The female form is undoubtedly a most worshipped icon in today's culture. Men and women alike tend to have their attention stolen by images of beautiful women, and the usage of females in the advertisement world appears to be paying off. Considering the current tension in sexuality, the lines of orientation and preference are becoming ever more blurred and all the more scrutinized at the same time. Sexuality has become quite the source of gossip, and as some people get more comfortable with it, others shun it even more vehemently. The experiences I have had in reaction to my tattoos is what spurred me to write this article.
At A Glance Author Brittany Contact [email protected] IAM Bri Bri When N/A Artist Dan Ross Studio Amazing Grace Location Geneva, NY I started to collect tattoos almost immediately after my 18th birthday. One of the first "visible" tattoos I got was an Alberto Vargas pin-up girl on my forearm. Then just before I turned twenty I got a George Petty girl on my upper arm. The tattoo artist, Dan Ross (IAM: DTM) did an amazing job on the both of them. I love pin-up art; they're sexy but still very girl-next-door safe. I decided to have them tattooed on my body because I think they're pretty, plain and simple. Also, I can appreciate how much work goes into not only drawing or painting them, but also how hard it is to translate them onto skin. I love the work that Dan did so much that I have decided to finish off my arm in the same type of artwork. Some people say that everyone has a "tattoo totem" and mine seems to be chicks! At no point however, had I anticipated the kind of reaction they'd get me from people I encounter day to day.
Soon after the first of the pin-ups was finished, people would stop me to ask questions no matter where I went. Sometimes I would end up having a really pleasing conversations because they initiated contact. A lot of people asked me questions because they were gearing up for their first tattoos, or had a nice collection themselves and just wanted to know how to track down the artist that did my work. And, of course, some people were just intrigued by the idea of it. Aside from the typical questions- Did that Hurt? How long did that take? How much did that cost?- I started to get a lot of people asking me; why women? I feel I should use the old adage "If I had a dollar for every time...," because I could retire in my 30's if I really did have a dollar for every time was asked that!
A small percentage of the people who ask the why question, ask out of sheer curiosity, and don't seem to judge me one way or another. A larger percentage of the people who ask me that are avid Miami Ink fans, and have been deluded into thinking that every tattoo MUST have a deep meaning behind it. An irritatingly large number of people ask me why with a gleam in their eyes as if they already know the answer and just want to hear me admit to being a lesbian. The thing is- I don't consider myself to be a lesbian. Although I find that I can appreciate a beautiful face, a gorgeous personality or a svelte figure, I am predominantly attracted to guys. Don't get me wrong, from time to time I have girl crushes and have even dated girls in the past, but what business is it of theirs? Is it really so important to them that they compartmentalize me that they need to know such a thing? And for God's sake, why tip toe through the tulips as opposed to just straight up (no pun intended) asking me what they want to know? I'd really like to know if this is ignorance or mankind's driving need to judge and condemn fellow man. If there is another reason for it and you know it then please let me in on this!
It is truly a curiosity that a society which uses the image of feminine beauty in virtually all areas of life should be so nit-picky about the intentions and desires of the individual. Everyday without your even noticing that you do it, your eye is caught by advertisements featuring good looking women. Maybe you even look at the women that surround you when you go out. Even if its not meant in a sexual way, you must admit that they at the very least caught your attention and its likely due to their looks. Why try to wade through the reasoning behind it instead of just letting it be? Why can't a women enjoy the look of another without some idiot shouting "Lesbian!!" I personally just don't care much. If I love you and you're a man, so be it. If I love you and you're a woman, then so be it! Its kind of hard to live in the moment and enjoy life when you're constantly analyzing the "why" of it.
My decision to complete my pin-up sleeve has not been swayed by this slight irritation because I'm comfortable with myself. In the end all that matters is that I approve of what I do or have done to me. I hope that's something that everyone can take to heart and practice in their own lives. As for the curious onlookers, I shall continue to answer their questions as politely and truthfully as I feel is warranted. In the case of those who think they can get me to spill the desires of my heart to them- they can suck an egg!!