Lois Desocio's The Tattoos

Society has changed in many ways over the years; at one point tattoos were considered unprofessional and disgusting to most people, but today, they are quite common amongst young adults and people who enjoy art. Parents and people of many older generations, sometimes struggle to understand why this new interest in tattoos has been able to consume American culture so quickly. Prior to this boom of interest in tattoos, there were many horror stories that surrounded the subject due to unsanitary tools used and possible diseases a person could catch if a mistake was made. Lois Desocio is one of those adults who has struggled to understand tattoos, especially since her son Alec began to fill his body with them. As Alec’s collection of body art continues

Author and mother Lois Desocio notes in the article, “My Son will have no choice but to join the circus. What else can he do when he’s 40, his bald head in the grips of inked-on spikes? Will there be naked women etched on his back? How about a purple MOM flowing across his chest” (Desocio 16). Many of the different stereotypes that often surround people with tattoos, are the first issues that make Lois Desocio nervous. Even with the data she has continued to find on the subject, it doesn’t seem to reassure her. It’s like Alec’s mother takes one step forward, and two back while having this verbal internal battle with herself. Desocio acknowledges, “According to the American Academy of Dermatology, 36 percent of young people between the ages of 18 and 29 have a tattoo, and the number is rising” (16). It truly does seem as if Desocio is trying to change the way her mind interprets this situation, but it’s tough to do that when one mindset has already been implemented in your head from

Parents always seem to worry about how their children may look back on something when they don’t have much life experience. Which makes sense as to why a permanent imprint on her son’s body can keep her up at night. Lois writes, “But, oh, the agony of hindsight; the woe of the ‘If I only knew then what I know now.’ What breaks my heart is the inevitability that Alec will suffer for this” (16). Having concern for someone when going about activites like this is understandable, but immediately looking ahead to a possible negative outcome shows the amount of fear currently consuming Alec’s mother. After going on about these feelings though, Lois goes into deep detail about how proud she truly is of her son. She complement’s his ability to be confident even though he may be judged, while also reflecting on the individualism that has created a man comfortable in his own skin. But at the very end of the article, she ends her explanation by mentioning “And who knows- maybe he’ll reconsider adding any more tattoos to his motif” (16). Even as Lois tries to accept this life choice for her son, she believes her worries will never go away. Lois can only continue to adjust she admits, with the hope overtime that Alec can erase those fears by proving each one of his mother’s thoughts wrong. Many people struggle to change their mindset or a distinct thinking