Annotated Bibliography of Tattoos

Several weeks ago, we issued a CFP for the creation of an annotated bibliography of tattoos, and we got a large number of fantastic submissions.  Those readers who submitted pictures and descriptions of their ink demonstrated such a variety of motivations and choices of inspiration for their body ink.  They also indicated an incredible range of reactions to their tattoos in their professional and personal lives.  I organized the tattoos by the academic discipline that they seemed to most relate to; however, many of these tattoos don't fit neatly into only one category and the people whose skin they are imprinted on might completely disagree with my selections.  It's not entirely unlike debates about the utility of periodization in history or arguments over whether Shakespeare's works should be taught by English or Theater Departments....

Tattoos Inspired by the Arts and Sciences

Inspired by Chemistry


Scicurious of Neurotopia, Caffeine Molecule, 2010.

Scicurious recently got a tattoo of a caffeine molecule to celebrate her successful PhD defense.  Her tattoo combined her love of coffee with her academic background.  She's spent the past few years studying the impact of stimulants on the nervous system.  To read more about her tattoo, its meaning to her and her motivations, check out her recent post.

Inspired by Astronomy

Courtney of Sartorial Sidelines, Stars.

Fashion Theorist, of Everybody Gets Dressed, Eclipse.
Eclipses have always been special times, both for me personally and historically for the Fashion Theorist, which is why she chose a solar eclipse as her (so far) only tattoo.  She notes, "because of its placement (and the tailoring of clothing for women who wear bras of the size I do), I don't get to show it off as much as I'd like. On the other hand, that also means that it has no impact on my professional life: by the time anyone in a professional situation has the opportunity to see my tattoo, they already have judged me based on my competence and skill."












Julia of Polka Dot Biker Shorts, Star.

Julia writes, "I'm mesmerized by stars. I've always been completely amazed by stars in space (the fact that the light we see actually left the star millions of years ago, wow!) and how they shine brightest when it's darkest out.  But also, we can all be stars and shine brightly, especially when it feels dark.  I got this right before grad school in a move of rebellion, honestly.  It means more to me now than it did back then.  It's small, simple, and not visible when I'm clothed in most outfits. (Okay, it's a "tramp stamp," but I didn't know it was called that when I got it- I just thought the location was practical.)"





Kimberly of Fashion Momma, Sun.

-----, Tribal Clouds. 

"The sun was my first piece. I drew it in math class in 11th grade. I got the tribal "clouds" the next year when I turned 18.. and it was just another on a whim decision of mine. It hurt SO badly and all I remember thinking the entire time was, "My mom is going to kill me." And I thought it was scary, but empowering at the same time. I was a cheerleader and I was in choir. I had great grades and straight edge friends. I had a serious boyfriend, and everything about me was very "good and clean." So I was very pleased with myself when I got tattooed without parental permission (although my dad took me when I was 17, behind my mom's back)." 

La Historiadora de Moda, Sun with the symbol for pisces, 1998.

  
Inspired by Zoology

Christine of FutureLint, Ants, Age 21.

"I got the ant tattoo after wanting it for over two years. I wanted to be sure it was what I wanted and where I wanted it since it would be visible a lot in the summer. I got it when I was 21 and have now had it for eight years and I am still in love with it! I got it for two reasons:
#1. I really like ants. I think they are neat and pretty and super fascinating! Even as a kid, I LOVED ants.
#2. It's a bit of a monument to my own insignificance... I think it's so easy to get all wrapped up in your own life and problems and forget about the fact that there is a whole other world out there - at any given point of my day someone is giving birth, dying, laughing, being raped, getting married, etc. It is the best and worst moments of people's lives, RIGHT. THIS. SECOND. There are so many awesome and terrible things going on... So it makes me remember that I'm just another ant in the world, get over it, time to move on. Do what you can and be fucking nice about it.

Christine has had several jobs in schools and working for non-profits with special needs teens and no one has ever said that I need to cover it up.  However, she does worry about the potential impact of the tattoo that she really wants to get next of a seahorse on her forearm.  She writes, "I am scared to get it, simply because of jobs! Not only in my professional career, but because I work in public schools and will continue to in the future, I waitress or bartend in the summers and a lot of places are strict on tattoos showing. I don't want to have to wear some weird arm band or ace bandage to cover it up for the rest of my life. I think I'll wind up getting it anyway, but I've just been putting it off until I'm 100% sure I can deal with the possible repercussions!"

Fer of Moda Fora de Moda, Lady Bug, Second Tattoo.

Fer writes, "I really love ladybugs, and whenever I see one, I have the urge of putting it on my hand and see it walk all over it. Usually when I do this, the bug walks on my arm too, so this is why I decided to have one tattooed there, so I'll always have a ladybug "walking" on me. I don't know why I like them, I just know I do. Once a person told me ladybugs are lucky omens, and I was a very fortunate person to have one with me. I don't know if this is true or not, but since it was not the reason I got it tattooed, I really don't care. It's a nice thing to hear, nonetheless."

-----, Cat, Third Tattoo.

"The reason it's there it's because I really love cats. I mean, REALLY love them. I'm 100% a cat person, and I really wanted to have one tattoed on me. It does not represent any of my cats, though; it was just a nice picture I found at the tattoo parlor the day I got there for this tattoo. It was also the most painful tattoo I've ever got: I remember I cried a lot that day, and thought to myself that if it had been my first tattoo, it would also have been my last, because the pain was almost umbearable. I believe it's because it's located in a very bony area of my body, and tattoos in these places are usually very painful."

Fer claims that her tattoos have had no impact on her professional identity or career.  "First of all, because I live in Brazil, and tattoos have become so popular around here for the last 20 years that most people don't pay attention to them anymore (only in very conservative, old-fashioned places). Second, because I've always worked in informal environments, where tattoos are regarded as one's peculiarity at best, and many times are just completely ignored. Yes, even when I was a teacher at a language course developed by very prestigious university, it was never an issue. Now that I work in a software company, I think it has become almost invisible to my coworkers. If I ever get a new, bigger tattoo, they'll probably be curious about it on the first day, but I don't expect to be asked about for much longer than that."

Inspired by Drama and Literature

Christine of FutureLint, Bells.

About her bell tattoo Christine says, "I've had them for about four years. I drew it up and my friend Benny who was apprenticing at a tattoo shop at the time did it, two days before he left for Iraq (he's safe! he did two tours in Iraq, one in Djibouti, and now he's home!) It is still "unfinished" as I was getting all squirmy toward the end and his hand was getting tired so we planned to have him clean up some of the lines and finish it later. I still know him and could have him finish it, but I kinda like it this way, so I've just left it alone for a while. The only person I told the significance to was my friend who did it, otherwise, it's between me and Kurt Vonnegut. It is from one of my least favorite books of his, but one part of it is just glorious and something I wanted to be reminded of! This one really only gets seen when I wear bikinis, so there is no issue with work even knowing it is there."



Courtney of Sartorial Sidelines, Medea, During college.

Courtney describes her tattoo philosophy in the following way: "I attend a pretty conservative East Coast private university and so I usually cover up in certain situations (I'll wear stockings to cover my legs, for example) - like meetings with senior faculty, academic social functions, and especially teaching.  But I love my tattoos (I see them as a core component of my identity) and it's common knowledge that they are there, even if I cover them in certain situations.  Sometimes I feel like certain people may look askance at me for having them, but those are the same people who doubt me a little because of my age, gender, even social history focus, so I really don't put much stock in it.  I don't feel that they have ever caused me any professional setbacks and I'm looking forward to getting more...."

C., Leaf, Connecticut.
C. wrote a beautiful piece about why she got the tattoo that she got, so I'm sharing almost all of it with you.

"I decided on my own tattoo after much deliberation. I wanted to get something in memory of my mother, who had died two years earlier. My friend R suggested I get a jigsaw puzzle piece (Mom loved them) with a Boston scene (where I lived when Mom died).Now, I wanted that tat on the front of my left shoulder, just below the collarbone. My mom had lost her left breast to a  mastectomy, and I since wasn't going to tattoo my breast, so the area above the left breast was a compromise. Finally, I decided on a very specific leaf from a very specific fantasy trilogy. The leaf symbolized (for me anyway) eternity, things left behind but not forgotten, promises and protection.

"Now, having a big honking leaf where I have it...well, yes, reactions have been mixed. I've been told that I should NEVER have ANY of it showing, any time I'm even on campus. I've been told that I won't be taken seriously when I “flash my tattoo the way I do.” Personally, I try not to show much of it if I am a) teaching or b) going to be around professors. But see, like my mom, I easily overheat and I wear tanks of one sort or another nearly year around because otherwise I'm a melty puddle of YUCK. I try to wear tanks that either mostly cover my tat, or I wear cropped cardigans, or a scarf. So half the time, I'm “flashing” my tattoo because otherwise I'm literally so hot (hahahaha) that if I wore anything else, it would be literally soaked in sweat. Gross.

"The other half of the time, I resent anyone implying that I should hide my love for and grief over my mother. Having a tattoo visible, even if it was a heart with MOM spread across it, does not inhibit my abilities as a scholar or instructor. Tattoos are a way to permanently inscribe a memory or a time on your body. I may have grown past my obsession with a certain fantasy trilogy, but I'll never grow past my need to keep my mother with me."

Scuttleboose of Lose the Boredom!, Don Quixote.


"This tattoo is a reminder of the time that I spent working on my M.A. in Spanish literature.  I got my tattoo on my foot in order to be able to hide (i.e., MLA) the ink or show it off (i.e. my wedding photo - attached).  The best thing about my tattoo? The conversations that come out of it - the lady cutting my fabric at JoAnns who had actually heard of "Dawn Qui-hoe-TAY", the student confessing her interest in literature to me after class, or my folks finally getting an answer to the "What are you going to have to show for a masters of literature?"  I plan to add the sun to it once I finish my PhD."








Inspired by Languages and Linguistics

Courtney of Sartorial Sidelines, Latin phrase, "Love conquers all," Start of doctoral program.

Kimberly of Fashion Momma, Chinese symbols for Sun and Moon.
As mentioned above, all of Kimberly's tattoos represent something about the sky.  According to her, "when my husband and I very first started talking, I knew he was the one. He called me "Moonshine" and I called him "Sunshine," so that tattoo was a symbol of my love for him. I didn't tell him what it meant until after we'd been dating for two years!"

Sally McGraw of Already Pretty, Crown.

Sal's Crown tattoo was inspired by her legal name, Sarah, which roughly translates to "princess" in Hebrew. According to her, "For years and years, I HATED that, feeling like my very name was linked with tutus and Disney and all things pink and foofy and over-the-top girly. But within the past 7 or 8 years, I have found myself wanting to embrace my inner princess - allow my inner woman, strong and decisive, to emerge and flourish. And the crown became the symbol of this change."  To read more about this tattoo and her others, check out this post on her blog.









Inspired by Religion and Mythology


Courtney of Sartorial Sidelines, Iron Crosses, Urd and Hel.

Erin of You Should Learn One New Thing Everyday, Sleeve, Combination of religious symbols.

Erin describes her multiple tattoos and some of the issues surrounding them in the following way: "I have a full sleeve and several other highly visible tattoos.  In my previous career, there were situations when I was able to allow my body art to show, and situations when it wasn't appropriate.  I was in a construction-related field, so my employers were generally fairly lax.  I did know, when I started covering myself in tattoos, that there was a possibility of me having to spend M-F in long sleeves, regardless of the weather, and I'm fine with that.  However, my academic career presents an entirely new set of circumstances, and I'm unsure of how to deal with them.  I've recently been accepted to an MA, and as part of my financial package, I will be a TA during my second year.  Aside from work functions, for which my boss has no qualms about telling me I need to be covered up, I never try to hide my tattoos.  When I go out with friends, I often select strapless, one shouldered, or other sleeveless tops to show off my tattoos, because I consider them to be an accessory and I think they're beautiful.  As for graduate school, I am still undecided as to how I will approach this issue.  I realize that many people judge tattoos, and although I do not think it is necessarily fair, I understand that it is a reality and I was aware that this would be the case when I got them.  I want to be taken seriously, judged solely on my academic abilities and contributions, so I may cover my tattoos at certain times.  I do not, however, see myself wearing long sleeves on a regular basis to school, especially because my graduate school is located far enough inland that the summer temperatures may easily be in the 90 degree range.  I am torn between "being myself" and being appropriate, and my age, which is almost ten years older than most seniors in college, also comes into play, because I feel that it lends me slightly more credibility in the eyes of would-be judges."

Inspired by Art and Graphic Novels


Amory, Dripping Water Color.
About her tattoos, Amory claims, "tattoos help my brain save memories. Without them my past would be even cloudier. They chronicle times of great happiness, sorrow and importance. I'm currently blessed to work from home, so my tattoos don't have an impact on my professional life. In the past. Future employment will have to be accepting of either long sleeves or sleeved. Preferably the latter!"










Audi of Fashion for Nerds, Drinky Crow. 
Audi writes, "All but one of my 6 tattoos can be visible depending on what I’m wearing, but my pair of Drinky Crow tattoos (a character from the Maakie’s comic strip) are definitely the most radical of all of them because of their size and placement on my upper arms. The tattoos are meant to be a 2-frame comic, reading from left to right if you’re facing me. I constructed the images using elements from several different episodes; together they tell the story of a drunken adventure in a sailboat on a stormy sea, followed by a shipwrecked morning on a desert island.

"There are many layers of meaning in these 2 simple frames, much more than I can relate in a short description. Simply put, they represent an exciting and somewhat reckless period of my life when I was newly divorced and really making the most of my independence – including buying the sailboat I had long wanted to own. The tattoos were a way to commemorate that period as well as to remind me why I eventually needed to move on; it was a lifestyle that was necessarily short-lived, but an incredible experience while it lasted.

"What’s interesting about these tattoos is how much attention they don’t garner in my workplace. My company is a very technically-focused and casual place, and being located in the ultra-liberal Bay Area, we take pride in our diversity as a company. But even so, there’s no denying that the sight of two fairly large tattoos on a woman’s arms is still a rarity in a corporate setting, and so what happens on the days that I bare my arms is that I’ll catch people sneaking a furtive glance and then making a very concerted effort to not notice them. This sort of self-conscious acceptance amuses me; it’s as if people are so anxious about being deemed intolerant or conservative that they’re shy of saying anything at all. On the other hand it makes it difficult to gauge how much or how little an effect the ink might be having on my career, because people keep their opinions so closely guarded.

"I actually worry about the tattoos’ impact on my professional career very little, if at all, and most of the time I don’t think about whether the tattoos are visible when I get dressed. If anything I might dress to show them, because I like to be able to see them and recall the experiences that earned the artwork a place on my skin. If people judge me based solely on the tattoos then so be it; I figure they’d probably find some other reason to judge me even if the ink was fully covered."

La Historiadora de Moda, Crane, 2006.
"I knew that I wanted a crane tattoo because I appreciate the symbolism of the crane in both eastern and western cultures.  In the one it represents rebirth and immortality, and in the other it is the symbol for conservation.  After months of sporadically searching for a design, I found the crane that I got tattooed on my back on a Chinese silk screen painting.

"Of my three tattoos this one is my favorite, and when I'm not in the classroom or on campus and the weather permits, I often dress to show it off, so that all or part of it is visible.  I knew that I wanted it to be visible at my wedding, so I only considered wedding gowns that did not cover my crane."




Inspired by Film and Media Studies

Erin of You Should Learn One New Thing Everyday, The Never Ending Story, Auryn. 

Inspired by History


Courtney of Sartorial Sidelines, Elizabeth I's florid signature, Forthcoming.


La Historiadora de Moda, Symbol of the Camino de Santiago, 2009.
"I got this tattoo after I spent ten days walking the Camino de Santiago in 2007.  I have a forthcoming post about the Camino so I won't go into details, but I went on the Camino because I'm a specialist in pre-modern Spain, and I'm very interested in religious history.  The Camino Frances has been an important pilgrimage route for centuries.  I wanted to get a tattoo to immortalize my experience right away, but my finances conspired to make me wait for a couple of years.  The scalloped seashell is the symbol of the pilgrim, and the stylized cross is the cross of St. James (Santiago) whose bones are purportedly the reason why so many Catholic pilgrims have journeyed to Santiago de Compostela over the past thousand years.

"This tattoo is my most private and represents a very specific and real journey.  I purposefully got it in a place that is almost never seen by anyone." 


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If you're interested in reading more about tattoos, Minh-ha of Threadbared recently posted an article about Body Ink, Sex Kink, and Other Matters of National History, in which she addressed the contextual lenses of race and gender through which tattoos have been viewed historically in the United States.

Thanks so much to all those who submitted images and descriptions of their body ink!  If you have a tattoo but didn't participate, we welcome you to share motivations and descriptions of your work in the comments!  Have you ever considered getting a tattoo?  What do you see as the pros and cons of having body ink?