Customizing the Body (PDF file) - Print My Tattoo

53 Becoming and Being a Tattooed Person
Most took pleasure in the way the tattoo enhanced their identities
by demonstrating their affiliation with a somewhat more diverse
group-tattooed people.
Having a tattoo is like belonging to a club. 1 love seeing tattoos
on other people. 1 go up and talk with other people with
tattoos. It gives me an excuse because I'm not just going up to
talk with them. 1can say, "I have one, too." 1 think maybe
subconsciously 1 got (the tattoo) to be part of that special club.
Having tattoos in some ways does affect me positively because
people will stop me on the street and say, "Those are really nice
tattoos," and show me theirs. We kind of... it is a way of
haVing positive contact with strangers. We have something very
much in common. We can talk about where we got them and
the process of getting them and that sort of thing.
Given the symbolic meaning carried by tattoos in conventional
social circles, all tattooees have the experience of being the focus
of attention because of the mark they carry. The positive responses
of others are, of course, the source of the most direct
pleasure.
People seem to notice you more when you walk around with
technicolor arms. 1don't think that everyone who gets tattooed
is basically an exhibitionist, someone that walks down the
street and says, "Hey, look at me," you know. But it does draw
attention to yourself. (How do people respond when they see
your tattoos?) Well, yesterday we were sitting in a bar and the
lady brings a beer over and she says, "That's gorgeous," and
she's looking at the wizard and she's touching them and
picking up my shirt. Everyone in the bar was looking and it
didn't bother me a bit.
Not all casual encounters are as positive as this one. Revelation
of the tattoo is also the source of negative attention when defined
by others as a stigmatizing mark.
Sometimes at these parties the conversation will turn to
tattoos and III mention that 1 have some. A lot of people don't
believe it, but if I'm feeling loose enough III roll up my sleeve
and show my work. What really aggravates me is that there will