AU inked: the stigma on tattoos in the workplace
By Cody Robertson | Staff Writer
Students getting closer to graduation can begin feeling a lot of pressure about what to do next. Trying to get a job after college is a daunting task and could make the toughest among us weak in the knees.
One change from previous decades is the stigma of tattoos in the workplace. It was not so long ago that tattoos were thought of as unprofessional and could even lead to being stereotyped. Now it seems the script has been flipped and much like their ink, tattoos in the workplace are a permanent fixture.
One undergraduate student, India, did not seem bothered by her decision to get a visible tattoo on her eighteenth birthday.
“I did get it as a birthday present,” said India. “My parents didn’t really stop me from getting a tattoo because they’re tatted up as well. I think there was a stigma years ago about them being visible at work but my parents just realized you can get one. My dad has a sleeve and works as a truck driver and my mom works in a factory and has tattoos scattered all over.”
Students are not the only ones who think tattoos are more welcome in the workplace. Alice Wynn, an administrative assistant with the English & World Languages department, says that she has never had a problem getting a job, despite having several visible tattoos.
“At my old job I would cover them up because I worked in a front desk, but when I moved to a cubicle I stopped covering and nobody said anything,” said Wynn. “I didn’t feel pressured into it or anything, I just felt more comfortable.”
Wynn has been working on campus for 13 years and says she has never felt like her tattoos have denied her any opportunities in her professional career. In fact, she was assured during the hiring process that it was not a problem.
“I asked the chair of the department when I got hired if I would need to cover up and she said no. I do notice more of them nowadays than there were,” said Wynn.
It would appear that society cares less about tattoos, and more about what a person can bring to a job. Even the military has relaxed their standards for tattoos, with the US Navy going so far as to allow neck tattoos.
Students of age at Augusta University should not feel dissuaded at the thought of getting a tattoo, but it may be a good idea to speak to a career counselor to see what your specific field has to say about visible body art.
Contact Cody Robertson at corobertson@augusta.edu
Photo: Alice Wynn, Administrative Assistant in the Department of English & World Languages, shows off her body art.
