Blog Four: Final Post

I feel like the media hypes up celebrity tattoos almost like they are taboo. I remember when the singer Rihanna began to get tattoos there were in tabloid magazines and online tabloids with pictures of her new tattoos as if it was going to change the world. I personally did not see the big hoopla surrounding the importance of the fact the she decided to get tattoos. People forget that celebrities are still human beings. They make mistakes, they want privacy, and some of them even like TATTOOS!  It’s not a big deal these days to have a tattoo I don’t understand why it’s so publicized when a celebrity goes to get a new addition to their collection. But the media is one biggest reasons tattoos are as big as they are because to exposure like this. It seems that the media almost exploits the iconic figures that receive tattoos in order to influence their fans to get tattoos. It’s almost like the media gets a cut of the profit from the parlors. This publicity also has a negative side, a lot of young men think its okay to get tattoos on their neck and face before going to college not thinking about their chances of getting hired at a job. The media does not show how tattoos may influence your life and the jobs you will be able to have or not have because of this. A lot of companies do not allow visible tattoos, what are going to do if you have a sleeve in the summer time. The media does not show what these decisions can lead to.

The media portraying celebrities indulging in the tattoo world makes tattoos more acceptable in American Culture. The media made it okay for other people other than rebels and bikers to display ink. Thanks to the media and American obsession with celebrities tattoos are no longer bound to certain social groups. Because of the media we now have shows like Miami , New York and Los Angelos Ink. These shows display the woes of owning a tattoo shop and stories behind some of the reasons people get tattoos and the meaning of their tattoos. It’s almost like a sneak peak into the culture.
        I also feel like with the hype also comes the need for safe and clean environments for tattoos and piercings. I believe there needs to be more regulations for tattoo and piercing parlors as well as the equipment needed. I feel that parlors should have random inspections and receive sanitation grade to display to their customers just like restaurants. I feel like this would be beneficial to their customer and future customers. I also feel like there should be some type of official training or schooling for tattoo artist. After doing a little research about regulations I found that state health department sets the rules and regulations for these shops. To find out more about these search your local jurisdiction for rules.

          I would love to be able set forth a reform to have national regulations and have states enforce rules. The media could be used as a tool to promote the reform and get attention to the lack of rules concerning these parlors.

           From this research I have learned some of the American history of tattoos and why some of the stigmas existed. This research has allowed me to see another side of the tattoo world and inform others. I also wonder steps would have to be made to have tattoo parlors have sanitation grades. I feel like there would have to be a disease outbreak before another reform would be made, but that is too late. They should try to prevent history from repeating it’s self by implementing sanitation scores. I have questions about how tattoo artist become tattoo artist since there is not a school for tattooing which I feel there should be, you could get a degree in tattoos with concentrations in style or technique to display to your customers. These are things my research did not cover but question I still have.