The Message is Real

By Shaquana Nelson

Best Practice High School

Photos by Shaquana Nelson

You open the door and see mirrors, posters, needles, skulls decorating the shelves, instantly creating an intimidating environment. Painted tattoo images on the walls-- some in dark colors and others vibrant--and creepy music in the background put you in an uneasy state of mind. You are shown to a black leather chair that looks like it belongs in an asylum. Already nervous, you sit there wondering to yourself: “Do I really want to do this?”

Needles are buzzing and you get wobbly and queasy when you hear people screaming. This is what they go through when they make the life-changing decision of getting a tattoo.

Some do it for love, a vow of friendship, a show of bonding or just because it is trendy. Getting one may make you feel edgy, sexy, even rebellious. Many teens do it with or without their parent’s permission. One thing is for sure, however. A tattoo is often permanent, and can stay with you for the rest of your life.

Eighteen-year-old Patrick Davis, who attends Best Practice High School, feels his tattoo makes him feel spiritual and strong.

“I got a cross and that helps me get through my father’s death,” said Davis.

Ciara Cates feels that her tattoos make her feel very family oriented.

“All of my tattoos are names of people that I love the most, my family,” said Cates.

When people get tattoos they have to first decide on what to get. Some of these include: names of deceased family members, names of current or former significant others, meaningful pictures, phrases or quotes.

For example, Jamia Rosmon, 18, of Best Practice High School, has the name of current boyfriend Maurice on her lower back. Some may feel this is a risky trend, but Rosmon disagrees.

“I don’t regret it because the meaning is very strong,” said Rosmon. “He got my name, so I got his.”

Others simply get tattoos for sentimental reasons.

“My father died, and I wanted to get it to show people he died, and I really just want him to be remembered,” said Patrick Davis, who has a tattoo on his upper arm to remember his father who died in 1995.

According to a survey done by the vanishingtattoo.com, 84 percent of people with tattoos do not regret getting them. However, there are people who do or will regret them over time.

James Wilson, 39, a security guard at Best Practice High School, got his first tattoo when he was 20. Now 39, he’s thinking twice about the tattoos. Wilson said that he knows with time his tattoos will get wrinkled and rub off.

Wilson is not alone. Most of the people who did regret their tattoos, according to another survey done by vanishingtattoo.com, regret them because they are now permanently marked for life, and they think they were too young when they got them.

How young is too young? The law in the United States currently requires all people to be at least 18 to get a tattoo. Many states, however, allow minors under 18 to get a tattoo with written parental consent.

The law in Illinois states that if a minor wants to get a tattoo, the parent or legal guardian has to be physically present with them while they’re getting a tattoo.

“When I was 16 my mom took me to get my tattoo. She said it was my body and I will have to live with it,” said student Antonio Spells.

Victoria Lautman, a Chicagoan who writes about arts and culture and authored “The New Tattoo” (Abbeville Press, 1994, and now in paperback), thinks underage teenagers often make judgments about things that feel perfect at the moment but end up causing unexpected results later.

“Most teenagers don't have the money, patience or connections to get a good quality tattoo which they've considered in depth: what should it look like, how will it look in two years, 10 years, 30 years? How will the sentiment or design change over time?” said Lautman, who’s book traces the origins of tattoos.

Pony Lawson, a tattoo artist at Windy City Ink (see video), admits to doing a tattoo on a minor, but says he regrets it because of the legal consequences surrounding such a matter. Lawson had to attend court and almost had a lawsuit filed against him.

In 2006 the Pew Research Center estimated that 36 percent of people ages 18-25 have at least one tattoo, and 40 percent of people ages 26-40 have tattoos. Tattoos are a common trend, especially among teens and young adults. However, whatever you decide to do, make sure it’s exactly what you want, as it may be with you for the rest of your life.