“Tattoo is one way of reassuring, or reinforcing, the ego under pressure. It provides an expanded, alternative, volitional identity: one can come to terms with the psychic constraints of the slot(s) one occupies in society.”
-Cliff Raven
Respectfully, I’d disagree with what Cliff said above— the last part, at least. It feels contradictory to what came just before it (if I’m reading him right). I had to look up “volitional” to understand the specifics of how he was saying what he was saying, and what it describes is simply our will, our power to choose. I agree that tattooing provides an identity shaped by our will, our choice, but I’d argue that tattooing then helps us transcend the psychic constraints placed upon us by society and the roles it dictates for us. After all, as Jose Esteban Muñoz writes in Cruising Utopia: The There and Then of Queer Futurity, “Heteronormative culture makes queers think that both the past and the future do not belong to them. All we are allowed to imagine is barely surviving the present. This mapping of hope and affect on a white wall brings me back to the various shows where I rehearsed and planned a future self, one that is not quite here but always in process, always becoming, emerging in difference.” Rather than a “coming to terms,” a phrase that to me evokes resignation, tattooing can be a way to engage in the here and now with that potentiality, planning and manifesting a “future being within the present that is both a utopian kernel and an anticipatory illumination.”
I’m traveling today, so publishing an excerpt from my book that feels important to revisit for the newsletter. I originally used “radical” in the titling, which I preserved below. I’ve been using the word “political” more recently because it feels important to engage in systems-thinking, but I love that one definition of “radical” is “of or going to the root or origin; fundamental.” Tattooing touches on so many fundamental human needs and desires, and below are a few ways that can be expressed. The book was written with tattooers as the imagined audience, but I hope the information is valuable for anyone interested in tattooing. I’ve since expanded on these in other mediums, particularly about tattooing and trans liberation, body dysmorphia and gender dysphoria, and tattooing within the prison system, and plan to share more of that here!
The Radical Potential of Tattooing
Tattooing exists as so much more beyond applying a beautiful image to skin. Often, clients aren’t consciously bringing any of the following intentions into their session. Even if they are, we aren’t made privy to it every time. These nuances don’t have to be verbalized, addressed directly, or be at the forefront of someone’s mind to be present on some level. They all exist in our work beyond what we are aware of or give credit to.
• AUTHORITY and OWNERSHIP over one’s own body.
This is especially necessary for those whose bodies have been policed by external forces. How would you treat a client differently if you knew they’d previously been tattooed against their will? How about if they had been sexually assaulted? Been denied gender- affirming hormones by a medical professional? Had an abortion? Were chronically ill? Tattooing is a way for those of us who have experienced a loss of control over our bodies, whether that be through life events or because of systematic oppression working against us, to reinstate ourselves as authorities of our own selves.
• Recording one’s own history.
Over time, tattoos can create a permanent record of where you’ve been, who you are, and what you’ve done in your life. Tattoos play a significant part in the role of the body as archive. Our tattoos accumulate as we live through the years, layering around and on top of each other to tell the story of who we are. Whether positive or negative, current or from our distant past, our tattoo stories are unique to us as individuals.
• Can never be taken away from you.
Like the old tattoo adage, “more precious than jewels—cannot be lost or stolen.” This
can be especially significant for people who have experienced homelessness or housing instability, intimate partner violence, or incarceration. People who experience imprisonment often say that having one marker of their individuality that the state can never confiscate or take away is invaluable in maintaining their sense
of selves. If an abusive partner or family situation forces you to relocate and sacrifice your possessions, tattoos travel with you wherever you go, and can provide a sense of home and stability.
• Reclaiming the body after trauma.
Tattooing can serve as a way to practice being present, being embodied, and saying “my body is mine”. People who work with survivors of sexual assault have noticed that often, the survivors seek out some form of body modification even before seeking out support groups, counseling or other therapeutic services (Jen Brockman of the University of Kansas Sexual Assault Prevention and Education Center). Tattooing
and piercing are an immediate form of providing what survivors often need—a reminder that they are here, they have survived, and their body is theirs.
• Defying stereotypes or prescribed roles.
Tattoos serve as an outlet and form of expression for those who feel repressed by the expectations of stereotypes, gender roles, or compulsory codes of appearance. People with conservative religious upbringings that forbid tattoos can reach for tattooing as a way to symbolize a break from those restrictions. Women who have been raised with daily messaging about their appearance being a source of their worth can employ tattooing to challenge traditional notions of femininity. Gay men who have been raised with homophobic messaging about their masculinity can turn to tattooing to express masculinity on their own terms. The potential for empowerment and rebellion in tattooing is limitless.
• Expressing pride in a culture or identity.
Particularly for those whose identities and backgrounds are made to feel “less than,” tattoos to express cultural pride or strength in one’s identity can transform their relationship to the world around them. Images of queer pride, Black power, Chicanx pride, and countless others can be fortifying statements and make individuals feel more deeply connected to their roots and communities, as well as become a way for them to connect with others who share their backgrounds.
• Resisting assimilation and erasure.
Particularly in state or institutional spaces that erase individuality (prisons, psychiatric facilities, border detention facilities, the military) through uniforms, dress codes, and regulation of bodily functions like sleep, showering, using the bathroom, access to the outdoors, and eating, tattoos can be an urgent and potent way to remind oneself of their personhood and values.
• Being seen how you want to be seen.
Tattooing is a visual way to create your own personhood. It’s an ongoing creative project, a visual language that interfaces with the world around you to project what you want to project and to match your outsides with your inner sense of self. Tattooing is unparalleled as a medium for bodily communication and is limitless in its stylistic potential.
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*URGENT MUTUAL AID REQUEST: Prince, a local community member, was attacked on Saturday night and is facing a long recovery process. Please support her by donating here- it’s an emergency situation and any contributions and sharing are very, very appreciated.*
My book is available via Afterlife Press.
Ask an anonymous question for the advice column here.
Two other tattoo blogs I recommend: Nassim Dayoub and Indelible by Jess T. Fang.