A tattoo does not mark me out as a bad mum
I CANNOT agree with mother Lissani, 25, who regrets the butterfly tattoo on her chest and now tells teenagers: ‘Think before you ink (Mail).’ I, too, am 25, a mother and wife, but my message to teens is different. Yes, they should think carefully about a tattoo, but Lissani is endorsing a self-hatred from which we try to steer our children. She says she ‘left the irresponsible part’ of her life behind when she gave birth. Discouraging youngsters from making the ‘same mistake’ could be commendable in a different context, but I thought our society taught children not to judge others on their appearance? I don’t see tattoos as indicative of irresponsibility. Lissani is in danger of perpetuating the idea that young adults need to be concerned about the opinion of others and selfconscious because of their past. Since starting her tattoo’s removal, she said she can take her child to school without other parents’ harsh judgment. But a tattoo, or any alteration to your body, does not define you as a person. I have added ink to my body since giving birth to my daughter Stella and will add more after my second baby’s birth this year. I have a tattoo that wraps around my entire neck and knuckle tattoos, but despite what people might think, my children were planned and not born out of wedlock. I served four years in the U.S. Marine Corps, I’m a homeowner, in six months I will complete my bachelor’s degree and my daughter is in one of our most coveted private schools. Because I don’t behave like a wild-eyed prostitute or criminal, no one treats me as such. I consider myself to be improving the image of tattooed parents. Lissani was judged before giving birth and will still be judged after her tattoo is gone. Caving into society’s pressures is not the answer. We should teach children that individuality is a gift, and we certainly should not change who we are simply to make strangers content. Lissani might find it painful to wear a high-collared shirt to cover her ‘mistake’, but it will be far more painful to raise a child lacking in confidence.
DJAMIE MADSON, Wichita Falls, Texas.