Some people have small tattoos, some have big tattoos, some have sleeves, some have leaves, some have meaning and some are just greetings. But what do all the tattoos have in common? They are not unprofessional (to an extent). 

A 2019 poll by Ipsos said that 30% of Americans have at least one tattoo. As more of Generation Z turns 18, many are getting tattoos and along with millennials trying to de-stigmatize tattoos, which were largely viewed as dirty and disrespectful. This de-stigmatization also includes the workplace since not that long ago, many people were discriminated against for having visible tattoos when they worked. 

Many people have tattoos that have significant meanings, like a semi-colon tattoo can indicate a suicide survivor and many Medusa tattoos show that someone is a SA survivor. These are just a few of the many meaningful tattoos that people have on their bodies. Also, tattoos are viewed as a form of self-expression by most younger generations and are not things that should have a negative connotation but rather a piece of art. Individuality is very important, especially in a society where many feel pressured that they have to look or act a certain way. Tattoos have been used in ancient times and some have a cultural significance which shows that if people in ancient times did not have many problems with their people having tattoos, as a more developed society, we should not have a problem with them either.

Like most things, there are always exceptions and problems that need to be considered and some tattoos should be covered or not allowed entirely in a workplace. This includes racist symbols and slurs as well as antisemitic and homophobic tattoos. These, for mostly obvious reasons, should not be allowed in the workplace since they can offend people and lead to the harming of certain groups. 

Even if a girlfriend’s name is appropriate, it is not recommended that you get it tattooed on your body. Remember always to spell check the tattoos before the tattoo artist starts and check that the tattoo artist is reputable.

No one is harmed by appropriate tattoos, so there is absolutely no reason tattoos should not be allowed in the workplace. Employees should be protected from discrimination for their appropriate tattoos under federal law since many Americans have tattoos and some have experienced this discrimination in the workplace firsthand.