Appearance discrimination in the work environment 1

Appearance discrimination in the workplace

Calie Patton

Global Studies and World Languages Academy

December 2015

Abstract
Appearance discrimination in the work environment 2

Tattoo Discrimination has been on the uprise over the past years, as more and

more of the younger generation are embracing this new trend. Even though tattoos are

on the uprise, they still are not excepted in the majority of workplaces as most

employers turn away a potential employee based solely on their outward appearance.

Research has shown that even though employers claim that this is not the case, tattoo

discrimination still continues to happen. The goal of this research is to expose the truth

behind Tattoo discrimination, and discover why it continues to happen and go unnoticed.

In addition to this, this research also looks deep into the negative stigma behind tattoos

and the psychological aspect of discrimination in general.

Introduction

Imagine walking in for a job interview and being turned down for the simple

reason of having a visible tattoo. This happens all too often to tattooed individuals

seeking work and anyone who doesn't look the part. Jobs today are slowly moving

away from hiring people based on skill and experience, to hiring individuals solely based

on their outward appearance, and what employers think consumers want to look at.

This issue has been on the incline in recent years as the popularity of tattoos have

become more apparent in American culture. Currently, however, there is no law

protecting individuals rights from being discriminated solely on appearance alone.

The focus of this paper examines the negative stigma behind tattoos and the

history on how tattoos gained a negative connotation in American society. Also, through

the examination and analysis of case studies and experiments, this research paper

looks to gather statistical data on the discrimination of tattooed persons. The research
Appearance discrimination in the work environment 3

will go into depth on the psychological aspect of how people with tattoos are perceived,

and discover if any of the stereotypes associated with tattooed persons hold any truth.

The end goal of this paper is to address the issue of discrimination in the workplace and

hopefully bring the topic of discrimination into the public eye.

This research paper will further showcase tattoo discrimination through examples

from persons who have experienced discrimination in the workplace, and have either

been fired or denied a job because of it. In addition to real world examples this paper

also includes an interview in which the topic of tattoo discrimination is fully explored

through complex questions and intriket answers.

Limitations

Tattoo discrimination is a relatively new topic, so not a lot of research and studies

have been done to prove that discrimination of tattoo persons does exist. Also, research

is hard to conduct as cases differ from persons to person so it is difficult to collect

universal data on the discrimination of tattooed people. Through the research

conducted, there has been evidence that statistical information may be a bit off as these

vary from website to website. The discrimination of tattoos lacks concrete statistical data

as discrimination can not be represented in the form of a statistic, but instead is based

on how persons with tattoos feel in the workplace and how they depict if they are being

discriminated against. There also may be some bias in this research paper, as the

person conducting this research paper feels strongly that tattoos and piercings shouldn't

matter in the workplace as long as the individual is doing an adequate job in their field of

study. This paper also contains bias in the fact that the information contained in this
Appearance discrimination in the work environment 4

research paper is pro tattoos and piercings in the workplace, so there will be no data

going against the opinion in this paper.

Another bias that is associated with this paper is that this research only is

conducted on the basis of information found on websites, so there could be some wrong

information on these sites. This data also only shows one cultural perspective, coming

from a white female in the United States, so there are no other cultures that could be

used to give multiple perspectives.

Literary review

Tattoo and statistics Tattoos and body piercings have become very popular not

only in American culture, but around the world. It is reported that about 42% of adults

are now tattooed in the US alone and this number will only increase as 38% of

millennials are tattooed with 23% of millennials having body piercings as well (Kennedy

2015). According to The Huffington Post, around 86% of young professionals believe

that tattoos and piercings do not hinder someone from finding a job, and that

businesses are more focussed on professional wear rather than tattoos and piercings

when in regards to hiring. However, data also shows that 60% of employers hiring tend

to avoid persons that are tattooed because they believe that consumers tend to prefer

persons without tattoos and also that 74% say that facial piercings hinder a person's

chance of getting the job (Singer 2016). In fact according to (Lennon 2016), 37% of

managers cite tattoos as the third likely physical attribute that hinders people from

career opportunity and potential in the workplace. Statistics also show that around 42%

of people feel that visible tattoos are not appropriate in the workplace, but it is estimated

that around 42 million people have at least one tattoo. With this number being so high,
Appearance discrimination in the work environment 5

one would think that some type of law would be passed in order to protect these people

from workplace discrimination. However, according to (Lennon 2016), zero states have

a law that protects people with tattoos from being discriminated against both in the

workplace and in company hiring practices.

Tattoos and religion (Beth 2016) Tattoos throughout history have been

prevalent in many religions as these religions use these tattoos in rituals or as a way to

show appreciation to their faith. Starting with christianity, it is said in the bible that, Ye

shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you

(Leviticus 19:28). This can be interpreted in many ways as some Christians take this to

mean that tattoos are forbidden while other interpret this as not marking the dead in

funeral rituals, but having ordinary tattoos is ok. The orthodox Jews view of tattooing is

relatively similar to that of christians in that they also believe that the body is a gift from

the lord and therefore sacred. However in Buddhism, tattoos have a symbolic tie to the

religion. For example, the Mandals are intricate designs meant to represent the universe

and are often used to help focus during long periods of meditation (Roper). In thailand

tattooing can be traced all the way back to the Ayutthaya period where government

officials and civil servants were tattooed with the yant on their wrists to show their status

in society. The yant is estimated to be around 3000 years old but has only recently been

tattooed with the introduction of Buddhism in Thailand (Sak Yant Thai Temple Tattoos).

The yant is a sacred symbol that provides the wearer with protection and sacred

blessings through Buddhist palms and is usually given by a Thai monk who has studied

the magical side of this ancient tattooing practice and can incorporate blessings into the

Sak Yant (Mai 2016). In hinduism, temporary and permanent tattoos have been a
Appearance discrimination in the work environment 6

prevalent tradition in the culture. Temporary tattoos that are made with Mendhika, a

plant used for tattooing, have become a popular art form used in Hindu weddings and

festivals. Permanent tattooing has also become extremely popular especially in the

north- west part of India by a small tribal community that call this practice Gonda, which

is considered to be a permanent ornament which uses the human body as a canvas. In

addition many men and women tattoo a religious symbol on their hands or arms called

Om. Om represents divine consciousness and the primordial sound of the universe

(2014).

Discrimination of tattooed people according to (Avilla 2014), studies

conducted from small colleges samples to larger community samples have all found that

tattooed people from the US and around the world are generally perceived as less

attractive, intelligent, caring, and honest. In several case studies researchers used

digital tools to add facial piercings and tattoos to peoples bodies and found that in doing

so greatly degreased their perceived attractiveness and positive personality traits. Data

also showed that the more piercings or tattoos an individual had, the greater the

negative response. Another study by Dwane Dean (2010, 2011) showed that tattoos

and facial piercings could be detrimental to an individual wishing to get into college or

find a job. In order to prove this Dwane conducted a scenario in which he had

individuals from both a college sample and community sample read a hypothetical

scenario involving blue and white collar workers. The results showed that when white

collar workers with a small but visible tattoo were showed, they were seen as less

intelligent, capable, and honest. Participants also stated that they would be less likely to

recommend the worker to others, even if the quality of the service was good. The
Appearance discrimination in the work environment 7

results of this study were found in all age categories including both men and women,

but younger participants between the ages of 18 and 25 found the tattoos more

acceptable on blue collar workers. However, studies done with professors in a

community college found the complete opposite as students found teachers with tattoos

more capable and more likely to make interesting assignments. Several large scale

studies done across Europe and the United States both found that people who do have

tattoos tend to more impulsive and crave new experiences without thinking of the long

term consequences. Studies done on college students also found that students with

tattoos were slightly lower in agreeableness, kindness, and empathy than those without

tattoos. However this difference was extremely miniscule and was about 0.5-2 %

difference which researchers say could easily be outweighed by other factors and

aspect that make up personality. Research also showed that persons with tattoos and

without tattoos did not differ in level of education, self esteem, or neuroticism. The only

significant difference found between persons with and without tattoos is that persons

with tattoos had a higher need for uniqueness but nothing close to the pathological

levels commonly associated with narcissism and personality disorder (Avilla 2014).

Discussion

History The history of tattooing in America can be traced back to when the

Europeans first explored Polynesia. Europeans became so fascinated with the tattoos

the Polynesians had, they got tattoos then brought back tattooed Polynesians to

showcase in museums and in lecture halls. Colonial ideology frowned upon the

Polynesians practice of tattooing, and with the arrival of Europeans, traditional

Polynesian tattooing sharply declined. However, the practice of tattooing soon began to
Appearance discrimination in the work environment 8

flourish as many sailors and visitors to Polynesia were eager to take part. In early 19th

century America, the earliest records of tattoos were found in ships logs, letters, and

diaries and one of the earliest tattooers by the name of C.H. Fellowes was said to have

practice his art aboard ships and at various ports. Many of the early tattoo artists found

work in Washington D.C. during the civil war. A man by the name of Martin Hildebrandt

was the most famous tattoo artist during this time and was welcome both in Union and

Confederate camps. In 1870, Martin Hildebrandt set up the very first tattoo shop located

on Oak Street in New York, where he tattooed for over twenty years. Other key figures

in the history of tattooing include Samuel OReilly who opened a tattoo studio in

Chinatown around 1875. During this time period, tattooing was still done by hand, until

OReilly introduced the first tattoo machine. Hand tattooing required a machine that was

constructed of needles attached to a wooden handle, and it was used by dipping the

needles into ink and moving the device up and down, piercing the skin at a rate of 2-3

times per second. The art of hand tattooing required great manual dexterity and could

only be mastered through years of practice. Plus, this process was incredibly slow, even

for the most accomplished of tattooers. O Reilly found a way to speed up the tattooing

process by inventing a machine that automatically moved the needles up and down,

thus inventing the first tattoo machine and revolutionizing tattooing in the USA. OReilly

later took on an apprentice by the name of Charles Wagner during the Spanish

American War as sailors lined up to be tattooed in commemoration of their service.

About 80% of those enlisted in the Navy during this time were tattooed. By the 1900s

tattoo studios were in every major city, and Wagner to this day is considered a major

influence in classic American style of tattooing (2013).

Appearance discrimination in the work environment 9

The origin of the bad reputation of tattoos can be seen in its function throughout

history of labeling felons, slaves, and concentration camp inmates. The tattoo was used

as a mark that branded someone as a criminal and outcast (2008). It was around the

1950s to 1960s that tattoos began to move from being associated to sailors, to being

associated with criminals and gangs. It was during this time that tattoos began to have a

bad reputation as Prison tats, which indicated that persons with tattoos were ignorant,

a convicted felon, or were all around a despicable person (2008).

Discrimination In 1964 congress passed a law that stopped racial

discrimination in the workplace. The current definition of discrimination is as followed,

discrimination is to make a distinction in favor of or against a person or thing on the

basis of the group, class, or category to which the person or thing belongs rather than

according to actual merit (Champion 2013). According to this current definition of what

discrimination is, persons with tattoos are not considered to be protected under this law

as they do not meet the legal definition of what discrimination is considered to be.

Tattoos are seen as moral discrimination not legal discrimination, thus in order to be

changed, must be added to the legal definition of discrimination by the legislature before

it can be recognized as discrimination. So, currently, a man being denied a job based off

of nothing other than him having a tattoo is not violating the law or seen as an act of

discrimination. The basis of most acts of tattoo discrimination are baseless personal

prejudice or hate towards those with tattoos, and will continue to happen until a law is

put into place protecting those with tattoos. According to research, 76% of employers

say that tattoos and piercings hurt the applicant's chance of getting a job.
Appearance discrimination in the work environment 10

A recent case proved the theory that tattooed people are less likely to get hired

by conducting an experiment of persons with visible tattoos in the service industry. A

total of 192 managers employed at restaurants took place in this experiment and were

asked to fill out a survey after looking at a resume of a hypothetical applicant. During

two of the four semesters, managers were shown the resume of the female applicant

and for the last two managers were shown the resume of the male applicant. Within

each semester, students conducting the experiment randomly selected a tattooed or

non tattooed photograph of the applicant before entering the restaurant. Approximately

91 managers saw the female photo with 60 of them seeing the tattooed version and 31

seeing the non- tattooed version. While

101 managers saw the male version of

the applicant with 58 seeing the tattooed

version and 43 seeing the non-tattooed

version. The results of this case study

clearly show that visible tattoos in the

workplace are still viewed negatively and

that employers are still more likely to hire applicants without tattoos.

An example of tattoo discrimination in the workplace can be seen in the case

regarding Kayla, a tattooed barista from Rochester Hills when she was told the

following, What I was told by my manager and my district manager was that you have

30 days to begin a removal process for the tattoo or you must resign from your job

(Johannsen 2014). Kayla has a small tattoo of a heart between her thumb and

forefinger, and was told to remove it after already being hired. Kayla doesn't recall any
Appearance discrimination in the work environment 11

policy regarding tattoos, and was suddenly told she had 30 days to remove the tattoo or

she would be fired. Starbucks claims that their tattoo policy states that employees

cannot have any visible tattoos and that this is disgust in the interviewing process.

However in the case of both Kayla and Benjamin Amos, nobody mentioned anything

about having a visible tattoo during the interview. Amos knew about the policy and kept

his tattoos covered at work. His store manager told him to resign after he was told that

the district managers didn't like his tattoos, even though he had them covered up the

entire time (Johannsen 2014). Amos refused to resign and was immediately fired. Amos

fired a lawsuit that cited violation of the Title VII of the civil rights act, that claimed

female employees have tattoos but are still employed in the company.

In a personal interview with Talar Hericulian, and Attorney at Law, she had the

following to say about tattoo discrimination in the workplace. When asked the question,

do you think tattoos are becoming more acceptable in the workplace?, she responded

by saying that she believes tattooes in the workplace have become more acceptable in

most companies because of the competitive job market. Yet, she believes that tattoo

discrimination can be based on geographical location and type of industry that a person

is applying to. Another question asked was, what are some common issues you see

coming up between employers and workers regarding tattoos in the workplace?

Hericulian responded by saying that employers need to understand that they are

allowed to ask employees to cover up their body art if need be, so there is no need to

deny an applicant based on visible tattoos alone. Next was the question, can

employers choose which designs they are willing to accept and which ones they deem

offensive? She responded with a yes, but offers employers to be careful when deciding
Appearance discrimination in the work environment 12

what tattoo they deem worthy or not. While there is no law addressing appearance

discrimination, such implicates can lead to categories such as gender, race, or religion.

Can employees be forced to cover their tattoos during their shift? Her response was

yes, there is no law saying that employees have the right to expose their tattoos while

working, but she advises that employers apply the same rules to all genders, races, and

religions. Hericulian also advises those employees with tattoos to be sensible when

deciding what art to put on their body (Roper).

Conclusion

Tattoo discrimination has become a problem in the American culture as

many millennials with tattoos are being denied jobs solely based on their

appearance and body art. After the examination of multiple case studies one can

conclude that the stereotypes behind persons with tattoos have no statistical

correlation. However statistical analysis does reveal that employers are less

likely to hire someone with tattoos verses someone without tattoos. As can be

seen in the case study involving the surveying of multiple managers across

different food chains. Data showed that employers do hold negative assumptions

of tattooed persons, and are less likely to hire them.

Limitations of study include: bias in the paper as this is written from only

one side of the argument, some statistical errors as some of the data may be

outdated or incorrect, and this paper is only coming from the perspective of an

American white female, so multiple perspectives are not possible when analysing

the topic of tattoo discrimination.

Appearance discrimination in the work environment 13

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