A Human Body Can Be a Canvas Too | Teen Ink

A Human Body Can Be a Canvas Too

September 18, 2010
By courtneyloux13 SILVER, West Sand Lake, New York
courtneyloux13 SILVER, West Sand Lake, New York
8 articles 2 photos 6 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Dreams come true only for those who have the courage to take action."


In school kids are taught not to judge one another based on appearances. But as adults, we contradict our childhood lessons as we enter the work field. We go into work and are immediately judged by what we look like, more importantly; do we have any visible tattoos or piercings? If we do, we’re asked to take them out (piercings) or cover them up (tattoos.) My question is, for what reason?
In school we also learn to express ourselves through creativity, such as visual arts. And yet again, we get into the work field and suddenly our expression has to come to a halt because if we have a visible tattoo or piercings we might not get that job we were dying for, even if we’re a genuinely good person or a hard worker. People are too quickly judged by what they look like, in some cultures tattoos and piercings are a simple way of life, nothing out of the “norm.” But here in the United States tattoos and piercings are frown upon, for no particular reason that I’ve come across.
Because places rarely hire people with visible piercings and/or tattoos, people stop expressing themselves through body art for fear that they won’t be able to make a living and support themselves and/or family members, and all for what? The way a person looks? People come in all sizes and colors, with the advanced society we live in, you’d think people could take of their glasses and see that what’s on the inside is what matter, skin is just skin, and art will always be art, something beautiful and cherished, whether on canvas or on the human body.


The author's comments:
I grew up with a Dad who loves tattoos and piercings his views on body art have rubbed off onto me, producing this article. If anything, I hope people read this and learn to keep an open mind and hesitate before slapping a label on someone.

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This article has 10 comments.


on Feb. 22 2011 at 5:43 am
sorry i mean, i quikly tak it out thn put it bak in* v.v

on Feb. 22 2011 at 5:40 am
sorry this is a veryyyy late reply to this but i hav to say, ur luky, at my skool i hav to take mine out (nose piercing, lip piercing), but i just wear really clear thingy for thm n if a teacher comes close i quikly put thm bak in thn put thm bak in ahahhhh .. very long n late reply oh wel :D xxx

Xx-Adi-xX said...
on Feb. 10 2011 at 12:47 pm
Couldn't that like...rip your eyebrow hairs off?? That's just wrong!!!!

on Sep. 28 2010 at 8:06 pm
courtneyloux13 SILVER, West Sand Lake, New York
8 articles 2 photos 6 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Dreams come true only for those who have the courage to take action."

Glad to hear =]

on Sep. 28 2010 at 5:47 pm
mudpuppy BRONZE, Orangeburg, South Carolina
2 articles 0 photos 475 comments

Favorite Quote:
Life is like a box of cheese and flower petal sometimes it's soft and sweet, sometimes it just plain stinks. - M.J.

I think I will too.

on Sep. 28 2010 at 5:46 pm
mudpuppy BRONZE, Orangeburg, South Carolina
2 articles 0 photos 475 comments

Favorite Quote:
Life is like a box of cheese and flower petal sometimes it's soft and sweet, sometimes it just plain stinks. - M.J.

Well, I, too believe that you shouldn't judge people. :) I have to admit that your title is what snag my attention at first. I'm taking anatomy and physiology and I found this article to be interesting.

on Sep. 25 2010 at 1:36 pm
courtneyloux13 SILVER, West Sand Lake, New York
8 articles 2 photos 6 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Dreams come true only for those who have the courage to take action."

That comment was in respone to Lola btw.

on Sep. 25 2010 at 12:39 pm
Thesilentraven PLATINUM, Mableton, Georgia
40 articles 2 photos 1632 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;il piu nell&#039; uno,&quot; (according to Emerson, an Italian expression for beauty)<br /> <br /> &quot;Unable are the loved to die, for love is immortality&quot; ~Emily Dickinson<br /> <br /> &quot;The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain&quot; <br /> ~Kahlil Gibran

A very convincing and interesting argument.

I shall have to think about it...


on Sep. 25 2010 at 6:31 am
courtneyloux13 SILVER, West Sand Lake, New York
8 articles 2 photos 6 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Dreams come true only for those who have the courage to take action.&quot;

See stuff like that really bothers me! Who are they to tell you can't have piercings or tattoos showing? Glad you enjoyed it!

Stela SILVER said...
on Sep. 25 2010 at 1:30 am
Stela SILVER, Dubai, Other
6 articles 0 photos 14 comments

Favorite Quote:
You\&#039;re not your job. You\&#039;re not how much money you have in the bank. You\&#039;re not the car you drive. You\&#039;re not the contents of your wallet. You\&#039;re not your f***ing khakis. You\&#039;re the all-singing, all-dancing crap of the world. - Fight Club

I know exactly how you feel! They make me cover my eyebrow piercing with a band aid at school!