Tattoos in the work place

This week we talked about tattoos and whether or not they are acceptable in the work place. To me I think it depends on the occupation. If you are going to be working with younger childern I think that you should be more cautios about what you have and where they are. When working with the young children the parent might look down upon you even if you are the most qualified for the job. Tattoos shouldn't be a reason for someone not getting a job at all.

When I was in high school the leader of my senior high youth group at my church was heavily tattooed. He had space scene from star wars on his one leg, as well as an almost full sleve on his right arm. But he was one of the most caring and easiest people to talk to. I feel like because he had those tattoos it made it easier to talk to him because we were able to connect with him better.

Missing Arm vs. Tattoos

Going off our conversation we had on Thursday about where tattoos should be acceptable, I think in the end the issue will never be 100% solved. People will always have different opinions on what is the most appropriate way to look. I think the best thing any tattoo having person can hope for is the world just getting used to them. Even though tattoos have been around for a long time, people still feel this since of distraction and unprofessionalism towards them. It has gotten better though; certain professions  have started to allow them. Personally I have seem several professors, artists, doctors and dentist with him. Like I said in class whenever I see someone with tattoos it puts me at ease because I connect a since of openness with anyone who has a tattoo. Not everyone is going to feel that though, which it totally okay. It's like when certain restaurants only hire "attractive" waitress or hostess because they feel that they will have a better business. Issues like these will always be opinion based, which I feel gives people who have tattoos a greater shot of winning people over.

Also I'd like to talk more about how tattoos can be seen as a distraction. I agree that tattoos are something that makes you different from others but how is having a tattoo any less distracting then someone missing an arm? Is it because people choose to get tattoos and usually people don't choose to get their arm cut off? Does having sympathy for said person make it an "okay distraction"?  Bringing it into education and teachers, would someone not hire a teacher with say one leg or one arm simply because it would be a distraction to the kids? I don't see why your body has really anything to do with how someone teaches children. If those distractions are to the extreme, then maybe yes I could see there being as issue but anything less then that I don't.

Occupations that are not accepting of tattoos and piercings

A recent Pew Research study shows that 4 in 10 people between the ages of 18 and 29 have at least one tattoo. This is a pretty high number, so what is the fate of these people when they going into the working world? Considering different occupations, some are more accepting of tattoos than others but it seems that for the most part tattoos can be problematic in being taken seriously by a potential employer and then being offered a job. Some of the jobs that we considered in class as tattoo-friendly and even encouraged at times were artist or graphic design jobs, while a job in education or law this would be considered unprofessional.

This article discusses 10 occupations where tattoos are still deemed unacceptable and overall unprofessional. Although the popularity of tattoos has grown immensely and yet they are still viewed in this way by many employers. Do we believe there will be a change in this attitude towards tattooing or will it always be viewed more negatively in some professions than in others.

Tattooing in other cultures

So while we discussed the disapproval of tattoos in certain professional aspects on a whole tattooing is accepted and seen as a common act. However in Japanese culture it is highly frowned upon, to the point of people seeing the act as criminal and even forbid people in places if they have tattoos.

The article below gives an idea of the ideas shared by many Japanese people and the restrictions put in place over this current social issue. 

http://japandailypress.com/the-view-of-tattoos-in-japanese-society-295623

Considering the comparison between the two countries makes me wonder if our culture ever had such drastic ideas to the point of limitation to those with tattoos and if this will lead to change for the Japanese culture in future years.

Joan Welch

Breast Cancer Survivor Tattoo Controversy

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/02/19/facebook-removes-breast-cancer-survivors-double-mastectomy-tattoo-picture_n_2716057.html

I mentioned in class that just a few months ago, there was some controversy dealing with a picture of a woman's chest covered in a tattoo and Facebook removing it.  Facebook claimed this was against their nudity policy, however the image was of a woman's chest after a double mastectomy.  The woman no longer has breasts and her chest is flat, similar to a man's chest.  The area where her breasts used to be, as well as the surrounding area, are covered by a huge tattoo.

While I understand that bare breasts do fall under nudity, I feel it is completely unfair that Facebook took this image down multiple times.  This tattoo very obviously has meaning behind it.  This woman has been through hell and back and has literally lost a part of her that represented her as a woman.  She has survived not only a disease, but losing a part of herself and she reclaimed that part of her body with art.  She had no choice but to modify her body and get a double mastectomy, otherwise this image probably would have never existed. There have been many petitions going around to allow this image to be displayed, which wasn't even via her personal page, rather it was displayed on a tattoo parlor's website.  They displayed this not only to show the work they have done, but to show the strength of this woman and how a meaning of a tattoo can go very deep and far beyond modifying your body. 

A note on tattoos

This discussion these week got me very intrigued in people's motivation and tattoo stories. I remember in class we talked about if a tattoo was really considered sincere or worth it if it had no meaning. This is because many people think that a tattoo has to tell a story or mean something in order to serve its function. Perhaps this follows the older views of tattoos or sailor and military folklore.

Regardless, I think of the major issues is that you have the right to get a tattoo and express yourself. It follows one of our constitutional values. My issue with tattoos are those who criticize it because essentially there are criticizing that specific person's right to express oneself.

On a unrelated side note, I find tattoo stories or people's tattoo's to be very interesting to potentially understanding that person on a deeper level. My mother had a work friend who's husband worked in a factory and could not wear jewelry. So instead of wearing a ring, he got a tattoo of the ring on his finger so he could always remember his wife at work. That is one of the more touching stories I have heard. Perhaps if others want to share any stories they have I think it would be very enlightening for this conversation!

When is Too Much?

For the class on body modification we talked primarily about tattoos and how people expressed themselves freely through the permanent images they placed on their body. The artifact that was presented was interesting because the woman who had all of those tattoos was trying to cover up her condition. But a question that is important in bringing up is, “when is it too much?” Certainly individuals have their own preferences and some can tolerate tattoos more than others. This question could also branch into two smaller questions, “When is too much to get” pertaining to having tattoos added and, “when is too much to look at?” The class talked about how some people get too many tattoos and can take away from the message trying to be portrayed by the body images. I think that many people overreact to tattoos but in some instances can be right in overreacting. It’s all about the context and how tattoos are portrayed by whomever is looking at them.

Darren Pope

Tattoos in the work place.

I think that in educational, medical, and any other profession the outlook of employees should not be focused as much on looks, but their qualifications and attitude/personality. Thinking about tattoos in the works place, I don’t think I have ever seen a doctor or nurse with a tattoo. The picture above though shows that it’s the same person, he must still be qualified to be a doctor despite his tattoos and personal preferences. But, then again in the medical field you want to trust your doctor or nurse and believe that they are reliable, have good judgment, and are not impulsive. As our generations keep developing, it will be interesting to see in the future how tattoos in different institutions change; if they will be more acceptable or not.   

http://www.forbes.com/sites/rachelhennessey/2013/02/27/having-a-tattoo-and-a-job/

 

-emothersell

Tattoos in the Teaching Profession

There are obviously many different viewpoints on tattoos in general, especially when it comes to tattoos and jobs. As we talked about in class, tattoos have become a controversy in the teaching profession. One of my thoughts is that it is sort of ironic and a bit hypocritical to not allow teachers to have visible tattoos. Considering, one of the main messages we try to portray to kids is to be individuals, and be themselves. Tattoos are what make individuality, it’s not like you see people everywhere walking around with the same tattoos. This is what makes tattoos defining, tattoos are unique and are a part of whom you are. When schools don’t allow teachers to have tattoos I think it completely goes against this message that is supposed to be sent to kids. Also as mentioned in class teachers have an identity that has mostly been created by society, they have to meet this image or else they aren’t qualified. I think it is important to look back to a philosophical time, as famous individuals attained great amounts of knowledge. People learned from them and respected their knowledge because of the individual they were and the personality they claimed. Today I think teaching has moved away from this, as we also talked about in class that the teacher needs have control over the classroom and hold a higher position over the students. But confining to a specific image, I believe, isn’t the only way to do this. I strongly believe that a person earns respect from the position they hold themselves to. So if a teacher is to be seen as an individual and a unique person, as anyone else is, they can earn that respect and control. I also believe it may even make students more comfortable and help the learning process. I think it is often seen, at least in my opinion, that the teacher cannot be associated with students except in terms and conditions of school, and teachers aren’t always seen as people. Often when we were younger we thought that teachers just stayed in school all the time, and today we often forget that teachers have al life outside of school until we run into them somewhere outside of school. I think that it is important to remember what individuality means and how much it can have in aspects of learning. Therefore I don’t think tattoos should necessarily be discouraged in the teaching profession. They create individuality and define people, teachers are people too and should be able to express themselves and tell their stories if they so wish. As for the distracting aspect of tattoos to students, why do you think it is so discouraged if a teacher does have a tattoo for the student to know about it, or learn about it? 

Professionalism, are Tattoos Okay?

After our in class conversation I'd like to ask the class on the whole how they truly feel about tattoos.  Tattoos have been a point of controversy for decades.  In a day and age where we as a society are becoming more progressive and accepting of body modifications like tattoos.  It goes back to the concept of professionalism.  I think people are going to approach this matter from different angles.  We as a society are trying to judge people less as we strive for equally, would we find it distracting? Shouldn't the most important part of being a good teacher come from actual talent and overall competence instead of physical appearance.  So with respect to this, I'd like to know your opinions regarding how professional a body modification like a tattoo is in the workplace.  Why do you feel tattoos have such a negative connotation in the workplace right now, and how would you go about changing this?

Professionalism

Today in class we talked about professionalism and when tattoos in the work place would be acceptable. As an early childhood/ childhood major I personally do not think that tattoos that are visible are acceptable in schools. I understand that most of the time a tattoo has meaning behind it but there are many places that a tattoo could go that would not be visible. In grades K-3 or 4 I know that if a student was to see a tattoo they would want to know all about it, especially if neither of their parents had on. this would then distract the class from what they are supposed to be learning about. Im not saying that students should be sheltered and not told about tattoo, im just saying they are not professional and should not be in the schools.

"Natural" Modification

Today's discussion left me thinking about what is acceptable in our society in the terms of body modification. Jeff made the point that everyone undergoes body modification.  I think this is absolutely true.  Women and hair color I think can relate to the tattoo debate we had today.  Women constantly change hair color and it's not seen as rebellious or deviant so long as it is a naturally occurring color.  If a women colors her hair blond, she is not seen as distracting or breaking a social norm.  But if a women colors her hair with an unnatural color such as purple, or blue, she is viewed as having an attitude, much like individuals with tattoos on their bodies.  Plastic surgery is the same way.  If the plastic surgery is performed that still keeps people within the social construct of a 'natural' person it is okay.  Tattoos changed the outward appearance to something that does not happen naturally.  This is why I think that tattoos are distracting to some people.  The eye is drawn to what does not look natural.  Eventually, when people are around those with tattoos long enough, it becomes natural, but we do not have the ability to do that with everyone that has a tattoo.  It just seems as though to appease society, we can only change our bodies in ways that would be found in nature.

Self-Image

While watching YouTube videos, a link to this campaign came up:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpaOjMXyJGk&list=PL0BRaXBPJ6iZMJoRM9TFRc2Mq4d0KmKqZ&index=0#aid=P-G71WNJ7zI

I think that this video series is very relevant to our talks about body image and the conception of "fat". Most of the women in these sketches think themselves to be bigger than they are in real life, and uglier at that. I think that modern media has bred this negative self-image for many women. We are living in a decade in which female empowerment is a staple of our culture, however, many women have generally negative images of their own body, propelled primarily by the "perfect girl image" in print media. Hopefully this can be rectified over time.

Ideals and Stereotypes As An Outcome of Human Competition.

I've recently been reading Thorstein Veblen's "The Theory of The Leisure Class" for another class, which has provided me some inspiration on our discussions in this class. While the book mostly deals with social class consumerism, one of the main points of the book is that humans are naturally invidious creatures; that is, they want to designate themselves as superior to other persons. If we take this to be true, it may help explain why society feels the need to impose body ideals and stereotypes on certain groups of people.

With the growth in 20th century of consumer culture, and with it visual medium like television, movies, and advertisements, image has grown to be more and more important. This is even more important today with the growth of social media like twitter, facebook, and snapchat. In our impersonal world, our body image is in part how we make first impressions and communicate to others what we are about.  Today's ideal types and stereotypes came to be what they are because they naturally reward those who have them with greater benefits and status. Therefore, these people use this power to put down others because it gives them pleasure and a feeling of power. Again, in this media and image inclined society, this model is increasingly becoming the dominant way to communicate who is "better" or "worse" than others; or better put, who belongs in higher or lower social strata. To be clear I don't approve or disapprove of this, it's just a theory; nor am I saying the current ideals are justified. They could easily flip at some point in the future. The point is is that humans naturally seek ways to compete and prove themselves superior. So, to say the stereotypes and ideals we have today are nonsensical or have no use (good or bad), in my opinion, is rather short sighted.

One person's experience

Here is the video of the young woman that I spoke about in class. She had a horrible experience while flying Southwest and she explains very well the social issues surrounding the discrimination of overweight people. I'm sure there are a number of other who can relate to this embarrassing event that she had to go through. it is up to others to speak up and not let this rude and mean behavior exist. That's how i feel at least.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xp9mfZ0zZAg

One Size Fits 'Most'

During our discussion, about the social construct 'fat' and how people who meet the requirements to be 'fat' or 'obese' are discriminated against in our society, firming these stereotypes and skewed ideas of 'beauty' and normalcy; I began to think about how much our society has implanted this idea of beauty into our everyday lives. Whether you are watching a movie, TV, looking at a magazine, or even shopping, 'fat' is viewed negatively. Specifically in clothing stores, the view of 'fat' as something that deviates from the norm and should be fixed, is apparent.

Brandy Melville is a trendy boutique type store and everything that it sells is all fit to the same size; discriminating to anyone that doesn't fit their sizing chart. To make it even worse their labels are embellished with the phrase "ONE SIZE FITS ALL"; which is quite ridiculous. How can you say that your products will fit all when you have a specific sizing chart with outrageous measurements that clearly not everyone will meet? Granted, their clothes are extremely loose fitting, flowy, and stretchy, they might fit some customers, despite their size, but definitely not all. Also, in the size chart, the figure is a female, insisting that their merchandise is for females only. 

http://www.brandymelvilleusa.com/

As we know, many stores commit this crime of inferring that 'thin' is good and everyone should look the same. Especially with stores like American Eagle and Forever 21, as a frequent shopper, I have progressively noticed the change in their sizing. If you hold up a 0 size pants, you might even question as to who that is fitting, other than a small child; also why is it labeled a zero, which literally means nothing. Insisting that you should take up no space and weigh as close to 0 pounds as possible? I think we need to educate our society on the idea that size does not matter, health matters. Often, we determine our actions and appearance to please others, which in the long run does not make any sense. Why aren't we working out, eating healthy, and changing our lifestyles to benefit us so we can live longer? How should stores change their sizing charts to create a more accepting view on body types? Should they eliminate sizes all-together? Label sizes in a different way? What do you think needs to happen? 

http://www.hercampus.com/school/arizona/one-size-doesnt-fit-all

Gay fat men or bear community

I we have seen by our discussion in class today it is clear that at least half our class does not know that the gay community can be far reaching and can be found in some of the most unlikely places along with some of the most unlikely people. Bears or overweight gay gentlemen are almost as common as the muscular men who are most associated as gay. The fact of the matter is, homosexuality much like heterosexuality is unbiased. The only reason society may not associate the gay community with overweight members is due in part to the major problem of sizism in our current society. The world is imperfect, but it seems easy to question why anyone with a few extra pounds could be attractive, especially in the gay community. The real problem is that society spends so much time questioning others choices about their size and sexual choices that those same questioning individuals loss sight of what they are doing. Those judging members of society spend so much time judging others that it is they who are the ones who deserve to be questioned, it is them who deserve to be cast out of society as not fitting the social mold. The reality is that we as a society have several different lifestyle choices among us. However, the moment we decide to lean so far toward any one particular direction everyone else has to question why and explain how that particular decision is the wrong choice. Big men and women can be attractive, they can also make different life style choices which may not fit the schema of others around them. The article Big, Fat, Hairy, and Beautiful has done something wonderful for society, it has made us question ourselves on why we think that if you are part of a particular label or category you need to look the part. By saying that this is not the case, we as a society must now figure out why stereotyping has become the normal action when discussing certain topics such as homosexuality and overweight men not fitting the mold. Why do you suppose we as a society have to use stereotyping just when thinking about specific individuals?
-William Webster

Fight Fat? Or Fight Society?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvLN8buEgpM - Adele

The clip is simply here to provide some insight on a positive role model for society, and how weight does not matter to a woman that has achieved greatness without giving in to what society views as culturally acceptable.

My artifact for today centers around an article written in People Magazine that brings a fat fighting mentality to the forefront of the publication.  This article points at various children from ages 9 to 17 that have fought childhood obesity and demonizes the concept of being overweight.  For instance, the article points out that one out of every three kids in the United States is overweight or obese - claiming that it hinders their ability to learn, and how they feel about themselves.  Charles Haines who was once 285 lbs. at age 15 claimed that he was a loner, and would actually hide from classmates if he saw them in a public setting.  One of the doctors in the article says that "we're seeing signs of progress" with obesity rates declining in states such as California and Mississippi.  What is most unsettling to me is the fact that the doctors point to weight loss as a sign of progress for American Society.  While it is true that our country is overweight, it basically points to everyone else that isn't the appropriate weight and isolates them.  They're saying, these are the boundaries that are set up by society.  If you're not THIS weight, then you're NOT normal!  There are even girls in here named Sara and Nadia Waly.  They are 9 years old and are being pressured to conform to societal norms.  One twin did not lose any weight, but improved their BMI standards. The other lost 5 pounds.  For goodness sake, these are children. The mother was quoted as saying "The girls are much more enthusiastic and fun now".  Nice parenting lady.

I chose this article because I want to display what kind of message we are sending to our children about being overweight.  It's a terrific example of how our society views fat and obesity.  Do you think the message we should send to our kids should be to conform to society? Or do you feel that the message should be centered around being satisfied with our own personality, and being confident in our own abilities to be who we want to be - regardless of weight or aesthetic appearance?

I also feel like this article relates back to our readings because it shows how everybody must conform to the societal norm or risk be shunned and disgraced for their own natural appearance.  Women have specific criteria that they must meet to appeal to the masses.  The cultural ideal is that women must remove the softness of their bodies to be perfectly sculpted goddesses of thin proportion.  Just as the Fat. Hairy. Sexy article presents the cultural norms and stereotypes of gay men.  If either man or woman does not adhere to these cultural laws they are viewed as deviant by their respective communities.  I think we as a society have to take a deeper look past the physical aspect of the body, and a little more at the personalities thriving inside.

Questions:
1.) After seeing this article, and video clip what kind of message do you feel we should send our kids about their body weight?

2.)  Do you feel that we as a society are too quick to judge and stereotype others based on physical appearance, or is it just a part of who we are as human beings to label others this way?

3.)  What role do you think the media has in how we as men and women envision our ideal appearance?

4.) Is it right or fair for us to expect such strict aesthetic conformity from females when they typically have 10-15% more fat than men due to biological development?

5.) A statistic reads that 78% of girls are dissatisfied with their bodies by the time they reach 18 and out of that 78% - 45% are actually Underweight.  How do you feel after reading that statistic?

Fat: A Heavy Topic

http://travel.cnn.com/airline-fat-tax-should-heavy-passengers-pay-more-619046

My Artifact for Tuesday is a new report by CNN that goes into a current/ reoccurring issue of

airlines that are of recent, considering placing a tax on people considered to be fat or overweight. The article explains that an economist in Norway is cited saying that reducing as little as 1 extra kilo(a little more than 2 pounds) of weight per flight, will save an airline company as much as 3000 dollars a year. Because of this calculation, he proposes that airlines should begin to charge overweight passengers an extra amount of money or they must purchase two seats when planning to fly. This argument includes that while we are paying for the extra weight of luggage, people have been getting larger in size over the last 30 to 40 years. So more weight has been placed on planes that was not a factored in years ago. Because the airline business does depend greatly on weight management and fuel cost, from a business level it would seem that this is a fine measure to take. For those who must pay a heavier charge, it is a different matter. This situation is a form of fat discrimination that is one of the few forms of discrimination that is still publicly acceptable. 

I chose this clip because many find that this proposed "fat tax" is discriminatory and embarrassing to those who can not control their weight, or are heavy for other reasons. A stereotypical man would then have to pay more than a stereotypical woman.  So can this be seen as a sexually biased system? Those who are very much for the price by weight option are parents with children. They can take into consideration that they will be able to pay less for their children to fly because they weigh less than an adult. Other questions arise, such as "Will the seats be the same size for overweight and underweight people?" "Will bigger seats be installed?" "What about people that are considered fit but are very tall?"  "How would price comparisons work?" So by enforcing this proposed tax, many complications must be addressed.

This news report relates to the articles based on the common themes of discrimination, invisibility of fat bodies in society and shaming those who do not fit the cultural norms. While obesity is a growing issue in the United States, taxing the overweight does not seem like an effect measure to me. I feel that if there is an issue with people weighing more, there should be a solution proposed rather than a tax. This is a tricky subject because while we would like to encourage a healthier lifestyle for everyone, there is the issue of free will and free choice. People do not want to be told what to do and do not want to be told what to eat. By adding airline fees, it could lead into a tax on other items like unhealthy food or a government tax for health insurance if you are over a certain BMI. The list is endless. I cannot say that I have  a solution but I do believe something has to be done in order to make our society a healthier one. From this clip it seems that if a person is obese they are not seen as a person but more as a number of pounds. Discrimination not only comes from the economy but also in personal lives. If an over weight person is not seen as a personal human, they can not be seen in a sexual sense either. But just because a person is larger, doesn't mean they can not be seen as a sexual being. With women, the sexual parts are actually enhanced and should be embraced in this sense. But instead, the body is seen as a thing rather than a person. This is an issue that must be addressed. 

Questions:

1. What thoughts do you have on the "fat tax," is it a discriminatory measure or is it a logical way for the airlines to be more efficient?

2. Based on the articles and this clip, how is media playing a part in our view of the fat man or fat woman? On TV and in news, how do we view people that are not a "normal" size? 

3. In Hartley's article, Letting Ourselves Go, feminist scholar Sandra Bartky says "Cultural expectations have shifted away from what women are allowed to do to what women are allowed to look like." Considering this article and your own experiences, is this statement truth? What do women gain by conforming to these socially accepted sizes? What do women lose if we do not conform?

4. In both articles, sexuality comes into question. Why is it perceived that if a person is obese, they must not be having sex and/or they are incapable of being sexual?  Is there a way to change this idea of asexual fat people? Would you also be surprised to see a pool full of large, scantly clad gay men like in the article "Fat. Hairy. Sexy."?

5. According to the CDC in 2009 to 2010, of adults ages 20 and up, 35.9% are considered obese. The percentage of adults 20 years old and up who are overweight (but not obese) is 33.3 %. With this data, are we affecting the majority of people rather than the minority now? And if two thirds of the United States is overweight or obese, why is it that we seem to find this body type "deviant" and "disgusting?" 

Breaking Stereotypes

After reading "Fat. Hairy. Sexy.", I was so set back because of a change in my own personal views. Much like the beginning of the reading, where it explained the stereotype of a gay man, I also never put thought into the idea of a fat gay man. It was just so crazy to me that the stereotype was something that I viewed normally and never even thought anything of it. I think it says a lot about the set opinions of people all over the world, and how it's eye-opening when the stereotype is finally broken, and you see the other perspective. I just thought that the reading was so interesting in that respect, and was curious if anyone else took a moment after reading that beginning part of the reading, and felt the same way? I think breaking stereotypes like this is definitely an important thing to bring awareness to because of how easy it is to label a set group of people and then never think anything of it.

Fat In The Media

As some of you may know, I have been called "fat" all of my life. I've been overweight for as long as I can remember. I'm used to being called "fat". After being called that for years, I am used to it. But everyone's definition of "fat" is different.

It really disgusts me with the use of the word "fat" in the media. They make a big deal about people being overweight in the media, its absolutely ridiculous.  There are celebrities who are being called "fat" everyday. To name a few, Adele, Beyonce, and even Kim Kardashian. Or even if celebrities look like they've gone up a few pounds, the entire media freaks out about it. Apparently if you gain weight, and the media sees this, they think something is wrong with you. My point is, who cares? A celebrity is allowed to gain weight. All celebrities don't need to be a size 0. And I will point out that some of the celebrities that the media calls "fat" are sexy. In conclusion, I feel that the media needs to stop this "fat" nonsense and let all of the celebrities look however they want to. But sadly, that's how our society is.