Are visible tattoos a deal-breaker?

[monkeygone2]

i've been tattooed by three asian artists (chinese male, vietnamese, filipina)...
during a recent conversation, they mentioned that asian-american women (early 20s-early 40s) generally seemed to be turned off to men w/ tattoos below the sleeve & above the collar.

of course, i know that tattoos on your hands & neck are a bit shocking...
just wondering what y'all think...

assuming that the dude seems 'nice', dressed 'nice' and his tattoos were 'nice'....if he walked up to you, would you run for the hills??

[VV o n g B a]

i don't know what women think about guys w/ tattoos, but i know what i think of women w/ them.

if the tatts are small, colorful, normally hidden, and cute, then it's fine. attractive even. if it's large, black only, ring of thorns, very visible, then she would totally not be up for a long term relationship. that just screams bad decision making to me.

[eos]

Originally Posted by VV o n g B a

i don't know what women think about guys w/ tattoos, but i know what i think of women w/ them.

if the tatts are small, colorful, normally hidden, and cute, then it's fine. attractive even. if it's large, black only, ring of thorns, very visible, then she would totally not be up for a long term relationship. that just screams bad decision making to me.

How....predictable and somehow patronizing.

Anyway, I secretly want my bf to get a tattoo of his nickname for me on the back of his neck. I have no problems w/guys and their tattoos.

[rice cracker]

Tattoos on hands and faces are a total deal breaker.

[Paradox]

For guys, the tramp stamp never lies. You know..that tatt (usually a tribal or something equally retarded) above a chick's ass.

[AngryABCGirl]

I know quite a few people, men and women, who have huge gang tattoos from their younger days on their arms, chest, and back who have respectable jobs now. They just cover it up except the gym. I have to confess I never try to piss them off.

[VV o n g B a]

Originally Posted by eos

How....predictable and somehow patronizing.

just telling it like i see it. like paradox says... some tattoos advertise a girl as low quality. if u don't want to be judged, then don't get one and display it where ppl can see it.

[eos]

what makes you think that only "low quality" people show their tattoos? or that just because a girl doesn't have a dainty hidden tattoo, she deserves to be judged?

[rice cracker]

Originally Posted by eos

what makes you think that only "low quality" people show their tattoos? or that just because a girl doesn't have a dainty hidden tattoo, she deserves to be judged?

Nothing says "class" like a homemade arm sleeve!

[VV o n g B a]

i'm not the one that came up w/ the term "tramp stamp." that comes from popular culture. i just happen to agree w/ it. permanently marking her body in a visible manner that could soon go out of style or get distorted by weight change indicates this girl hasn't thought very far ahead about the potential consequences.

as for being judged, she displays the tattoo b/c she wanted ppl to see it. if u freely advertise something, u should expect a reaction. my typical reaction is: low quality.

[rice cracker]

Let's get to the real issue: Asian tattoos on non-Asian people.

Discuss.

[Arex]

Of course people are going to make snap judgments about a person based on how that person presents him or herself to society. If it's natural to view people differently because they are wearing a suit (yuck) versus wearing a wife-beater, torn jeans and flip flops (my preference in attire), it goes without saying that people are going to be viewed differently based on something they deliberately and permanently inked into their skin in a conspicuous place for all the world to see.

For this very reason, I think anyone who gets a tattoo--guy or girl--that is not easily concealable demonstrates, above all else, poor judgment. (Of course, this only applies to us regular, non tattoo-artist, non-celebrity, non-prisoner, non-gang-banger folk who do not want to be judged on account of their body art.) And this is coming from someone who has a tat and appreciates tattoo art.

[monkeygone2]

Originally Posted by eos

what makes you think that only "low quality" people show their tattoos? or that just because a girl doesn't have a dainty hidden tattoo, she deserves to be judged?

yeah, i was going to post pics to illustrate your point...but i don't know...

i just wanted to know if my artist friends were off base w/ our conversation. i don't think i look like an ex-con... and i don't have to worry about looking conservative for the office... but at the same time, i do remember wearing sleeves & cover-up makeup on my wrists when attending a yw meet-up ;P

[kimpossible]

I wouldn't care for tattoos on a guy because I don't have the type of cultural background that values tattoos. Would all depend on the guy as a total package, what tattoos and why rather than if he dresses to cover them up. In general I don't care for ink and I've never really been in the market for it. But I'm old and married and so on so I'm L7 square.

Originally Posted by monkeygone2

i just wanted to know if my artist friends were off base w/ our conversation. i don't think i look like an ex-con.. i do remember wearing sleeves & cover-up makeup on my wrists when attending a yw meet-up ;P

monkey, monkey... we're not all going to rape or shun you. i think it's okay to not worry about the appearance of your skin at a yw meet.

[eos]

Originally Posted by monkeygone2

yeah, i was going to post pics to illustrate your point...but i don't know...

i've seen your tats and you're not "low quality."

don't worry....i have *other* ways of distinguishing between low and high quality people.