This is a guest blog submitted by melsie.I'll admit it, I'm not a big fan of tattoos. There, I said it....whew.
Sure, it's nice to look at all of the cool body art people have, but I would prefer that the guy I date be totally clean when it comes to permanent ink. I don't want to be kissing a guy and then, out of the corner of my eye, see a big skull on his arm. Come to think of it, I wouldn't want to see a big dragon on his chest while we're having sex, either.
A few of my ex-boyfriends have had one tattoo each, but they were so small that I didn't really notice them. I was cool with it because I knew they didn't plan to get any more ink.
One of my exes didn't have any tattoos at the beginning of our relationship, but after we'd been together for two months, he became friends with a tattoo artist who convinced him tattoos were the greatest thing on the planet. I really loved this guy, so I let the first three tattoos he got slide. Three!
Before I knew it, he kept wanting more and would always tell me "Just one more tattoo, babe!" It had become an obsession for him...one I wasn't prepared to deal with. I told him I wasn't sure I could deal with a guy who constantly wanted a new tattoo and he told me that was my problem, not his.
I wound up breaking up with him over the whole tattoo issue! I wish we could've worked things out, but is it wrong to want a guy not decked out in body art? What would you have done in my place?
Would you ever date a person covered in tattoos?
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Comments (98)
I plan on getting two tattoos myself.
Xo
<3 tattoos so I can't really comment.
I personally have 9 tattoo's myself...but absolutely "NO" skulls...
he never had any because of whatever reason
but i myself got two tattoos. one w/ his name on it.
i guess im alright w/ guys having tattoos.
but not covered with them..
I dated a girl with number of tattoos (4). And I wouldn't be shocked to hear that she had more now, since she would daydream about the next one every once in a while. I loved every one of them since each one held a story, and seeing them made me feel like I could see better into her soul since I knew why they were there.
I personally don't have any tattoos, but I do see the appeal. I think the real question you need to ask is why it bothered you in this case but not the others.
Personally, no. A few tattoos on a girl are cool, but only if they mean something. None are better, IMO. Just personal preference -- though I wouldn't throw Kat von D out of bed either.
I realize this is a double-standard, because I'm pretty inked up; but I'm pretty beasty-looking too, and I don't want a beasty-looking girl either.
I wear ink on one arm only though, partially spreading to the back. The rest of my body is clean. It's practically full-arm, but cannot be seen when I'm in business wear. The difference is, everything MEANS SOMETHING TO ME.
I don't like tattoos that are just random, like wtf is that butterfly on your ankle or that little rainbow on your hip? Does it actually have any significance or did you do it just to be rebellious and cool?
Or the guy with the tribal tattoo that he got because it looked cool. Or the ubiquitous dragon that guys seem to like getting -- 90% of whom are actually wusses. If you got the spirit of the dragon in you, good. If you don't, don't put that sh*t on you. It's disrespectful and makes you look stupid.
What's worse are the guys who get Chinese/ Japanese Kanji characters tattooed on them and they don't even know what it means.
If you're going to get inked up, do something that means something to you, something that you can be proud of even when you're 70. Or don't do it at all.
@franker@xanga - I think it was because he kept wanting more. The other guys never planned on getting more, so I was ok with that. I like tattoos that have meanings, but I don't think it's necessary that a person's whole body should "mean something."
I could never break up with a guy just because he liked tattoos and had a lot of them. And I'm certainly not one to tell someone what they can or cant do to their body. If I really liked them, every new addition to their body would be a new part to love.
Can't let a tattoo thread get away without hearing one for Mr. Cool Ice.
Covered? NO. But if they were tasteful and well-placed, I wouldn't mind dating a guy who had several. If he had one of the "standard" tattoos, that would be a big count against him, and, of course, it has to be of things I find aesthetically appealing. Guns or skulls or tribal patterns? NO, thank you.
@the_last_kiss - To some people (not the vast majority of the people you're talking about), tattoos are a way of decorating the body, like piercings, nail polish, or makeup. They don't necessarily have to mean anything to be beautiful, IMO. It's kind of like mendhi ("henna") that traditional Indian brides wear: the intricate patterns and designs may not directly show symbols of anything, but the overall effect shows how important the occasion is.
Tell me this isn't beautiful
@la_faerie_joyeuse@xanga - Ah yes, that IS beautiful. Is that permanent though?
I can appreciate true body art. TRUE body art. The pet peeve I have is directed toward people who get tattoos for no good reason. Art, IMO, is a VERY good reason; and the refinement of the body aesthetic as a whole qualifies as "meaning something." Know what I mean?
It's true, yes -- art is very subjective. Maybe the guy who has "flower planter" written in Chinese characters on the side of his face sees that as art; and I don't. In a way though, if that really was his art, I'd respect him as an artist for it even though I'd still laugh at him for being an idiot from my perspective.
@the_last_kiss - No, that's an example of the mendhi I mentioned. But even if it was permanent, that would be amazing.
And I'm surprised to see someone who actually has the proper idea of art! Thank you! And, while you certainly can respect people's decisions to get whatever crap they want on their bodies, it makes sense not to be attracted to someone who had added something you find hideous (if not because it's actually ugly, then because it shows that they just wanted to be part of the fad.)
some likes tattoos and some don't. everyone has their own preference. i personally have a tattoo and it is very personal to me. if you do not like tattoos then don't date someone who has one.
in your case, this guy became interested in body art after you got into a relationship with him. i think you did the right thing by breaking up with him instead of making him 'change' into someone you wanted him to be. if you were to stay, you guys would've ended up arguing about the same thing over and over again until you break up anyway.
A guy would have to otherwise be pretty awesome for me to be interested in the first place if he were covered in tattoos. I know that sounds judgmental, but I'm just not that attracted to tattoos on guys. It would depend on the tattoo, of course, and where it is, and everything, but in general, no. I actually find tattoos attractive on women more often, but even then it's rare, and never those tacky swirly colorful things so many women get.
@la_faerie_joyeuse@xanga - I agree about the "decorating the body" thing. My nose is pierced and I love it - and I call it my face decoration. It's not intended to be overtly rebellious or anything either, I just really like how it looks.
i'm not really attracted to guys covered in tattoos, but i wouldnt hold it against them. i certainly wouldnt break up with a guy because he wants more tattoos, its his body.
i'm actually itching for my first (and only) tattoo right now...
I find them sexy. I have 5 tattoos myself and my hubby has only 2 (though he wants more); we have even decided to have our wedding bands inked on us here before long. I think tats on the face and neck can be overwhelming but it's not the tattoos that matter, it's what's inside that counts
No... one or two, MAYBE even three are ok. But I don't really like tattoos on peoples arms , especially ones that look like they don't mean a thing.
@la_faerie_joyeuse@xanga - that IS beautiful!
Personally, no. One or two small ones, maybe. But people like that, who keep getting more and more... It's an addiction. And it's expensive. There is nothing sexier to me than clean smooth skin, so tattoos are just a turn off to me.
no.. i'm not big on tattoos either..
No.
I do not think I would date a girl if she had tattoo(s), would also not date if she had her tongue pierced, but if people want to do this it is the own choice
Belly button piercing I am unsure about, if she was the right person I would at probably have on at least one date.
Eh, I can kind of relate. My first serious boyfriend got a tattoo against my wishes. Granted we were 16, so I thought he was too young and it freaked me out a little bit. Then he wanted more. I hated it. But I stayed with him anyway. It wasn't as important to me as being with him.
But in your shoes I would have done the same thing. You two obviously had different views that were strong enough to strain your relationship. In that case, you probably shouldn't be together. Besides, if it was that big of a problem for you, and he truly was obsessed, and your relationship got serious... it could potentially cause emotional and financial strain in the future.
@the_last_kiss - I much prefer body art with meaning. Like la_faerie_joyeuse@xanga said, sometimes tattoos for the sole sake of an aesthetic beauty can also be wonderful. As an artist, I can most definitely appreciate aesthetic beauty. However, also speaking from an artist's viewpoint, I think art is the MOST beautiful when it has a concept or meaning behind it.
i do not have any tattoos myself i do plan on getting a few in my lifetime. but i too do not like alot of tattoos specially the tattooed sleeves that seem popular. i only like tasteful tattoos in the right places and not big tacky ones.
@AGraceB@xanga - I would definitely try a nose piercing if I thought I could stand the pain/discomfort.
@la_faerie_joyeuse@xanga - Thing is, it hardly ever hurt - getting it done, or afterwards. I've been amazed at how easy and painless it's been it have it.