Expression vs. Profession?
This project focuses on how the taboo view of body modifications in the professional industry affects young individuals who aspire to join this industry, particularly for medical professions. I have personalized the video below, using a friend as a subject, representing something we both feel daily. I hope to evoke the idea that the taboo view on body modifications should be altered, so people feel comfortable expressing themselves in the professional community.
While various forms of body modification have been around for thousands of years, with predictions dating back to around 2000 BC, they have yet to be fully accepted into society today (Lineberry). There have always been various opinions on tattoos and piercings, ranging from disgust to admiration. Ear lobe piercings have almost become a standard to have, while other piercings and virtually any form of tattoos are often seen as unusual. Individuals who have additional piercings and tattoos argue that the body modifications are a form of self-expression, and not a portrayal of someone’s personality. In an article describing her personal testimony on piercing and tattooing, Freyia Lilian Porteous describes it as a “baptism of fire;” from the pain comes something beautiful (Porteous). Additionally, the overall view of body modifications is slowly changing due to increasing prevalence, and this makes it harder for young adults to anticipate what future careers will prefer (Monty). The professional community, namely the medical community, views tattoos and piercings as taboo, and as a portrayal of unprofessionalism. This standard holds a consequence for young individuals who aspire to become medical professionals in their future.

Tattoos and piercings are forms of body modification that have become quite common since their integration into American society, particularly in recent years among younger generations. On average, about 32% to 51% of college students report having a piercing other than an ear lobe piercing (Williams). Additionally, a poll taken in 2007 showed that within 20 years, there has been a 37% increase in the number of American adults aged 25–40 with tattoos (Martin). Since then, that number has only increased. Despite the prevalence of adults and young adults with body modifications, the professional community holds a strong stigma against them. Many companies, including ones not considered a part of the professional community, such as U.S. Postal Service and Denny’s, have rules restricting visibility of tattoos and piercings among employees (Faw). Additionally, it is widely known that hospitals impose a rule that says no professionals may have visible tattoos or facial piercings. This imposes negativity among young people aiming to work in the professional industry, whether they have body modifications or not. Aspiring employees are realizing that those with tattoos and piercings are having their character evaluated based on outward appearance. The negative stigma is not because people think body modifications look “ugly;” it is because people with them are often perceived by employers as uneducated, irresponsible, and impulsive (Martin). Restricting visible tattoos and piercings is akin to restricting individuality and creativity. It is a prime example of judgements based on appearance; in this case, it can affect people’s careers and relationships, both major parts of their lives.

Healthcare professions are prestigious and challenging, and thus professionalism is essential for success in the field. Unfortunately, the medical community’s stance on tattoos and piercings has yet to change in a significant way, despite the growing popularity of body modifications. Any form of uncommon body modifications is widely associated with unprofessionalism. People who work in medicine and have tattoos or piercings are frequently seen as less qualified than those without them. Primary reasons for this belief are that tattoos can easily distract or offend patients, and piercings can cause patients to question a doctors’ hygiene (Winfield).

There is a strong concern of an unhygienic environment when regarding a medical professional with piercings. The jewelry can provide hazards for patients, especially if not removed while performing a procedure on a patient, and the sensitive skin surrounding a piercing can have increased risk of spreading infections between caretaker and patient (Winfield). Without taking extra steps to maintain a sterile field in the doctors’ workspace, the risk of piercings spreading bacteria to the patient increases.

Hygienic concerns are just part of the overall stigma against piercings. In some cases, studs on the side of the nose are acceptable, or they must be removed when working. The professional industry becomes stricter in other cases, such as septum rings, eyebrow, dermal, or lip piercings, or stretched earlobes. In most jobs, employers will simply ask the employee to remove any extra jewelry while they are at work. Meanwhile, someone looking to become a medical professional who sports a septum or eyebrow ring will most likely be scrutinized the same way a person with tattoos will be when they walk into a room. When people get piercings, they must keep in mind their occupation, and while piercings may be easier to deal with — you can remove a piercing for work but not a tattoo — they are seen by many as unnatural or as a form of self-mutilation. Constant scrutiny by coworkers, employers, and patients can cause discomfort to the owner of the piercings, and can bring up negative consequences for young people aiming to join the medical community.

Meanwhile, the stigma that lies around tattoos holds similarities to that of piercings; however, it is more a result of the history of tattoos. Many people associated with having a lot of tattoos include gang members, prisoners, and skin heads (Nowicki). Due to this history, people with a lot of tattoos are commonly judged to be more careless, reckless, irresponsible, or untrustworthy. In addition to these concerns, different healthcare institutions may express different regulations towards the amount and visibility of tattoos and piercings, but the general approach remains the same.

When it comes to millennials finding jobs today, the subject of tattoos and piercings in the workplace can easily become cause for stress. Older employers tend to dislike self-expression in the form of body modifications, and they are more inclined to deny someone a job position because of them. A study done by Pew Research Center discovered that, “about 63 percent of people ages 60 and older disapproved of tattoos in the workplace while only 22 percent of people ages 18–29 said they are against tattoos in the workplace” (Wigo). The gap between younger and older individuals is extremely apparent, as these percentages are drastically different. Since the older people are more often established employers, while the younger people are those seeking their jobs, budding employees must use caution when approaching tattoos and piercings in the workplace. Tattoos and piercings can prevent someone from getting a job position, even if the aspiring employee has all the right qualifications for the position in question. Particularly, highly visible tattoos have been in the spotlight for causes of concern in the professional workplace, even if the tattoo means something special to the owner.
Tensions can rise quickly when someone who has tattoos with a deeply personal meaning is scrutinized for their tattoos at work. If the tattoos are visible, the struggle lies in the fact that people don’t typically care about the meaning of someone’s tattoo; if it’s there, it’s there. This can easily hurt a hopeful employee’s self-esteem, especially if said employee is a young adult and is just starting their job search. They may feel they are only being looked at for their appearance, and the employer doesn’t particularly care about the aspiring employee’s resume if their appearance isn’t acceptable by their standards. Throughout history, younger generations have shown a divide from their corresponding older generations, but the recent gap is in tattoos, which cannot be easily changed, unlike hair or dress length (Hartwell-Walker). Public agencies don’t want to scare away customers; they don’t have an interest in employees explaining what their tattoos mean. It is much easier for an employer to ban employees from sporting tattoos than it is to go through different options for uniforms depending on different employees’ tattoos.

Now that the public, including the younger generation, is aware of the scrutiny people face if they have tattoos that are visible to others, or if they have face or body piercings outside the ears, they must think long and hard before getting piercings or tattoos to avoid scrutiny. Whenever people talk about wanting tattoos or extra piercings, the topic of career acceptance is brought up, especially among college students. Many feel as if they must choose between self-expression and doing what they want with their bodies and entering a professional career. For this reason, people approach tattoos with caution; they usually aim for one on a less visible part of the body, and they must take their job uniform into account (Martin). Tattoos can be a positive symbol or reminder, an important memory, or a life lesson to the owner. Despite the importance tattoos carry in so many people’s lives, they are still seen as a negative portrayal of the tattoo owner by many, including employers and older family members.
One of the goals of medical professionals is to keep patients calm and comfortable. Tattoos and piercings are risky, since patients might have adverse reactions to them. While regulations in certain professions regarding visibility of body modifications exist, they are created for reasons which imply a negative opinion towards people with body modifications. This can cause problems among young adults who want to express themselves through tattoos or piercings, especially if they are interested in pursuing a professional career. Clashes between generations will occur for years, until the current young generation has grown old and they will have problems with what will become the new younger generation. Standards are slowly changing in hospitals such as Ottawa Hospital in Canada, where a dress code meant to cover tattoos is being revoked; however, change takes time (Blackwell). The stigma towards body modifications means those with them have many hurdles they must overcome throughout their lives, and those on the road to make others accept body modifications have a long way to go.

Works Cited
Blackwell, Tom. “‘Tattoos No Longer Confined to Sailors’: The Ottawa Hospital Told It Can’t Force Nurses to Hide Body Art or Remove Piercings.” National Post. National Post, 17 Jan. 2013. Web. 24 July 2017.
Faw, Larissa. “Visible Tattoos And Other Corporate No-Nos.” Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 14 May 2012. Web. 22 July 2017.
Hartwell-Walker, Marie. “Thinking of Inking? The Possible Impact of Tattoos on Your Job Search.” Psych Central. N.p., 17 July 2016. Web. 18 July 2017.
Lineberry, Cate. “Tattoos.” Smithsonian.com. Smithsonian Institution, 01 Jan. 2007. Web. 22 July 2017. <http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/tattoos-144038580/>.
Martin, Benjamin A. and Chris S. Dula. “More Than Skin Deep: Perceptions Of, and Stigma Against, Tattoos.” College Student Journal, vol. 44, no. 1, Mar. 2010, pp. 200–206. EBSCOhost, proxy.foley.gonzaga.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true& db=a9h&AN=48646441&site=ehost-live.
Monty, Lynn. “Workplace Tattoo Taboos Fading.” USA Today. Gannett Satellite Information Network, 11 Sept. 2014. Web. 23 July 2017.
Nowicki, E. (2010). Tattoos, piercings and personal expression. Law & Order, 58(5), 48–51. Retrieved from http://proxy.foley.gonzaga.edu/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/10349791 85?accountid=1557
Porteous, Freyia Lilian. “People Tell The Stories Behind Their First Tattoos — A Celebration Of Ink.” Bustle. Bustle, 03 Mar. 2015. Web. 24 July 2017.
Wigo, Lindsay. “Most Millennials Approve of Tattoos, Piercings, but Affects Job Hiring.” The Minstrel. N.p., 15 Mar. 2017. Web. 18 July 2017.
Williams, D. J., et al. ““You Need to Cover Your Tattoos!”: Reconsidering Standards of Professional Appearance in Social Work.” Social Work, vol. 59, no. 4, Oct. 2014, pp. 373–375. EBSCOhost, proxy.foley.gonzaga.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true& db=a9h&AN=98636531&site=ehost-live.
Winfield, Sarah. “Body Art is Still Taboo in Healthcare.” Student BMJ 22 (2014) ProQuest. Web. 19 July 2017.