The culture status of tattooing has steadily evolved
from that of an anti-social activity in the 1960s
to that of a trendy fashion statement in the 1990s
It doesn't matter who you are or what your profession is. It doesn't matter if you're in the East Village or East Alabama. Whatever your socio-demographic is - from prisoners to princesses - having a tattoo is now an acceptable practice throughout most of society. With few religious and social exceptions, for the most part, people from all walks of life can be seen sporting a "your name here" on their lower-back or a classic image on their bicep.
Could it be possible tattoos are less meaningful nowadays that they're acceptable? Could it be body art has increased in popularity, perhaps as a means by which the boring can become interesting? New York Times op-ed columnist David Brooks affirms this sentiment, saying, "Other people are trying to unveil their wild side. They're taking advantage of the fact that tattoos are associated with felons, bikers and gangstas. They're trying to show that far from being the dull communications majors they appear to be, they are actually free spirits - sensual, independent, a little dangerous."
Tattoo popularity could also be booming because people in American society are becoming more tolerant. It would make sense "normal" people (not gangstas or felons) get inked now that the stigma attached with tattoos has dramatically reduced. While Grandma may not be entirely approving, most of society won't cast a second look.
According to a 2006 American Society of Dermatological Surgery survey, 24 percent of Americans between the ages of 18 and 50 have a tattoo. That's one in four, a whopping number compared to the 10 percent of Americans who were inked in 1936, according to Life Magazine. U.S. News & World Report said tattooing is one of the fastest growing markets, along with computers, cell phones and internet offers.
In spite of the huge popularity and growing tolerance to the tattoo wearers, you should be really careful choosing and applying one. First of all, the presence of tattoos and/or body piercings is not considered a religious practice and is not protected by the anti-discrimination standards established by the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Employees with tattoos and/or body piercings are not members of a protected class and may be refused employment or otherwise discriminated against in the workplace. Also, permanent tattoo is something you’ll wear for long, so it should be something that make you more attractive, sexier, or more open, and not bring you the “weirdo” verdict from other people.
The Tattoo Generator will help you to apply virtually any chosen tattoo on your body parts, and check if that really what you want. Pick a tattoo out of hundreds of designs (you can also upload your own design), then upload a photo of yourself with the part of the body you would like to see tattooed. Free version of these interesting online service is limited (you cannot upload your own design and you have limited amount of fonts, for example), but that is a good place to start your tattoo exploration journey.
You can visit Virtual Tattoo Simulator and start now: http://www.tatmash.com/
