One third of young women now have a tattoo but are they still a taboo?
THEY may later regret getting inked, but that’s not stopping almost a third of women in their 20s from sporting tattoos.
THEY may later regret getting inked, but that’s not stopping almost a third of women in their 20s from sporting tattoos.
One quarter of people aged between 18 and 30 have tattoos, according to James Cook University’s Eduardo de la Fuente.
The culture of tattoos has come “full circle” since it was first pioneered by sailors, who were seeking to identify themselves as part of a traditional group.
Initially, groups seen as non-respectable such as prisoners and gang members adopted ink to show they were outside the mainstream.
But Dr de la Fuente says that non-respectable behaviour began to become more acceptable in the 50s, 60s and 70s, before it became quite mainstream in the 90s.
“The body became the focus of more attention,” he said.
“Fashion and haircuts used to be the concern of women. But with the emergence of the metrosexual, men became obliged to work on their body.”
One third of people who brave the needle regret their tattoo later in life, according to Choice — a figure likely related to the pace of change in modern life.
“Traditionally a tattoo was about belonging to a community where you expected to live your entire life,” Dr de la Fuente said.
“But now people have several different personas and belong to several different tribes in their lifetime. As you get older there may be a new persona you wish to convey instead.”
This has led to a rise in laser tattoo removal, as well as faux tattoo options such as the funky tape worn by Aussie tennis sensation Nick Kyrgios during the Australian Open this year.
Lauren, 25, she says got a tattoo because it was of something meaningful to her, her mum and her sister.
“It was a bonding experience for us but I think a lot of girls do it these days because their role models are doing it and it’s cheap, trendy and another way to distinguish yourself.”
A quick look at young celebrity females shows a mirage of inked body parts. Glee’s Lea Michelle has 14 tattoos, pop sensation Miley Cyrus reportedly has over 20 while at last count singer Rihanna had 21.
But it’s not just young women getting in on the act either. A recent trend has seen an increase in the number of people over the age of 45 getting a tattoo, suggesting the “aestheticisation of the body is becoming more popular even among middle-aged people” said Dr de la Fuente.
MORE: THIS IS WHAT YOUR TAT WILL LOOK LIKE IN 40 YEARS
Cate Blanchett and Amy Adams celebrated their Oscars victories last year by heading to a famous Hollywood tattoo parlour, while 80-year-old actress Dame Judi Dench recently revealed that even she has a tattoo.
A documentary which airs on ABC later this month shows a vast cross-section of society getting inked at a tattoo parlour at Sydney’s Bondi Beach. Everyone from mums, to grieving grandmothers, to dads marking the birth of their first child take part. The stories paint a vivid picture of the one in seven Australians who get inked at some point in their lifetime.
Heidi Haydon is one of them. Her obsession with tattoos kicked in after she was left paralysed from the chest down following a motorbike accident.
“I used to draw tattoos and always wanted one but mum always talked me out of it,” she told news.com.au.
“But after leaving hospital following the crash, I decided to go ahead and do it, and mum even got one too.”
What do you think? Is there still a taboo against tattoos? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below.