Customizing the Body (PDF file) - Print My Tattoo

137 The Tattoo Relationship
the needles), and the pain threshold of the client. Because of the
consistent concern about pain expressed by recipients. most tattooists
have standard lines they use to ease. make light of. or deflect
the client's fear. One tattooist with whom I worked. when
asked the routine question, "Does it hurtT usually replied. "No, I
don't feel a thing:' When not employing some form of humorous
response most tattooists usually attempt to get the client to relax
by offering a more straightforward description of the tattoo process.
"It's not too bad. Sort of a stinging or burning feeling. You
kind of get used to it. The outline will hurt a little more than the
coloring 111 do later. 111 stop for a while if it gets too uncomfortable"
(see also Govenar. 1977: 49: Morse. 1977: 70; St. Clair and
Govenar. 1981: 112. 117. 119).
Interestingly. most tattooists maintain that women seem to be
less bothered by the pain of tattooing than are men. I quote from
an interaction between the proprietor of a shop and a visiting
tattooist.
[Quote from fieldnotes]
TJ-The worst part of getting a tattoo is waiting. (Clients) get
real nervous. I had this chick come in yesterday to get a rose
put on her breast and she didn't move at all. She did look
kinda pale.
Mitch-Yeah. women are usually better than guys. I see these
big tough guys come in here and you start working on them
and you have to stop before they pass out. It's not the pain; it's
the idea of the thing. It's like getting a needle; it's all in the
mind.
Other tattooists account for the difference of the responses of men
and women to the pain of the process by saying that child-bearing
makes women more accustomed to pain. women are more used to
haVing their bodies altered and worked on, or that women who get
tattooed have thought more about and are more committed to the
process than are men (Tucker. 1976: 31).
How one responds to the pain and negative psychological features
of tattooing significantly effects how one is evaluated by
the tattooist. Tattooees who stoically accept the pain facilitate the
tattoo process. Those who flinch or pull away from the needle