Is the Corporate World Taking Away the Right to Self Expression? Ron Carter’s Starbucks’ Coffee uniform includes pants, a shirt, an apron, and wristbands to cover the tattoos on his arm (Feldstein, 2011). Many people have to cover up their body art while at work. Some businesses do not even hire people that have visible body art such as tattoos or piercings other than the typical ear piercing. This is not uncommon in the United States today. However, the question comes up as to whether this is demoralizing or mandatory for the workplace. With the latest changes in people’s self-expression, businesses are finding it hard to have a specific dress code that will fit all of the employees associated with the business. With the latest trends in today’s society, it is not unusual to see people with tattoos on a daily basis. Typically, if you visit a business you are more likely to see someone who has body art hid in the back with the least social occupation, so that the public does not see the tattoos or piercings. Many businesses have a specific dress code where employees have to have long sleeve shirts, bracelets, or other types of traditional jewelry to cover the not-so-typical body art. The strict dress codes that businesses have set up regarding body art are too drastic with the latest changes in society, and should probably be loosened up to allow people the opportunity to express themselves. As a citizen of the United States, everyone is entitled to freedom of speech. With this freedom we are given the right to express ourselves. A nose ring or a flower tattooed on a wrist is a way that people have chosen to express their personality. Colleen Harris is a librarian at the University of Kentucky’s research library. W... ... middle of paper ... ...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. Works Cited “Body Art and Tattoos in the Workplace.” (2006, October 21). FOXNEWS.com. Retrieved May 13, 2011 from http://foxnews.com/story/0,2933,223178,00.html Feldstein, Mary Jo. “Piercing, Tattoos Create Workplace Issues.” Rense.com. Retrieved May 13, 2011 from http://www.rense.com/general11/plac.htm “Professional dress code and Tattoos.” (2006). dba-oracle.com. Retrieved May 13, 2011 from http://www.dba-oracle.com/dress_code_tattoos.htm Urban, Danielle S. “Think twice about displaying tattoos in the workplace.” News.com.au. Retrieved May 13, 2011 from http://www.news.com.au/business-smarts/think-twice- about-displaying-tattoos-in-the-workplace/story-e6frfm9r-12255867284466
Tattoos have been utilized in various ways for thousands of years, ranging from punishment, to status symbols and indications of religious beliefs. They have served as the ultimate illustration of cultural diffusion in America, and despite generally carrying a negative social stigma, perception of tattoos has continued to evolve into a more acceptable practice.
2. All employees must follow the dress code and wear appropriate business casual attire. Body tattoos and piercings will be covered at all times.
...siderably. From a mark of criminality to an embraced art form, the body modification has represented various expressions of the bearer’s inner self. However, despite the efforts to normalize tattoos in the society, the social stigma of deviance perceived by the larger society still remains deeply etched in the art. It is apparent that the intended message a bearer wants to communicate through a tattoo may not be perceived correctly by others. These motivations behind tattoos are filtered through cultural and historical lenses that often result in unintended perceptions of tattooed bodies. In addition, the attempts of using tattoos to change social conditions often reinforce the very conditions they seek to counter. Though these stigmas and misinterpretations see no sign of fading, tattooing will remain as a powerful vehicle of self-expression and social commentary.
...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.
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
A controversial topic today is whether or not body piercings and tattoos should be accepted by professionals working in health care. Currently, tattoos and piercings are allowed in health care as long as they are not visible. According to one of the studies, “Body piercing is defined as a piercing of the body anywhere other than the earlobes” (Westerfield). Therefore, the only visible piercings allowed are small studs in the lobes of the ears for females. The reason body piercings and tattoos are not suggested in health care is that they keep someone from looking professional as well as making them look intimidating. Not everyone sees them that way. The opposing side is that they do not affect
In today’s society a lot of tattoos are misinterpreted or judged. Mainly by those who are against them, or teenagers who use them to rebel. They are also a good way to challenge the traditional gender norms. Such as a deep and tangible commitment to alternative gender definitions, and other women use tattoos to conform mainstream forms of feminism. A classic example would be a man dressed in a doctor’s coat, and then revealed to have full sleeves and drives a Harley. Or a U.S. Marine goes to a diner and is covered from shoulders down in tattoos and gets treated like poop because individuals assume something about this Marine that is untrue by their assumptions
Even though tattoos are becoming part of culture and socially acceptable, the negative and prejudiced attitudes towards those with body art are still present. Not all tattoos are gang related, and one must note that they have historically been a symbol of someone’s culture or religion. Other tattoos may have just a personal meaning to its owner and was not intended to be offensive. People also do not understand that a tattoo may impede them from pursuing a professional career, regardless of their qualifications. Employers realize that the need to recruit workers from different backgrounds are important in such a competitive workforce, so they provide accommodation by having reasonable dress code policies.
New cultures generate due to time and generational alterations, trends, and issues to develop and improve; nursing as a profession is not anymore unrestricted area from these cultural moves, between members of all socioeconomic groups and across the diversity of careers, including health care has body art. Individuals’ perception increases to body art as a form of self- expression, nurse educators and nurse leaders are determined the concern of detectable tattoos and body piercing in the uniform code guidelines for nursing personnel working in their organizations (Dorwart, Kuntz & Armstrong,
This is not the best thing to wear because you would not want to show too many tattoos if applied. Some people may wear this to work, which is also not professional and could cause both negative and positive attention varying on the situation. Most individuals may like attention but not so much attention that it is negative attention. Overall, finally for this reason mainly that dress codes are mostly positively recommended for work, because this is one of the most professional places. Most parents have dress codes for their children inside, and outside of school etc. The reason is that it is for their own good. There are a lot of bad people in this world and it is up to guardians to protect them from the ones they are aware of meaning children may not be aware of dress codes but parents can help stop from them being in any type of harm. For this reason, there are dress codes that help parents to help their children. “It may be obvious that what someone wears affects others’ perceptions of someone. But one interesting aspect of dress is that what people wear can affect how they behave. One study observed behavior at a roller rink. On nights with a strict dress code, there were fewer accidents and less noise. In an old article in the Academy of Management Review, scientists theorized that exhibiting actions not in line with the expectations of how
As early as the nineteenth century women were modifying their bodies with tattoos as a way to seek employment; this employment consisted mainly of circus sideshows or “freak shows.” These women were most often regarded as outcasts and rebels and were frequently scorned and ridiculed. “At that time, positive associations with tattoos were limited to upper class women; these women were recognized as brave and noble as well as beautiful” (Hawkes, Senn, and Thorn 594.) There was a resurgence of tattooing in the 1920s and again in the late 1960s and early 1970s which brought not only an increase in the number of women receiving tattoos but also in the number of female tattoo artists. Unlike their predecessors these women were not tattooing their bodies as means to gain employment but as a form of self-expression and rebellion. Yet they still met with discrimination and negative attitudes when it came to their tattoos.
In most workplaces today, there are implied dress codes. However, do organizations have the right to enforce dress codes? In fact, dress codes tend to brew up some controversy against employees or potential employees and the employer at times. In strong honest opinions, it is highly fair for employees to tell their employees how to dress or groom and there are a few good understandable reasons
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.
... no sense for a job to tell people what they can do with their body lets alone if it is not innapropiete why not? If theres no violence why not let whom ever wants tattoos to go ahead and get it with out telling them they cant be hired or they will be fired. I hope that in a couple of years from now more jobs will see eye to eye with me that having tattoos doesnt make u a bad person it makes you different it shows can tell so much about a person and there are so many rich people that do have tattoos. Some people dont get tattoos because of their parents but whatever there reason i stand by each and every person that deiceds to put body art on themselves. some people dont see tattoos as art but yet if it wasnt then why do tattoo ARTIST charge from 100+ at a professional shop. One day i beileve people will no longer think that theres has to be restrictions to tattoos.
Dress codes are a huge part of being in the working world. Dress code is considered to be a “set of standard clothing worn by members of an organization while participating in that organizations activity” (Wright Gen, n.p). In discussing dress code a major issue is many people do not realize what business casual is considered to be which causes a difference in opinion (Diana Saiki, n.p.). There are many reasons why dress codes have become so important in all aspects of life. A smarter dress can lead to smart choices on the job. Plus, a greater respect for colleagues (British Workers "Prefer to Dress up Rather than Dress Down’). Although, whether to have a dress code or not is a huge question.