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Description
Thanks to:
Anders the Tattoo Artist.
Jimmy for taking this picture.

Ok, so I'm actually gonna just do this right now...

What you see here is my first tattoo. After having really wanted a tattoo since I can't even remember (but at least' since before being 10 or something like that), and then definitively deciding on what more finished design I wanted at around 15, my mom and her husband gifted it to me (complete with a signed permission and cash) as a present for graduating 9th Grade. I was OVER THE MOON about this, since I was already 100% convinced, and at peace with, having to wait another 2 years to realize that dream. This was in 2004, and I was 16 years old. Because it was 2004, the lower back tattoo was also still in it's glory days and (having personally never heard any derogatory terms or snide remarks about them specifically) it just seemed like the most natural choice to me at the time.

Now, you might expect (or even hope) that I'll say I regret going through with it. But in that case I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you. The day I met up with the tattoo artist was one of the, up to that point, happiest days of my life. I still reminisce that day with so much happy nostalgia and I STILL, regardless of everything, LOVE HER (and actually never stopped). Anyone who's known me at any point since I was ~5 can vouch for my unwavering love and dedication to (especially The Last) Unicorn lore. THAT was ALWAYS going to be my first tattoo - in one form or another. THAT SAID, with the experience I've gathered since, are there parts about it I would've probably gone about differently had I been aware the stigmas the future held in store? At some points, I will not lie, I believe I would have.

To break those down, there's of course the art theft bit (I found an image I liked online - believe me, I've tried and tried again to find it, since, to offer compensation and provide a link whenever I post a picture of this tattoo, but I think it simply must've been completely wiped - and, against better knowledge, used as a close reference idea without consulting the original artist first. Obviously realized later on that's just NOT OK). Then, we have a couple of design hang-ups (/tattooer-client communication issues) of mine (this is basically me having sometimes obsessed over flawed details, like some locks of her hair and not getting across I wanted her more light on the blue. Not really that big of a deal for me at this point, though). And, finally, there is that PLACEMENT (You know, this is really the one I've been fighting with myself over A LOT throughout the years. Has it, many times, caused me to cover it up more than I probably would had the "Tramp Stamp"-stigma not become a conventional and widely established part of social lingo? Definitely. But does it, also, actually somewhat PISS ME OFF, even awake an urge for certain defiance, that in some way what once was such a happy moment and defining decision of my life got tainted by other people's judgement and sense of entitlement? Fuck yes, it does). At the end of the day, I'll just choose to keep rocking my MF Tramp Stamp WITH PRIDE.

Description
Thanks to:
Anders the Tattoo Artist.
Jimmy for taking this picture.

Ok, so I'm actually gonna just do this right now...

What you see here is my first tattoo. After having really wanted a tattoo since I can't even remember (but at least' since before being 10 or something like that), and then definitively deciding on what more finished design I wanted at around 15, my mom and her husband gifted it to me (complete with a signed permission and cash) as a present for graduating 9th Grade. I was OVER THE MOON about this, since I was already 100% convinced, and at peace with, having to wait another 2 years to realize that dream. This was in 2004, and I was 16 years old. Because it was 2004, the lower back tattoo was also still in it's glory days and (having personally never heard any derogatory terms or snide remarks about them specifically) it just seemed like the most natural choice to me at the time.

Now, you might expect (or even hope) that I'll say I regret going through with it. But in that case I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you. The day I met up with the tattoo artist was one of the, up to that point, happiest days of my life. I still reminisce that day with so much happy nostalgia and I STILL, regardless of everything, LOVE HER (and actually never stopped). Anyone who's known me at any point since I was ~5 can vouch for my unwavering love and dedication to (especially The Last) Unicorn lore. THAT was ALWAYS going to be my first tattoo - in one form or another. THAT SAID, with the experience I've gathered since, are there parts about it I would've probably gone about differently had I been aware the stigmas the future held in store? At some points, I will not lie, I believe I would have.

To break those down, there's of course the art theft bit (I found an image I liked online - believe me, I've tried and tried again to find it, since, to offer compensation and provide a link whenever I post a picture of this tattoo, but I think it simply must've been completely wiped - and, against better knowledge, used as a close reference idea without consulting the original artist first. Obviously realized later on that's just NOT OK). Then, we have a couple of design hang-ups (/tattooer-client communication issues) of mine (this is basically me having sometimes obsessed over flawed details, like some locks of her hair and not getting across I wanted her more light on the blue. Not really that big of a deal for me at this point, though). And, finally, there is that PLACEMENT (You know, this is really the one I've been fighting with myself over A LOT throughout the years. Has it, many times, caused me to cover it up more than I probably would had the "Tramp Stamp"-stigma not become a conventional and widely established part of social lingo? Definitely. But does it, also, actually somewhat PISS ME OFF, even awake an urge for certain defiance, that in some way what once was such a happy moment and defining decision of my life got tainted by other people's judgement and sense of entitlement? Fuck yes, it does). At the end of the day, I'll just choose to keep rocking my MF Tramp Stamp WITH PRIDE.