In chapter 10 (pg 158)
“The aim of the research was to contribute to the debate about the pathology of the criminal; but the data itself more often bore witness to fact that tattooing was also a popular habit among the male working class and could not be readily identified with either ‘atavism’ or ‘degeneracy’”.
This quote stuck out to me because it underscores the negative narrative tied to tattoos and the confirmation bias – the research was aimed to examine the pathology of a criminal. Chapter 10 later suggests “tattoo can be considered, to use the medico-legal term, as a professional characteristic”. This made me think about how in a way, (visible) tattoos are another piece of data another individual takes into account when they make their first impression of you (consciously or subconsciously).
It’s interesting to think about how tattoos have been linked to showing agency (having control over your life and body) yet its also established that the stigmatized nature of tattoos make people with face tattoos less likely to be hired (limiting their potential possibilities). In chapter 13, the author cites the US Navy’s statement stating that “indecent or obscene tattooing is cause for rejection, but the applicant should be given an opportunity to alter the design, in which event he may, if otherwise qualified, be accepted”. This is so peculiar to me because I truly don’t understand this ubiquitous distaste for tattoos all around the world – I’m interested in learning more about the psychological underpinnings of this disapproval of tattoos.
More specifically, chapter 13 also emphasizes society’s overall disapproval of underage tattoos, mentioning a law passed in 1933 that makes it a misdemeanor to tattoo a child under the age of 16. Obviously, I’m not encouraging underage tattoos. I’m wondering, what about tattoos makes them so repulsive? From a psychological standpoint, why do humans (from all over) dislike tattoos? It’s just so interesting to me because I frankly don’t understand the controversy.