A man said this to me yesterday on the train after I had just gotten my 6th tattoo. I didn’t say anything. I didn’t even look up at him.
I was so overwhelmed with every negative emotion I’m capable of.
Ruined, as if I was suppose to spend my life waiting perfectly still for a moment in the future where an old man can check me out for five minutes.
A complete stranger determined my value and felt the need to tell me. As if my interests and self expression was something to be fixed.
Majority of men, inked or not, are rampantly misogynistic when it comes to women’s tattoos. The idea that a woman’s tattoos are tells of her desirability rather than her sense of self is always looming.
I am sick of being expected to consider the male fantasy.
Anyway, sending love to all inked women reading this. How do you deal with comments like these? I’d love to know your thoughts.
Netizens’ comments
- Random man: You’re really pretty, but I don’t like tattoos.
Me: My tattoos don’t like you either.
- The response you are looking for is “you’ve ruined yourself with that personality”.