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How Do Tattoos Affect Society

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"The Tattoo Craze with Young People"

Her heart pounds wildly as she watches the needle penetrate her skin and begin to leave ink marks as the gun buzzes across her skin. The sensation hurts a bit at first, and she squeezes her friend's hand. She forces herself to not move as gun buzzes long. Then it starts to feel like gentle tickling. Soon it feels almost soothing. She watches as the piece of art takes form on her skin. When it is over she gazes proudly at her first piece of body art.

Tattoos have always been popular among college students and other young people as well. It may just come natural to students. Tattooing has been practiced in almost every culture around the world, and for thousands of years, according the article Body Art Practices …show more content…

Shannon Bell explored the meaning of tattoos in her article, "Tattooed: A Participant Observer's Exploration of Meaning." She said she thinks that despite people's affiliations with particular subcultures, tattoos are a way to dissociate a person from the rest of society, which tattoo owners may not realize. She adds that a common theme in literature is that tattoos are a way to be individual in a society that is increasingly impersonal.

Different people have different reasons for tattoos. A tattoo could signify anything to its owner. The owner may also get a tattoo that seems to be an odd representation of what is signifies.

"I try not to judge," tattoo artist David Nanney, employee of Hall of Tattoos, said. The weirdest meaning behind a tattoo he said he has heard is a man who wanted his ex-wife's name tattooed on himself so he would remember how much he hated her. Another man surprised Nanney by wanting the disabled parking symbol on the back of his hand. But the meaning behind it helped Nanney understand. The man wanted to remember his disabled father and the humility and courage of his father.

Ashlea Trout, 20, has seven tattoos, but only one has a special meaning ── the ladybug, which was her late grandma's nickname for her. As for the others, she said, "I think they're …show more content…

The legalization also came with the strict limitation that tattoo parlors must be at least 1,000 feet from a church, school, or playground.

Nanney agrees this limitation is strict and adds that licensing for tattoo artists costs more than it should. He said tattooing provides a good income, but not great or exceptional.

"Just because we make more than the manager at McDonald's doesn't mean we can afford this [the high cost of licensing]," Nanney said. "It's ridiculous to think we can pay these large sums of money." But Nanney said he does think the strict health regulations are good.

Since tattoos are now legal in Oklahoma, some young people may be more likely to get a tattoo while others said it does not seem as exciting to get a tattoo since they do not have to make a road trip to another state. Nanney does not think students are more or less likely to get a tattoo now. He said he thinks it will calm the health fears of people who already want tattoos and they will now get one in an Oklahoma tattoo parlor.

"I think the tattoo scene will be bigger now since they're legal," Jake Branson, 21,

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