I have read a lot of articles about "tattooed freaks" and people finding it impossible to find a decent job making more then minimum wage. It seems to me that our society is extremely split on the topic, there is no middle road when it comes to body modifications. How did we draw the line? Why are breast implants ok and a lip ring is not?It is understandable that at the end of the day businesses are just that; businesses. They have bottom lines to protect and need to ensure they do not loose clientele due to other peoples perceptions. The problem arises when someone is told they cannot be hired due to tattoos on their forearms, necks etc when the tattoo is something as simple (and non-offensive) as a flower. After all, I certainly would not have to go into work everyday and be confronted with someone with swastikas, derogatory language or nude figures branded across their arms.
It should be a matter of tact but instead people have taken this subject matter to promote their own ideals. There are currently no laws specific to tattoo discrimination although there are many that would compare the color of the pigment used for tattooing as the same as the color of the skin you are born with; it is the color of your skin now, the pigment is part of your body and thus should be covered under the same laws as racial discrimination. I disagree that those laws cover discrimination of tattoos, I believe that we as a country need to create laws to protect those who have had modifications done to their body. Some people find tattoos repulsive, some people (as sad as is it) find dark skin tones repulsive and others find people who are morbidly obese repulsive.
Society has deemed it wrong and immoral to discriminate against someone because of their skin color, hair, height, weight etc. because they are things about you that you cannot change; they are things that make you who you are and simply are how you were born. Although, it can be argued (maybe not rationally) that you can change the color our your skin, can you chemically alter your hairs, you do have control over your weight.
You can legally be tattooed; pierced; color your hair; have plastic surgery to enlarge your breasts, reduce your breasts, change the shape and size of your nose, give you fuller lips, make your legs longer, give you a "stronger" jaw line, get implants to make your muscles look larger, reduce your body fat, bleach your skin.. the list is endless. So why as society to we deem a brunette to color her hair blond more beautiful then one who colored her hair blue? A woman with collagen injections in her lips more beautiful then a woman with a lip ring?
Do our laws only protect those that the media has deemed to be more beautiful? It seems to be that way...
Original source: http://savinoxide.wordpress.com/?p=35
