“Tattoos are just another way of expressing yourself and who you are and what you're all about”

Growing up, my family who strongly disapproves of tattoos, Taught my cousins and I that tattoos were gang affiliated and the ink lead up to all sorts of diseases. My aunt Bertha was the strictest, and took advantage of any moment to remind us that tattoos were for criminals and people with low morals. Her assumptions towards them varied depending the type of tattoo, the size, and where it was placed. If a person were to have a tattoo anywhere visible, my aunt describe it as unprofessional and pointless. Little did she know her daughter would grow up without these judgments in mind, and see beyond a person's exterior. My cousin introduced her boyfriend Matthew to us recently, and let's just say he did not make the best first impression to our family because of the ink that covered his arms.

Before I asked him about his tattoos and the meaning behind them, I assume that they were merely to show respect for his religion and that his cross tattoo was a common one. Matthew explained that a couple years ago he lost two important people in his life, Although he did not want to go into full detail about it, it was very easy to understand that his grandmother and his best friend's passing left a huge impact in his life. Because of his lost, Matthew began to show more interest in fate along with life in general. His tattoos serve as a memorial for the experiences he had shared with the them. Although she believes that Matthew's tattoos can be a negative influence toward us, The religious connotation to them convinced my aunt that tattoos are not always gang related or useless. Matthew has taught my cousins and I that a tattoo should have a deep meaning that you can associate with and embrace because at the end of the day your opinion of it will be the only one that matters.

His acceptance to the family happened slowly, or is probably still in the process. My family and I all have come to the realization that tattoos should not determine someone's character but are simply hints to who that person is.