It’s an unfortunate reality that even in these open-minded times, there are still decent people treated as second-class citizens because of something as trivial as their appearance. Anyone out there with visible tattoos, piercings and other body modifications are well aware of the “facts of life” associated with their involvement in body art. There is the obvious professional downfall. “Equal opportunity employers” don’t so much as give many of us a second look the majority of the time. Tattoo and piercing shops have a hard time even finding a location where they can offer their services without being subject to discrimination from area businesses, residents and even their own landlords. The Arnot Mall denied the Mod Squad’s offer to set up shop in their mall stating they don’t want to cater to that crowd and refused our request for a meeting to discuss the matter further. There is also a very personal side to this. The general rudeness we encounter throughout our day becomes more than just annoyance after a while. Scoffs, dirty looks and whispers can sometimes escalate to verbal or even physical attacks. Not only are we subject to this ourselves, but also our friends, families and employers are sometimes subject to this due simply to their association with modified people.

            The very first tattoo shop in the United States opened in the 1870’s. Despite its growth over the past 130 of its rich history, there is still a stigma attached to this art form, along with its artists and collectors. We are seeking to create a coalition of modified individuals, artists, businesses, suppliers, educators, community leaders, tattoo art collectors and tattoo art lovers, all brought together by a genuine respect for body art and everyone involved with it. We aim to improve the image of modified people to the general public. To show that we are all types of people from all different backgrounds and we are proud of our differences and the art we wear. We also want to try and help those individuals, groups and businesses that have been subject to discrimination because of their relation to body art culture.

            All other arguments aside, we want to give those unfamiliar with body modification and modified people a chance to meet individuals with a deep love and respect for this art form and give them a chance to have some of their honest questions addressed. We want to educate the public and demonstrate that we are in fact decent and intelligent people not all that unlike themselves. We are proud of our art collections and wish to display them if we wish without the fear of the unwarranted repercussions that results from violating this outdated taboo. We are entitled to the same respect given to more traditional looking Americans, and by being a proud, visible and active voice in our community, we believe we can convince the general public that we in fact are not bad people.

Socially acceptable examples of body modification: Permanent Cosmetics, Plastic Surgery, Botox, Breast Implants, Breast Augmentation, Braces, Circumcision, Standard Ear Piercing, Hair Cuts, Manicures, Pedicures, Tanning, Tummy Tucks, Gastric Bypass and Face lifts.

Not so socially acceptable examples of body modification: Tattoos, Body Piercing and Scarification.