Social Influence Of Tattoos

Introduction

Although tattooing has become more and more popular through the years, there are areas of tattooing the body that are considered taboo. The tattooing community has a distinct group of people who tattoo their hands, neck, and/or face. The deviance in this behavior is that society holds a certain value to a clean body or at least the places that can not be covered in public environments. Society holds these tattoo places as off limits and will often associate this person as less than an average citizen. There are social rules that indirectly say that a clean body is the norm. Tattoos that are visible are considered unprofessional and many jobs will tend not hire a person based on the fact that they have a visible tattoo. Many people

Mike Tyson, Gucci Mane, Lil Wayne, Rihanna, David Beckham, and many of the hip hop rappers have some form or all of these considered deviant tattoos. Tattoos for many hip hop artists show wealth through time and money to receive these tattoos. A small percentage of celebrities have a visible face or neck tattoos, while still the vast majority does not. The lower class has these tattoos in majority. Now the urban youth will follow the music artists because celebrities indirectly tells the culture what is acceptable. These people are parallels of what society considers ideal. Inmates and gang members are looked down upon in society and are put into a category that hinders them from fully functioning well into society. A police record sticks with a person well after they are released from prison and will prohibit a person from opportunities of advancing in society. Becker claims, “the degree to which an act will be treated as deviant depends also on who commits the act and who feels he has been harmed by it. Rules tend to be applied more to some persons than others” (Becker 9). The celebrity is look up to in society and are considered ideal. Many celebrities are placed on a pedestal from society, that they are far removed from society. These people that are on the end of the spectrum of society are the people that are inclined to get these tattoos. Tattoos can now be seen on anyone from urban youths to cultural fashion icons. Many tattoos have symbolic meanings for example the teardrop is related gang culture signifying a murder. The cobweb on the hand typically represents a lengthy jail sentence. Also, people that have tattooed their hands, neck, or face they are more likely to have all of these places tattooed. While tattoos are still increasing in popularity the stereotypes that was once for all tattoos is associated with the subculture. These people are not welcomed as a