Mel,

I think it’s all about comfort level. Perhaps stereotypes factor into it. My doctor should not look like my beautician. If I’m going to court, I want my lawyer to look like a professional, not have some “harmless” piece of art, pink hair, or wearing inappropriate clothing to offend the judge. I mentioned that I clerked for a judge, I was privy for the behind the scenes conversations and comments made by the Judge I worked for. Right or wrong, he made judgment calls based upon the attorney’s appearances. It was a matter of respect for the judicial process.

And as for harmless, what some view as art, others find offensive. The last place I worked there was a skinhead with a swastika and German eagle on his arm. Is he entitled to have it? Certainly, should I be subjected to it? Absolutely not! The irony of this situation, which made the change in uniforms from short sleeves to long was because of this individual, our parent company is German, and they’re sensitive about these things (as are many other people justifiably so). It was a foundry and bloody hot, but because we could not specifically ask a single individual to cover his offensive tattoos, we all had to suffer with heavy, long sleeved uniforms.

My daughter got a tattoo when she turned 18, against my strongest objections. She’s planning on being a psychologist working with disabled children. Thank God, she made the compromise of putting it on her back and it’s easily cover by a shirt when she finishes college and enters the professional world she’ll be able to dress as a professional. Does this make her a bad person? Of course not, she’s still the same wonderful person, just has some ink on her back that she can show when she desires and hide when she doesn’t.

Her tattoo artist (and the woman is amazing, although I don’t approve of tattoos, this woman is truly an artist) is married to a doctor. I was stunned when the man came in the room, not a bit of ink on him, or so I thought. He came in to get a tat touched up and under his T-shirt, he was COVERED, front to back.

I guess what it boils down to is I don’t care if you have them, but in most professional situations I don’t want to see them. If I’m paying you a great deal of money for you to be a professional, I don’t want to see what you decided was “cool” in college to put on your arm. I do have an exception to this rule, certain military tattoos. If you’ve served your country, you’ve earned the right to display it proudly in any situation.