Texan Mosaic

by DESIREE MENDEZ//Staff Writer

You would think that tattoos, piercings and crazy hair colors would be acceptable in the work place or school, but it is not.

This bugs me to no end; I don’t understand it.

Most teens and adults have either a tattoo, a piercing or colored hair. So I don’t know what the big deal is.  It doesn’t stop us from doing our job. Yes, how I look fits with my profession. I am a cosmetologist, and I look the part. But I don’t understand why everyone else can’t have crazy hair colors.  I think everyone needs to be able to express themselves.

If a nurse has hot pink hair, it doesn’t stop her from doing her job. She’s still a licensed nurse.  Her hair color has nothing to do with it.  My blue-and-purple hair doesn’t keep me from coloring your hair, or cutting, or even doing a set of nails. I understand that my profession is a lot different from a nurse, but I feel that it shouldn’t be any different. Workplaces should allow some freedom when it comes to self-expression.

I wouldn’t say that I don’t get weird looks, due to my tattoos or facial piercings and colored hair. But I’ve learned to ignore it, because it’s who I am.  I remember when I started cosmetology classes, my mom said, “You will scare all the older ladies with your tattoos and crazy hair.” But I never did. They would ask me about them, wanting to know if they hurt. They enjoyed looking at my tattoos.

There are a lot of work places that don’t even allow simple piercings or stretched ears. To me, it’s not distracting. They don’t allow these modifications in schools because it could be a distraction. But in college, it doesn’t matter what you have or do, and no one gets distracted by how you look.

Yes, there are still the older generations that frown on these sorts of things. But it’s the 21^st century; it is a style now.  I have seen a few older people who have crazy hair and tattoos. It is starting to become a trend, and workplaces should start accepting crazy hair colors, piercings and tattoos.

Let’s stop and think for a minute. There are two people left; one is a doctor covered in tattoos and green hair, and the other is you.  You have been seriously injured and need immediate medical attention. The only one who can save you is the doctor. I am sure that the doctor is going to save you, and you’re not going to tell him no because he has green hair. You will be grateful that he was there, and that he saved you. You wouldn’t have been worried about how he looks.

This is how it should be. We shouldn’t judge someone by how he or she chooses to express himself or herself. It’s a form of art.  Art is a form of expression, and that’s what tattoos are. We should just accept everyone.

Next time you see someone covered in tattoos, you should stop and ask about their tattoos. There could be an awesome story behind them. Compliment someone with crazy hair or piercings. We need to spread love and compassion, not hatred and rudeness.