Who, What, Where, Why
The reason why women get tattoos have changed drastically in western culture in the past 100 years. Originally women that got tattoos did so, so that they could be in the circus and various side shows throughout the United States. Any woman outside of the circus that had a tattoo was heavily stigmatized but recently the stigma for tattoos has diminished considerably for both men and women. It was also thought that tattoos were almost exclusively for men but recent studies show that women are getting tattooed more frequently than that of men.
Tattoos use to be associated with criminals, prostitutes, and social delinquents but just in the last twenty years tattoos have become a form of self-expression. Tattoos are now being recognized for their beauty and as art and women are taking advantage of this. Tattoos are now being used by women to "enhance" their appearance and their own self perception.
A study was done by several women at the University of Minnesota, to see what kind of women were getting tattooed. All of the women in their study already had tattoos and 57% of the participants had multiple tattoos. 90% of the women identified themselves as caucasian and 70% of the women had an undergraduate degree in college. 77% of the women got their first tattoo while they were eighteen or younger.
There are several places on the body that are common for tattoos among women. Most women choose places on their body that can be easily concealed with their clothing such as on the hips or back. Another common place for women to get tattooed is their ankle and foot. It is considered very feminine to be tattooed in that area. The most infamous place is on the lower back, which is commonly referred to as a "tramp stamp." People tend to associate a tattoo on the lower back to be a sign of someone who is loose or a slut. The reason is because that area is considered sexual on a women because it fits into her curves. Such a notion is ridiculous but it shows how women are punished for trying to express their sexuality.
There are many reasons why women get tattoos but some reasons are more common than others. These reasons are important to know since tattooing is becoming more and more common for women. In a study done by Viren Swami, he found out that the most common reasons for women to get tattooed was to express themselves, because they look good, and because a tattoo made them unique. In this same study Swami found that women with tattoos had lower levels of anxiety about their body and felt better about themselves.
Tattoos use to be associated with criminals, prostitutes, and social delinquents but just in the last twenty years tattoos have become a form of self-expression. Tattoos are now being recognized for their beauty and as art and women are taking advantage of this. Tattoos are now being used by women to "enhance" their appearance and their own self perception.
A study was done by several women at the University of Minnesota, to see what kind of women were getting tattooed. All of the women in their study already had tattoos and 57% of the participants had multiple tattoos. 90% of the women identified themselves as caucasian and 70% of the women had an undergraduate degree in college. 77% of the women got their first tattoo while they were eighteen or younger.
There are several places on the body that are common for tattoos among women. Most women choose places on their body that can be easily concealed with their clothing such as on the hips or back. Another common place for women to get tattooed is their ankle and foot. It is considered very feminine to be tattooed in that area. The most infamous place is on the lower back, which is commonly referred to as a "tramp stamp." People tend to associate a tattoo on the lower back to be a sign of someone who is loose or a slut. The reason is because that area is considered sexual on a women because it fits into her curves. Such a notion is ridiculous but it shows how women are punished for trying to express their sexuality.
There are many reasons why women get tattoos but some reasons are more common than others. These reasons are important to know since tattooing is becoming more and more common for women. In a study done by Viren Swami, he found out that the most common reasons for women to get tattooed was to express themselves, because they look good, and because a tattoo made them unique. In this same study Swami found that women with tattoos had lower levels of anxiety about their body and felt better about themselves.