# Girls, stop getting all of these tattoos, ya look skanky. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 15, 2003, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girls-stop-getting-all-of-these-tattoos-ya-look-skanky/181983 "2003-06-15T07:12:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![papergirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/aca169/32.png) [@papergirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/papergirl)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2003, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girls-stop-getting-all-of-these-tattoos-ya-look-skanky/181983/41 "2003-06-15T15:06:27Z")
Hmmm. I have tattoos. Otherwise, I go pretty natural–no piercings (although I’ve thought about a nose ring), no blue hair (although I’ve thought about that too–what fun!), not much makeup etc. On the other hand, I have four kids, drive a minivan, make ham casserole about once a week, and spend a hell of a lot of money on things like school supplies and shoes and trombone lessons and groceries. Shit. I couldn’t do the skanky ho look if I _tried_ at this point. As far as what people think? I got my tattoos for me, not anyone else. I’d like to get one of them removed or fixed up, just because it’s not the best job. The one on my shoulder, though…I like it. It’s sexy, and it won’t sag until I’m WAY too old to care. To address one point of the OP–not because I agree with your opinion, but because I don’t often see the issue discussed: I most certainly did get my second tattoo (the one I like) as a way of reclaiming my body after rape (years later, I mean). No doubt about it, and absolutely no reason I shouldn’t have done it, imo. If it brought me back into my own skin a bit, then it was well worth anyone’s lowered opinion of me. Less expensive than therapy, healthier than promiscuity, and no one’s call but mine to make. Sorry, **Maud’Dib** , you’re outta line here. Best, karol ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Tiger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Mama\_Tiger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Tiger)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2003, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girls-stop-getting-all-of-these-tattoos-ya-look-skanky/181983/42 "2003-06-15T15:10:51Z")
Thanks, **jjimm** and **guinastasia**. If **Muad’Dib** called ME a skanky ho, I’d probably just laugh. But watch out for Mama Tiger! (Gee, maybe I should change my username – wonder if that one is taken?) Everyone’s entitled to an opinion. But calling women who get tattoos hos is gratuitous, unnecessary, and sexist. I’ve noticed that while most women who get tattoos tend to plan the designs carefully, far too many guys just have a random assortment of whatever struck their fancy that night they were shitfaced slapped on wherever there’s room. Have you looked at some of the NBA players recently? And **Muad’Dib** calls WOMEN skanky for their small, tasteful tattoos??? ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2003, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girls-stop-getting-all-of-these-tattoos-ya-look-skanky/181983/43 "2003-06-15T15:11:18Z")
I, personally, don’t care for the looks of most of the tattoos that I see. There are some that I find very beautiful. (See _Peppers, Red Hot Chili_ for examples.) But there are obviously many people that like and enjoy the tattoos that I find ugly. Bully for them. As far as being rebellious by _not_ having a tattoo or piercing–I’d kind of have to agree with that. Well, it’s not _rebellious_ per se, but it’s unusual, at least in my set. Most of my friends of about my age or younger have tattoos or piercings. Even I have eleven holes in my earlobes (only 2 are used now). And as far as tattoos looking silly when you’re 80–Well, my Grandma Mildred sure would have looked weird with a tattoo. But the future Grandma Jennifer won’t look weird or unusual because Grandma Niki and Grandma Ashley and Grandma Maddisyn will all have them too. ---
**Author:** ![Horrifying\_Howler\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/df788c/32.png) [@Horrifying\_Howler\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horrifying_Howler_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2003, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girls-stop-getting-all-of-these-tattoos-ya-look-skanky/181983/44 "2003-06-15T15:12:05Z")
How does having a tattoo make you look retarded? ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2003, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girls-stop-getting-all-of-these-tattoos-ya-look-skanky/181983/45 "2003-06-15T15:22:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Magayuk \* > \*\*How does having a tattoo make you look retarded? \*\* Well, if you get one on your frontal lobe I can pretty much guarantee you’ll look retarded. ---
**Author:** ![buttonjockey308](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@buttonjockey308](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buttonjockey308)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2003, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girls-stop-getting-all-of-these-tattoos-ya-look-skanky/181983/46 "2003-06-15T15:29:02Z")
1. I think tats and piercings on chicks are WAY hot. 2. Muad is a jackass. That being said, he’s entitled to his opinon, no matter how wrong it is. ---
**Author:** ![lezlers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/258eb7/32.png) [@lezlers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lezlers)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2003, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girls-stop-getting-all-of-these-tattoos-ya-look-skanky/181983/47 "2003-06-15T15:29:36Z")
That’s fine if you think that, **Dio** , everyone’s entitled to their opinions. It’s the people like the OP who barge into pro-tat threads and spew insults and generalizations out everywhere that are the assholes. And posting [Amazon.com](http://Amazon.com) books as _links_? Now that’s just freakin’ funny. I don’t know whether or not I’d ever get a tat, I _do_ know that the main thing stopping me is my extreme wussyness. I’d probably get a small pentagram somewhere if I were to get one though, because it’s something that means a lot to me, and of course it would be someplace that could be hidden easily. Whoever mentioned the woman in the wedding dress with the dragon tat is right. IMHO, that just looks trashy. Of course that IS just IMHO, and therefore, I would keep it to myself. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2003, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girls-stop-getting-all-of-these-tattoos-ya-look-skanky/181983/48 "2003-06-15T15:45:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Muad’Dib \* > \*\*Mainly I hate this because it makes girls look much worse than they are. It is an intentional, needless, blemish on what is too beautiful to deserve such mistreatment. \*\* What in the _hell_ does this mean? I’m beginning to wonder if your problem lies not with tattoos themselves, but with women. Get over it already. A woman’s sole purpose is not to just sit around and look pretty. Jerk. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2003, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girls-stop-getting-all-of-these-tattoos-ya-look-skanky/181983/49 "2003-06-15T15:49:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Magayuk \* > \*\*How does having a tattoo make you look retarded? \*\* Well, it’s not so much the tattoos that bother me (although I have a mild distaste for them). It’s the facial piercings. I tend to make an assumption that people who drill holes in their faces and hand pieces of metal from the holes will, by and large, be less intelligent than the mean. Maybe that’s an unfounded prejudice. that’s ok, I’m comfortable with that. I don’t treat such people any differently, btw. It’s only a minor irritation for me. I can look past it. As a matter of pure personal taste, though, I think it’s a turn-off if a woman has a lot of tattoos or facial piercings. I also don’t like breast implants or tons of make-up. I basically agree with the OP’s assertion that tattoos and piercings don’t make anyone _more_ attractive and often make them significantly _less_ attractive. I’m not as overboard about it as **Muad’Dib** , though, and I don’t assume that women who have that stuff are “ho’s,” just that they have bad taste. FTR. My wife has a small tattoo on her back. I love her anyway. ---
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2003, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girls-stop-getting-all-of-these-tattoos-ya-look-skanky/181983/50 "2003-06-15T15:51:09Z")
And I love the two (small, usually concealed and just for me) that I have. They both were long thought out and have very special meaning. Perhaps that kind of thing is lost on some people. Regardless, why does the “you’ll look silly at \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ whatever age” arguement hold any merit? I mean, I don’t know about anyone else, but that’s one of the few beauties of growing older. You begin to no longer care as much about what other people think and begin to truly do things for yourself. That’s why most folks are slaves to every latest fashion trend and, as such, you see many living more for comfort and ease than style. I always thought the [I shall wear purple](http://www.guidezone.skl.com/jmold_woman.htm) poem to truly characterize someone mature, open minded, grown in spirit and gorgeous inside and out. I’m not a fan of purple, but I aspire to be this free. Now and then. And there’s no point addressing the rest, not only is it pure and utter conjectured, non-sensical prejudice, but others have taken it to task extremely well. Bravo to them for standing up for themselves against such hyperbolic bias. I also want to commend **fizzes** on her new addition. It’s superb. ~signed, another happy, nay proud, skanky ho ---
**Author:** ![XJETGIRLX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9fc29f/32.png) [@XJETGIRLX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XJETGIRLX)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2003, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girls-stop-getting-all-of-these-tattoos-ya-look-skanky/181983/51 "2003-06-15T16:02:10Z")
Just for the fucking hell of it: Methinks **Muad’dib** and the likes have just never seen the tattoos on all them nice, respectable women they look up to so much because we keep them under our skivvies. I’m sorry, but I find tattoos on women to be incredibly beautiful. For those of you who haven’t had the pleasure of seeing an incredibly beautiful, well-designed _piece of art_, I submit the following links to pictures on BME. (Warning, graphic: may upset some crybaby fuckwit’s sense of propriety) [Gorgeous Art nouveau style](http://www.bme.freeq.com/tattoo/A30611/high/cavxkpma.jpg) Caption says its a Turkish design ([http://www.bme.freeq.com/tattoo/A30611/high/l5pmady5.jpg](http://www.bme.freeq.com/tattoo/A30611/high/l5pmady5.jpg) For all you know the girl next door is sporting something like this) [Skanky? No, just geeky I’m afraid …](http://www.bme.freeq.com/tattoo/A10822/high/back3.jpg) [Actually, **Muad’dib** , I take it back. This one’s defnitely a skank.](http://www.bme.freeq.com/tattoo/A30210/high/duneforearm02.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![whiterabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/cab0a1/32.png) [@whiterabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whiterabbit)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2003, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girls-stop-getting-all-of-these-tattoos-ya-look-skanky/181983/52 "2003-06-15T16:08:51Z")
I’m on somebody else’s computer and am more than a bit embarassed to have looked at the second one – yes, it’s art and all that, but I’m not comfortable with looking at boobies on my mom’s husband’s computer! So be warned, there are boobies in these links. ---
**Author:** ![Siegfried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/91b2a8/32.png) [@Siegfried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siegfried)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2003, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girls-stop-getting-all-of-these-tattoos-ya-look-skanky/181983/53 "2003-06-15T16:08:58Z")
I’ve gotten to see **jinwicked** ’s tattoo, and I have to say that it looked pretty damn cool. It was nicely done and very artistic. My sister has a small rose on her shoulder and a flowery design on the small of her back. Many of my friends (who happen to be women) have tattoos, and they don’t seem to have any problem being attractive in spite of what you consider a detriment to their looks. The only person I know who hates tattoos is my aunt’s mother who says that they are an abomination unto the Lord. As for me, I have no problems with tattoos. I don’t think they necessarily enhance a woman’s beauty, but I don’t think they detract from it either. A lot of the women I’ve been romantically interested in have tattoos. They are all wonderful gals who are not at all skanky hos. ---
**Author:** ![iampunha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/74df32/32.png) [@iampunha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iampunha)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2003, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girls-stop-getting-all-of-these-tattoos-ya-look-skanky/181983/54 "2003-06-15T16:10:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Muad’Dib \* > Stop it. They look terrible, and they make you look much less beautiful and respectful. Quite right. Wait, no. You’re actually taking **your opinion** and extending it to every single person. Might wanna stop that. Like, now. ::reads further:: Ooh, too late. You **really** shouldn’t have said that. > [@](#): > > Whether you like it or not the moment a guy (or anyone else), sees something like that they make immediate assumptions about the kind of person who would do that to themselves. Prithee tell, this wouldn’t be the assumptions based on actually truthful information about the person but some spur-of-the-momemt “first impression” would it? Nothing to do with your personal opinion about girls with tattoos looking like skanky hos, would it? Hmm. Liking this less and less, I am. Not given to appreciating this sort of thing said about my fiancee, I am. > [@](#): > > There are reasons for these assumptions, as you will often see a nice correlation between how screwed up a girl is and how much body modification she has done (especially if she was physically abused). You’re offering as evidence two books on [amazon.com](http://amazon.com). Two books that seem to lack any manner of scientific investigation but instead appear to be nothing more than interviews of some sort. Just for the record: of my father and his nine molested siblings, none has a tattoo and the only ones with piercings are female. The one cousin I know of who has either (and I think it’s both) is the one who had a rock band (been a while since I saw him, so I dunno if he’s still in it). And keep in mind there are many, many survivors of pedophiles in my extended family. I’m thinking probably around 20. And the rock band guy isn’t one. So in short, I’ll take your anecdotal evidence and raise you my own. > [@](#): > > I have asked many, many guys and except for one (he had a fetish for it) all agreed that they never saw a tattoo that made a girl look better, but they had seen plenty that made them look worse. Good for them. Unfortunately for your survey, you forgot to ask at least one question: “Do you give a fuck if you like how someone looks and someone else doesn’t?” Because my answer to that, unless you happen to also be an inconsiderate jackass, is no. In the other thread you said that 90% of the guys you’d met didn’t like tattoos. And only one had ever liked them (IIRC). So many many guys equal … 9? How many guys have you asked? Ten is hardly a statistically significant sampling. > [@](#): > > Can you think of any famous beauty that had on obvious tattoo? She’s not famous yet, but she has a fairly obvious tattoo. And yes, she is a beauty:) > [@](#): > > It is not just tattoos, but also nose rings, pierced tongue, lip, etc. All of them look trampy and bad, but at least the piercings can be taken out and healed. Wanna wear a nose ring for a month? Go ahead. Can’t do that with a tattoo. Okay, so remind me again … I’m supposed to care what you think about the woman I love because … ? You’re really not making a strong case for your own personal merit here, but you’re doing a stellar job of driving yourself into the ground. Gotta give you credit for that. > [@](#): > > For those of you who say that you do not care what other people think of how you look? Hahaha, bullsh\*\*. Wow, you can read her mind! Excellent! Oh, wait. Nevermind. Sorry, I thought you were saying something truthful. Unless you’re going to be an offensive jackass about what you think, neither of us cares much at all if you don’t like it. > [@](#): > > If you lived on a dessert island somewhere, or were just basically guaranteed to never see another human being 99% of people would not get tattoos. Would it be made of … chocolate?😃 > [@](#): > > The kind of person who does not care about what other people think of how they look are not the idiots that get mohawks and wear intentionally offensive and ugly clothes. Or, or … maybe it’s someone who doesn’t let other people’s misconceived ideas about what makes someone look bad dictate their fashion. Maybe it’s someone who doesn’t give a fuck what random people think about a mohawk. I have hair that plenty of people think is silly or stupid or ugly or whatever. Unless they’re going to be offensive about their opinions, I can’t say that I care too much. > [@](#): > > These people care desperetly what folks think of them. They care what people who are important to them think, perhaps. But I’ll eat styrofoam if you can prove to me that they care what you, Joe Random-Guy, think. Unless, of course, you’re offensive, in which case they might care a _little_ more. > [@](#): > > Mainly I hate this because it makes girls look much worse than they are. It is an intentional, needless, blemish on what is too beautiful to deserve such mistreatment. Hey, look Ma! It’s another gross overgeneralization based on YOUR PERSONAL OPINION! Look, I really don’t care if you don’t think tattoos look good on anyone (though you specified women here so I’m not entirely sure of your opinion of them on men). But if you’re looking to be taken seriously by the people you’re disagreeing with, you might want to re-examine your approach. ---
**Author:** ![Horrifying\_Howler\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/df788c/32.png) [@Horrifying\_Howler\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horrifying_Howler_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2003, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girls-stop-getting-all-of-these-tattoos-ya-look-skanky/181983/55 "2003-06-15T16:10:59Z")
Turkish one was gorgeous, I like the tattoos that aren’t coloured in. ---
**Author:** ![XJETGIRLX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9fc29f/32.png) [@XJETGIRLX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XJETGIRLX)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2003, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girls-stop-getting-all-of-these-tattoos-ya-look-skanky/181983/56 "2003-06-15T16:13:45Z")
Thanks for pointing that out, **whiterabbit** , but I did include a disclaimer already, though. ---
**Author:** ![Geobabe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/geobabe/32/3908_2.png) [@Geobabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geobabe)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2003, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girls-stop-getting-all-of-these-tattoos-ya-look-skanky/181983/57 "2003-06-15T16:25:14Z")
You are certainly entitled to your opinion, **Maud’Dib**. However, the time and place in which you chose to express it was completely inappropriate. **Fizzy** was not asking for opinions on whether she should get a tattoo, nor was she asking what people would think of her if she got one, therefore your sticking in your two cents in that particular thread was most uncalled for. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2003, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girls-stop-getting-all-of-these-tattoos-ya-look-skanky/181983/58 "2003-06-15T16:25:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by XJETGIRLX \* > \*\*Just for the fucking hell of it: > > Methinks **Muad’dib** and the likes have just never seen the tattoos on all them nice, respectable women they look up to so much because we keep them under our skivvies. > > I’m sorry, but I find tattoos on women to be incredibly beautiful. For those of you who haven’t had the pleasure of seeing an incredibly beautiful, well-designed _piece of art_, I submit the following links to pictures on BME. (Warning, graphic: may upset some crybaby fuckwit’s sense of propriety) > > [Gorgeous Art nouveau style](http://www.bme.freeq.com/tattoo/A30611/high/cavxkpma.jpg) > > Caption says its a Turkish design ([http://www.bme.freeq.com/tattoo/A30611/high/l5pmady5.jpg](http://www.bme.freeq.com/tattoo/A30611/high/l5pmady5.jpg) For all you know the girl next door is sporting something like this) > > [Skanky? No, just geeky I’m afraid …](http://www.bme.freeq.com/tattoo/A10822/high/back3.jpg) > > [Actually, **Muad’dib** , I take it back. This one’s defnitely a skank.](http://www.bme.freeq.com/tattoo/A30210/high/duneforearm02.jpg) \*\* I think the crux of this issue is perfectly illustrated by your examples. You think the pieces you list are beautiful and creative, and to the owners I am sure they are, but I have to admit (in all honesty, except for the tracery one maybe, they come off (to me) as slightly crude and a bit off putting and grotesque. Opinions will differ and I am sure that to some dopers the pieces you list are staggeringly beautiful. People may try their best to be broad minded, but for a substantial group of more conservative men none of these tattoed ladies are girls that they will want to being home to mother, and for their part a business executive hubby and a house in the suburbs with kids is probably the last thing these tattoed women want. Everybody wins! ---
**Author:** ![Winnowill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/4491bb/32.png) [@Winnowill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Winnowill)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2003, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girls-stop-getting-all-of-these-tattoos-ya-look-skanky/181983/59 "2003-06-15T16:41:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Muad’Dib \* > **Can you think of any famous beauty that had on obvious tattoo?** Christy Turlington and Angelina Jolie, to name two. ---
**Author:** ![Orual](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/779978/32.png) [@Orual](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orual)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2003, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girls-stop-getting-all-of-these-tattoos-ya-look-skanky/181983/60 "2003-06-15T16:44:26Z")
I, for one, would _love_ for **Muad’Dib** to explain to me how my having a tattoo that no one can see unless I let them, that most people don’t even know I have, is a sign that I “care desperately what other people think of me”. Of people who know I have a tattoo, some people like it, some don’t. I don’t particularly care. The tattoo was for me. FTR, I tend to think that simple, black-only tattoos look better than brightly- colored ones, and I’m not a big fan of most facial piercings. However, I recognize that this is my personal taste, not and I, unlike **Muad’Dib** am not the all-knowing arbiter of human attractiveness. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girls-stop-getting-all-of-these-tattoos-ya-look-skanky/181983.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girls-stop-getting-all-of-these-tattoos-ya-look-skanky/181983.md?page=4)