Tattooing is an undeniably strong statement and, for many, a disconcerting display of trauma and ferocity. While some feminists may feel more comfortable with healing circles, new moon rituals and writing exercises designed to draw out the “inner child,” a newer generation of women may relate to the healing process in an altogether different way…it typically marks an important stage in a woman’s life— a process of discovering, exploring and learning on the very surface of the body.
Many women seek out tattoos for altogether joyful reasons—to celebrate ethnic, spiritual or cultural heritages; to mark exciting life transitions or to display lifelong beautification. to dismiss tattoos as a form of self-oppression is to miss out on a fascinating complexity behind each woman’s decision to adorn her body with one or more permanent designs. Much of the time, tattoos on a woman truly says something about her character, her life and her spirit —Silija J. A Talvi in Body Outlaws
