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Shifting the Stigma

by Rachel Burke

Piercings, tattoos and unnatural hair colors are very common in young adults, but what does that mean for them in the work force? It is a common stigma that people with piercings, tattoos and unnatural hair colors are unprofessional. It is rare to see a doctor with a tongue ring or a CEO with bright green hair.

With Blackburn being a work college, it is surprising to see so many young working adults with these expressions of individuality. There are not many restrictions in any of the departments on what students can’t do in terms of their appearance. Sure, there are dress codes in Ding and Snack Bar, for example, but there are not many hair, piercing or tattoo codes.

Associate Dean of Work Rob Weis doesn’t see the stigma being supported throughout the campus and is unaware of any codes involving piercings and tattoos, but acknowledged “if students are working in community service in the middle school, those schools may have specific guidelines on hair color and piercings, and we do expect the students to comply with the guidelines of where they’re working.”

One in five adult Americans have tattoos according to the 2012 Harris Poll. The Pew Research Center reported that out of the 20 percent of Americans with tattoos, 73 percent of them said that their tattoos are not visible to others. The tattoos are not visible to potential employers or other forms of authority for a reason.

Sophomore pre-medicine biology major Haley Simmons is thinking about dying her bangs a rainbow color, but made a point to ask her department manager Logan Elliott and her supervisor, chemistry professor Dr. Mark Armstrong if that was okay. They both told her that it would be fine, but she felt compelled to ask because she said in an e-mail, “in most professional circles, it seems like those who are higher up may look down upon you if your hair isn’t a natural color and though I figured my boss wouldn’t mind, I know there are some jobs that will either force you to change your hair back or fire you.”

Rather than singling out hair colors, piercings and tattoos in the workplace, Weis believes “most offices are looking for something that’s going to be offensive and distracting that would reflect back onto the department.” Weis explained that most guidelines he is aware of in the work program have “more to do with safety and hygiene,” such as the slip guards and hair nets that workers in Dining and Hospitality are required to wear.

Weis wants the students on campus with tattoos to be aware of where they put their tattoos. He compared working in the banking industry where people are expected to look a certain way, opposed to graphic design jobs where tattoos are celebrated. He said that students have to realize what career they anticipate being in and move forward from there in terms of the appearance that is expected of you. However, Weis noticed, “Companies have evolved to appreciate more the diversity of human beings, and I think some of those stigmas are fading away.”

Students with unconventional hair and piercings display their individuality all over campus

As someone who has a tattoo, facial piercing and changes her hair color once every couple months, I would feel a lot better if society would move faster in removing this stigma from the workplace. There are lines that shouldn’t be crossed such as face tattoos, inappropriate tattoos, unclean piercings and damaged, untaken care of hair. This has more to do with the ability to present yourself as clean and with the ability to make good judgement calls. The freedom to express yourself should not be frowned upon in the workplace, but this stigma will not go away overnight. While we keep moving forward as a society, I will still take it easy on where my future tattoos go, and I will probably take my eyebrow ring out before entering the workforce. While the stigma is close-minded, it still exists and can determine whether or not you have a career in the future and students should still be aware of this.

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