Tattoos have meanings too.

One of the most beautiful things I personally find with tattoos, but also many types of body modification, is the stories behind them. You'll find that many people have a personal meaning behind what they have and, to be fair, this is in favour of people part taking in body modification because the story behind the tattoo I want is the only reason I want one.

Before I share my research on this though I do feel I can back my point with personal experience. There are three ways in which I have modified my body for reasons that I shall now remember forever. The first is the piercing in the top of my ear. Me and my Mother both had this done within a space of a week and it was to mark my 17th birthday. I had my nose pierced when I was at college and that was the mark the end of my exams. (I literally had it done straight after my final drama exam. I think I was more stressed about getting that done than I was my paper!) And I also dye part of my hair rather obscure colours. This started soon after I saw the film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and the idea of applying you're personality and mood of that time in a paste stuck with me... so that's what I did. Also, when my Nan passed away last year I changed my hair colour to Violet in respect, as Violet was her name. It's a beautiful thing to be able to show and express things like this in a unique way.

So this is what attracts me personally to body modification and it has literally made me smile so much that I have found this website during my research: http://www.tattales.com/tattoo_stories.php

It's called "tattales" and basically indivudals upload pictures of their tattoos and their stories behind them for others to read. A few of my favourites are "What Goes Around, Comes Around", a girl who has her Father's portrait in memorial of him and"Memorial Tattoo", about a girl who lost her Grandpa and has had a very symbolical tattoo to mark what he means to her, similar to what I want. I'm sure there are many more I just haven't read yet.

Basically, my claim is tattoos or any type of body modification are appealing but not just as a fashion statement or a way of conforming with a sub-culture. Anyone can have a tattoo or a piercing for any reason, but many stories behind these markings are sentimental, personal and so touching that how could anyone frown upon ink or metal etc. when it means so much?