The BBC story titled “should anti tattoo discrimination be illegal?” by John Kelly relates how tattooed workers who might be right for the job are discriminated about due to their tattoos. According to the author, a qualified employee might not get the job in case the employer is not happy about a visible tattoo the potential employee might have. The article gives examples of several employees who have been dismissed from their jobs because of their visible tattoos. There is stigma attached to visible marking and most employers stated that were a cause of untidy, unsavory and resurgent perception of the organization by the clients this was in spite of the fact that some of the recruiters had tattoos themselves which were not visible( Kelly, …show more content…
In this case employers so as to gain support from their clients seek not to employ tattooed workers especially those with visible tattoos so as to please their clients. They are under pressure to conform to their clients views. Conformity to social norms means that people adopt the ‘normal’ sort of behavior that is accepted by a particular society (McLeod, 2008). In case of tattoos, many members of the society associate them to bad behavior and the ‘normal’ set of behavior for employees especially in white collar jobs is not to have visible markings. Due to this perception by the society, the employers are willing to hire those employees who do not have tattoos or ones whose tattoos are not visible so as to conform to the normal behavior accepted by the society. Minard 1952, investigated how social norms influence prejudice and discrimination in which case 80 of white miners in a group of white and black miners in Southern United States were friendly to their black colleagues below ground where the social norm was friendly behavior towards work colleagues. Above ground where the social norm was discrimination between whites and blacks, only 20 of the white miners were friendly to their black colleagues (Minard,
In “Judging by the Cover” author Bonnie Gainley argues that employers have the right to discriminate against job applicants who have chosen to decorate their bodies in ways that, in the employers’ estimation, may detract from the applicants’ job performance. She supports this claim by explaining two major points: First, employers have an obligation to hire workers who will favorably “represent the business to its customers” (667), and second, job applicants with potentially offensive decorations, such as tattoos and piercings, have freely chosen to place them on their bodies, so the applicants must take responsibility for the consequences.
...norms is tattoos. Today, it is normal that most young adults have tattoos or body piercings. In Kang and Jones article, “Why Do People Get Tattoos?”, 15% of young adults in 2003 had tattoos (42). It is a form of self-expression and art, and a way for young people to find their independence (42). Men and women have different norms at to what tattoos they get. Men tend to get more masculine tattoos, while women tend to get more feminine ones (44). Even though it is seen as normal to get a tattoo today, most employers still have a problem with them. Most employers want their employees who are tattooed to cover them up so they are not visible on the job (46). Others view people with tattoos to be stupid and trouble makers (46). Tattoos as a social norm, proves that in some cases they are acceptable and in other cases, they still cause problems like stereotyping.
Do you ever wonder why you never see tattoos and piercings in the medical or federal working fields? It’s because some people believe that a person with tattoos and/or piercings is linked to people with bad reputations, such as bikers, sailors, criminals, and gang members, but that is false. Piercings and tattoos have been popular for quite a long time now, but still get looked down upon and can even affect your daily life.
Tattoos have been around for as long as I can remember. They started out as brandings for slaves, but now it’s become more of a piece of art that people add to themselves. Tattoos have become very popular in many parts of the world, particularly in Europe, Japan, and North and South America. The growth in tattoo culture has seen an increase of new artists into the industry, many of whom have excellent arts training. With advancements in tattoos and the ongoing upgrade of the equipment used for tattooing, this has led to an improvement in the quality and distinct look of tattoos. It is understood to be a symbol of remembrance, love, or just a way for someone to express themselves. Since this new hobby for some has started increasing, so has the policies for companies to hire people with tattoos. As an adult, I chose to put a few tattoos on my body as a symbol of things that I really cherish. Other people in my family also have tattoos, that are visible and some that are hidden from the public by clothing or materials. In today's global marketplace, employers are taking more seriously the need to provide a work environment that welcomes employees from many different backgrounds. Bringing it closer to home, my brother has an entire sleeve on both of his arms and my mom has one tattoo on her chest. He works in the oil field and my mom has been working at Celebrating Home for almost 15 years and things are going well without the tattoo issue getting in the way. This semester plan to research why companies really don’t like to hire potential employees with tattoos, and how prospective employee are affected. I also want to dig deeper into the negative imp...
...businesses should probably think twice about setting a stricter dress code when an employee gets a tattoo, and widen their view of what the new “norm” is in today’s culture.
Individuals that have tattoos in the workplace should be judged based on their work ethic, not body art. Conduct should count more than appearance. The image brings emotion to the reader, for example; on both sides the individual has a serious face, making the viewer feel sympathy with that certain individual. Overall, we see the same person on both sides with the same problem of discrimination for individuals that have body art. Having a tattoo is not a crime is a way to
In today’s world there are several occupations one may choose from once receiving an education. Whether a person wants to be a doctor, a teacher, or a business person, one should be able to use their education to gain access to that job. Getting a job is no easy task, for there are many people who are also searching for that same job. Employers will interview many people just to find the right one and often times will have many stand-out applications to evaluate. When it comes down to making a decision, something as simple as having a tattoo could ruin every hope one has of getting the job. One may ask, “why does having a tattoo ruin ones chance of getting a job?” A tattoo would ruin one’s chances at getting a job simply because it is wrongly viewed as unprofessional.
In addition, discrimination by appearance is really unfair to job-seekers, who do not get hired. My brother, who is Hispanic, has many visible tattoos all over his body. Each and every one of his tattoos mean something very special to him. If someone saw my brother and his tattoos, immediately, they would think he is rebellious. He is a genuine, intelligent person,
Tattoos have been around for quite some time now, and they have always been a symbol of belonging, cultural expression or for religion. These days, individuals choose to tattoo themselves because it is part of their lifestyle or personal image. While continuing to grow in popularity and becoming a lifestyle, people are facing issues with having visible tattoos in the workforce. Although it is a form of free expression, employers have a right to enforce certain rules about tattoos in their company because they have a public image to uphold. How you present yourself to the public is solely important, which is why tattoos should not be allowed to be seen in the workplace, since it may appear offensive or unconservative.
Seeing how not accepting tattoos and piercings in the workplace can cause greater problems, employers need to start accommodating for individuals of all different backgrounds. Businesses need to start focusing on the important matters such as, education, work ethic, attitude, and the willingness to do their job successfully. Anything else is just an
Quotes, birds, and Chinese lettering are just a few tattoos that are seen in today’s society. Tattoo placement ranging from the wrists, feet, and back the possibility for where and what someone would want for a tattoo is endless. Tattoos are looked as ways to express yourself by either remembering a loved one, giving yourself a reminder to push forward in life, or just to get something that you really enjoy. When people get tattoos they probably don’t see anything wrong at the time, but people from a later generation than today’s can definitely disagree. Most are very un-accepting and against tattooing one’s skin. They are not the only ones who frown upon them, though; most work industries would not admit them either. A lot of businesses look down on people who have tattoos, either not allowing them to get a job or believing that they are not suitable for the position. Tattoos do not disrupt a person’s work ethics and take away one’s capability to get a job done.
A persons’ image is vital when meeting someone for the first time. Our peers, employers, family, superiors, even strangers that you walk past can automatically judge someone, and imagine how they present themselves to the world. Tattoos have been predominantly linked with a rebellious attitude and pictured on out of control stereotypes such as rock starts, bikers, sailors, and disobedient teenagers who want nothing more than to hack off their parents. With a new coming of age generation and a step into a more lenient and liberal society these types of patrons still participate in body art but so do doctors, lawyers, or just the run of the mill house mom. Tattoos signify religious beliefs, cultural influence, or each individual’s sole style. Body art is no longer socially offensive, employers are more apt to hiring tatted hopeful applicants, parents are warming up to the idea of their children inking their body and no longer a stranger on the street with a tattoo is necessarily prejudged as a criminal or safety hazard. Tattoos have become more evolved over the years because they have become more of a socially accepted element of the general public.
Tattooing has increased widespread from all ages, careers, and social classes (Westerfield, Stafford, Speroni, & Daniel, 2012). Tattoos’ usual meaning is “to stain the skin with colorings” (Goldstein, 2007). With the growing the populations, who have tattoos and/or body piercings in the work environment, there is requiring decision about what policies to establish forward associates a professional atmosphere. Thus, there assesses patients’ perceptions of health care workers with tattoos and/or body piercing (Westerfield, Stafford, Speroni, & Daniel, 2012).
Are tattoos a kiss of death at a workplace? According to Student Research Center, nearly 4 out of every 10 Americans in their 30s have been inked. ''In April 2000 15% of Americans were tattooed (which is roughly around 40 million people) (The National Geographic).'There are different types of tattoos, from color to black and white, even glow in the dark. Number of tattoo paralos in the U.S. is 21,000'' (Tattoo Statistics 1) and more is being added every single day. People spend about $1.6 billion on tattoos once a year. ''In the U.S. more women than men are tattooed, 36% of the ages is between 18-25 and 40% of those ages are 26-40 that have at least one tattoo.''(Random facts 1) People have been getting tattoos for a while now. It has been said that ''tattoos date back as far as the Neolithic era or around the fourth to fifth millennium BC.''(skinsight.com 1) Tattoos should be acceptable at a place of business because people get tattoos for significant purposes, tattoos can tell stories and build confidence, body art is a way for someone to express themselves, make up, and tattoos are reminders of life time experiences.
Tattoos have become commonplace in our society on both men and women, yet women are still judged more harshly than men when it comes to visible ink. In a nation where every person has the freedom to express themselves in any way imaginable it seems that women with tattoos are breaking the mold and thus paying the consequences. Women with visible tattoos are often discriminated against while men are applauded and accepted for their individuality. In such a modern world, why does it seem that people are clinging to old-fashioned ideas that women with tattoos are somehow less feminine, less capable, or less trustworthy?