As you can see by my pictures, or as you know if you've met me, I can definitely say I'm a person who has chosen a lifestyle that includes body modification. I do have several piercings and a few tattoos. It's a well known thing that this is generally not acceptable in the professional world, and sometimes, in society in general. The issue seems to be that being modified portrays a negative image to the rest of society. While I can understand where this came from, I strongly feel that it is no longer the case that body modification has any correlation with personality. Yes, there are people who are pierced or tattooed that are rude, abrasive, unprofessional, and so on. But this is also true of plenty of people that aren't. In the same vein, there are plenty of people who have chosen to modify themselves, and are some of the most friendly, gentle, professional people I've ever met.
All that said, I think it is time to consider whether body modification maybe could be acceptable in the workplace. And I don't think I'm the only person that feels this way, or the only blogger ever to write about it (by this I mean, I know it's not the most original topic for discussion, but I think it's still worth discussing). I realize that there are many sides to this issue. Because there are still people who associate body modification with negative things, I can see where it might be a problem for someone in customer service, sales, or any job that relies on being accepted by the general public in order to make money. However, there are plenty of jobs, such as IT, accounting, and other "desk jobs" that don't require employees to face the public. Why could it not be acceptable for these people to be modified?
Obviously, I'm in favor of body modification being something that becomes more acceptable in the workplace, and in general. But I'm open to discussion, and I want to hear what other people have to say. So please, leave me a comment or two, and tell me what you think. :)
You obviously know how much this frustrates me, since I'm unwilling to tattoo large areas of my body specifically for this reason, and that sucks. I can't even dye my hair any color I want cause of my job, so forget about tattoos or piercings in obvious locations.
ReplyDeleteI understand that for years and years tattoos were only displayed on people with certain negative attributes (ex. inmates), but we're definitely years and years beyond that.
I even feel more comfortable dealing with professionals who display body modification, and you might feel the same way. If I'm interacting with someone, a doctor for example, who has tattoos, I know they're obviously not going to judge or stereotype me, thus preventing an awkward meeting.
I just hope this will have changed by the time I really enter the professional world.