"Freaks" and "Tattoo Artists"

The thing about this course that really interests me is the truly otherworldly differences between the societal norms of today and of the past. While in some ways we have hardly progressed, one thing that interested me was the "Tattoo Artists" in the Ronald G. Becker Collection of Charles Eisenmann Portraits. Not to shed a negative light on any of the categories which are included in the drop box, but most of the categories are what we would typically still as a society gawk at when seen walking down the road, either inadvertently or advertantly. What is truly astounding to me is the presence of tattooed peoples in the categories of "Freaks". Freak Shows to us would not typically include tattooed persons, not even a heavily tattooed person. It is an interesting commentary on the societal norms between then and now that tattooing has so become a regular part of our society. This designation by a person so committed to document the "freakish" aspects of our society truly speaks to the progression of our society to this day. However, if one of us was to see someone with a severely shrunken head, who stood three foot tall as an adult, or was almost ten foot, we would truly stop and stare. Perhaps we can take a more critical look at the idea of a "freak" is and how we go about treating these people. Maybe in a few years none of these people will stand out either.