culture The Huffington Post.

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Added Huffington Post. 27 Oct. 2014. Web. 3 Oct. 2016.
Vanian, Jonathan. Why Employers Need to Empathize with Entitled Millennials Fortune.
Added Time Inc. 12 July 2016. Web. 27 Oct. 2016.

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