Cut because I hate my bosses...

New employee manual has all but railroaded me in regards to personal expression - no hair dye, tattoos, "distasteful" jewelry, etc. Nothing in there about SI. Carved into my left arm the words "F--k You!" Going to wear short sleeves on Monday. Don't care what they think about it! Not against the fascist "rules," right?! Muah haha!

Don't really know what I want from this post, but to see if anyone else feels personally restricted at work - or personally persecuted because you don't "fit in" with the other straights. Ugh! Just so angry!!!!!!!

Is it really worth the pain, what will you one day say if you have a child and they ask about it.

I've had laser therapy and a few skin grafts to try and hide my SI it helped but it came with mixed results some of the marks on my upper thighs will never be gone.

Are there maybe a different way you can use to express your individuality.

It doesn't always pay to "be yourself". Sometimes to get ahead in life you need to fulfil what a company, a school, a powerful person wants from you. Sometimes you may need to be what they seek for a short time just to reach goals of your own choosing. You could stand on principle and thumb your nose at the situation and lose out as a result, or you could temporarily swallow your pride and fake it till you make it, nurturing your real self outside the particular context (at home, with friends, etc.) until your own authority is more powerful. It's not always a dastardly dead to submerge your real self until your time comes; you need to be the best judge of that in the path you've chosen in life.

http://www.wikihow.com/Be-Yourself

(((Salmacis)))

It just drives me nuts that they can't just live & let live. I wasn't hurting anyone... I show up on time for work everyday, do my job, then go home. They are definitely retaliating (bit by bit) for my refusal to see the office as a social club. I guess I can be pretty stubborn about unnecessary rules and unnecessary social interaction.

I never considered having kids... but that's for many reasons. My cats are the closest I'll ever have.

Sorry to hear about your scars... I don't think many of my cuts have become permanent fixtures...

I just have a deep need to be myself... I'm afraid that if I play the game for too long (as I have before), I'll forget who I am. Probably best to start looking for another job (again!) Maybe a nice warehouse job...

You should be aware that whatever you do to your skin now shows up 10 years later, sun damage, scars, accidents. Even if you don't seem to be scarring badly now it does add up. I'm 26 and have been cutting off an on since I was about 15 and the scars do bring some issues and consequences. You may be annoyed by their rules and think you're doing something to stick it to them now and end up hurting yourself careerwise or in some other fashion 10 or 20 years down the road by having eff you carved in your arm. Just something to think about.................

Unfortunately, the company pays the salary.....the company has a right to say what looks they want their company to put forward especially if they touch the public. Most companies find the neutral look to be the best because it doesn't bring about any bad thoughts is people who may be very turned off by extreme looks & take their business elsewhere. When we are working for a company & on company time & pay, we are representing them whether we like it or not.....& it's necessary to represent them in the way they want to be represented.

You can be yourself the other 16 hours of the day.....do you really forget who you are in only 8 hours at work each day when you have the other 16 to be yourself? I understand the need to be yourself......but sometimes we need to fit in when we need the job.....one can always express themselves the rest of the day.

Wishing you the best with the situation you are in....only you really know what you are able to live with.....& sometimes that also changes with time.

I have same problem and I do not cut my self or my boss, I decided to leave and find job where I go happy to work.