i'd like to discuss the historical reasons why women get tattooed. i don't think that women have ever gotten tattooed for the same reasons as men do, that is, to be like someone else, or to fit in. Most women don't feel the need to prove they are "tough". This seems to be a reason only given by men. Women have tended to get tattooed for either beauty enhancement, or for spiritual reasons. Women were traditionally the healers of their tribes, the ones to go to with a cut or scrape, or a broken bone. Some women in hunter-gatherer societies were possibly tattooed to increase their healing powers. Women also get tattoos to express some inner emotion, or spiritual belief. In the past, in the USA, women were not treated as very useful or intelligent members of society. Midwives and healers were treated as criminals or witches, not encouraged. The stigma of "slut" was invented to keep women from being able to act freely, and tattooed women were included in this stigma. Until recently, and even now in some places, tattooed women are seen as "sleazy" or trashy. The inner strength that some tattoos represent is a threat to some men, since they may use tattoo to represent physical strength. Women with tattoos are still not accorded as much respect as tattooed men. Personally I have never seen a man grab another man's arm or leg and say "hey, what's that?" The tattoo is seen by some men (SOME men) as another reason to physically approach a woman. Some see it as a stigma, implying "she's easy" or that she won't mind being approached. The solution to this may be simply that more strong women should get tattoos, and not be afraid to show them. Women with large tattoos and truly high quality ones, should start to show them off elsewhere besides tattoo conventions. I think it's about time we started to reclaim some of our spiritual depths, and started expressing them where they seem to count the most for women in this society- ON OUR FLESH. If anyone has any more information, or if any women (only) have stories of their tattoo experiences to share, please write to me, as I could use the information for further articles. Inform!
Monday, January 16, 2006
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25 years ago my mate was just starting out as a tattooist his clients were predominatly seamen he worked in Grimsby (one of Englands Big fishing ports
he was one of several tattoists in the town he differed because he would tatto women
to this day he still recons that 90% of the females he sees have tattoos done art the insistence of there lover or to follow there mates of the remaining 10% 9% ors so feel the need to belong to something and need to identify with a certain social group most are Goths PunKs biker chicks ect
the last 1% like the pain
he's been in the buisness for 25 years and he talks to his customers
hope this is a point you can relate to
dtb@cwazy.co.uk if you want to discuss
otherwise all the best
dave
oh and im sorry im male its just my two pennyworth
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