End Tattoo Discrimination Now
Judge me by the content of my character, not the cobra just above my crotch
[A new] bill would add “tattoo” to the list of categories in [New York City’s] administrative code that are already prohibited from discrimination, such as race, sexual orientation, gender and age. -Gothamist
I know The Look. A prospective employer eyes me across the desk, sees tattoos on both arms and starts doing the math. Can this guy be trusted? Will he put in the hours? Could I pull that off? I mean, with the dragons and the roses and all that other shit?
Friends, tattoo discrimination is real. For too long in America the tattooed have been treated by employers, landlords and service providers as sexy, dangerous, impossibly cool second-class citizens.
I applaud the courage of tattooed Councilmember Shaun Abreu for sponsoring this badly needed legislation and for overcoming the societal bias that would prevent him from becoming tattooed Councilman Shaun Abreu.
Barriers to jobs and housing remain. People look at me and think, he’s too cool for this job. Or this apartment building. Or this Williams-Sonoma. And, objectively, that’s true.
But know this: I’m just like you. I’ll do the work. I’ll meet your deadlines. I’ll be a team player. I’ll…
