The reasons for getting a tattoo, from commemorating a milestone to standing out — or even fitting in, haven’t changed much over the last 5,000 years.
But there has been a major increase in prevalence. A third of American adults have at least one tattoo, according to Pew Research Center.
“There’s been a bigger shift when it comes to openness and individuality,” said Cheyenne Enderson, a Chicago tattoo artist who works on hundreds of clients every year.
Some common misconceptions associated with getting inked, like a rebellious personality, are “definitely not the case anymore,” Enderson said.
Even so, stigma still exists.
“A lot of people have these formed assumptions about what people with tattoos are like, but it doesn’t really correspond in any way to their lifestyle and their personality,” said Bill Chopik, an associate professor of psychology who studies the topic at Michigan State University. “Even studies done in the last five years show they’re less likely to get the job, we’re less likely to trust people with tattoos.”
Despite that stigma, more than 40% of millennials — people born between 1981 and 1996 — have a tattoo, according to market research firm Ipsos. That’s compared to just 13% of baby boomers.
When it comes to political affiliation, roughly the same percentage of progressives, conservatives and independents of all ages have one, according to Pew Research Center.
It took Tracee Glab, executive director of the Flint Institute of Arts, a decade to get buy-in for an exhibit that features the work of 33 Michigan tattoo artists.
“I think there was still hesitation, just because people didn’t understand they’re pushing the boundaries of art,” Glab said. “I think it’s about freedom and how you want to express yourself in your body.”
So what about regret? There are still some people who regret the decision to get inked. About a quarter of people wish they hadn’t gotten at least one tattoo, according to Pew.
“Sometimes you get people that are pretty hesitant and they don’t want to regret getting it, but I’d like to think that one day our nursing homes will be full of tattoo residents,” Enderson said.
