Category: TattooMeToo

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The tattoo world’s me too moment #tattoometoo

Last weekend, we stood in support of the hundreds of brave women who took to Instagram to tell their stories of sexual abuse at the hands of some prominent male tattoo artists – under the hashtag #tattoometoo. This in turn sparked an intense public discussion about what’s normal and acceptable between an artist and client.

by Alice Snape.

Content warning: sexual assault, rape, trauma.

We have known for far too long that parts of the tattoo world are toxic, and performative masculinity has been allowed to thrive. Many tattooers have operated outside the law for so long that there are no set boundaries. No rules to know what is and isn’t okay, making young women in particular very vulnerable. The lines are blurred. You’re in pain, uncomfortable, it can be hard to realise when boundaries are being crossed.

If you have been sexually assaulted while getting tattooed and feel able to, I urge you to report it to the police. I am also compiling stories so please do email me, alice@thingsandink.com (you can, of course, remain anonymous). What I have realised, from my own experience and hearing that of others, is that we often don’t realise at the time that mistreatment or abuse is happening. Stories I have heard so far range from rape and abuse to moments that have made women feel uncomfortable – for example being told to take off their bra when they don’t need to, so an artist’s face can hover too close to their flesh, or ordered to expose themselves unnecessarily without cover. . .

We’ve also probably all witnessed those who shrug off tattooist’s behaviour, with things like: ‘Well you know what they’re like’.

“I just wanted to mention the “banter” you so often have to put up with in male-dominated tattoo spaces,” one woman DM’d me. “It’s like you get forgotten about and that actually you might not want to hear about so and so’s body. I spoke out once when the four guys were rating women out of 10 and there was no apology or anything, just a grunt. I never went back. I just felt unwelcome and uncomfortable.”

The tattoo industry is not the sort of industry that has a central body, there are no HR departments or DBS checks. There are no set rules. You can view a discussion I had with tattoo artists, Dolly, Gemma May and Lucy, on YouTube about ways we can tackle sexual assault in the industry, including the possibility of seminars and training.

Earlier this year, we posted a feature I wrote about getting a tattoo finished by another tattooist (read it here: If I Could Turn Back Time). Tattoo collectors have long felt bound by an outdated moral code about tattooists owning the tattoo on your body. That is not true. If you feel uncomfortable with your artist, don’t feel like you need to carry on getting tattooed by them. It’s your tattoo and your body. You are not privileged to get tattooed by an artist, it is their privilege to mark your skin. You must feel like you are being treated with respect, and if you’re not you can leave.

The tattoo world needs to and must change. This feels like the start of something. We must put a stop to the normalisation of sexual harassment – in EVERY SINGLE FORM in tattoo shops, at conventions and inside the doors of private studios. Male tattooists should not be able to take advantage of their position of power to physically or mentally abuse and take advantage of their clients who put their trust literally into their hands.

Tattoo artists Dolly and Gemma May have also teamed up to create Tattoo Me Too Recovery Artists, which is a worldwide directory of artists who have volunteered to fix, rework and finish pieces for victims of known abusers in the tattoo industry. Allowing survivors to feel empowered and hopefully to move on from negative experiences of getting tattooed. By known artists, they mean “Those who have either been convicted, admitted their actions publicly or who have been reported to us multiple times displaying this pattern of behaviour,” Dolly explains. You can email tattoometoorecoveryartists@gmail.com, and your message will be treated in the strictest of confidence, any details you give will not be shared anywhere. Dolly has told us that they are very busy, and may not be able to reply instantly, please be patient and they will reply as soon as they can.

@tsass_uk

Lucy has also set up Tattooists Sexual Assault Survivor Support (@tsass_uk) on Instagram to address sexist attitudes in the industry, help victims, spread awareness and dispel misconceptions about sexual abuse.

A GoFundMe page has been set up too,  funds will go towards the artists who are reworking tattoos, and invested into education materials and furthering the movement to permanently change the industry.  All remaining funds will be split between three charities: Women’s Aid, Safeline and Survivors Network.

Although there is power in speaking up, we urge you not to name and shame online. Instead get in touch with us and we will help.

There was also an Insta thread that started to circulate, people posting that they felt safe while getting tattooed by [insert tattoo artist here]. This can have a triggering effect because not everyone has the same experience with the same artist, so we don’t suggest joining in. Sometimes it takes victims so long to realise what’s happened to them because it’s at odds with what they believe about that person.

There has been reports about this movement in The Metro, and Eastern Daily Press, which states that Norwich based tattooists Brad Ward and Andrew Balls announced on their Instagram accounts that they were leaving the industry and apologised for their behaviour.

For additional support follow @tsass_uk or visit rapecrisis.org.uk. Contact police on 101 to report any sexual offences.


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One is too many

*This article is written from a UK perspective, by Lauren Marina.


**TW sexual assault, rape, trauma.

You’re not overreacting. 
You didn’t bring it on yourself. 
It isn’t just a joke. 
Call it by its name. It is sexual assault.

Last week on Instagram, hundreds of women broke the silence on sexual assault in the tattoo industry. The sharing of personal experiences snowballed and awareness of the problem grew louder than ever. 

As I read each story I felt many emotions. My gut wrenched and churned in disgust and anguish. I had tears of sadness in my eyes that so many women have faced such atrocious behaviour at the hands of someone who should have been a trusted professional. I felt rage; rage that these assaults have happened in an industry so close to many of our hearts. But amongst these feelings, I did not feel surprised. That lack of shock felt heavy and grey in the pit of my stomach.

Why wasn’t I surprised? 

Unfortunately because I deeply resonated. I connected with many of the elements of the stories shared. 

I’m not a tattooer myself, but I’ve been getting tattooed for around 13 years and have visited a wide variety of shops and conventions in different locations. Despite having largely positive, respectful and professional experiences I’ve also felt the vulnerability so many of the women shared in their stories. 

I’ve been the only woman amongst a group of men in a tattoo shop, whilst they share loud and lairy sexual jokes about past clients. Whilst I sit small, waiting for the work to start; unable to speak out for fear of being turned upon. I’ve been unnecessarily topless in the middle of a tattoo convention, my naked body subject to lingering eyes and photographs taken by strange men whilst I’m held down with the tattoo machine; holding back words for fear of being condemned, from fear of being considered an overreaction, my male artist, seemingly unaware of any wrongdoing. 

These are examples of some of the conditions within tattooing that enable disrespectful sexual behavior to exist. These types of conditions and similar, play a significant role in allowing rape culture to cultivate; and I believe the boys’ club is largely to blame. 

‘Boys’ club’ is a term used to describe typically ‘laddish’ behaviour. Perhaps reading this will instantly summon a scenario (or likely many) in which you have witnessed ‘the lads’. In this context I’m referring to the type of behaviour where, in an all-male scenario, a vulgar sexual joke here and there is allowed to slip through in front of friends, for the ‘banter’. This sexual ‘joke’ is not shut down by the audience, but applauded, these are the enablers of the perpetrator, a part of the boys’ club. This normalises and in fact, rewards the content of the joke. This normalisation and reward is the base level that allows rape culture to exist, insidiously – whether that be in one tattoo shop or across the industry as a whole. This habit alone, or alongside other enabling behaviours such as the sexual objectification of women, permits – and can cheer on – the potential escalation from harassment to abuse by the perpetrator. The sheer volume of shared experiences of sexual violence at the hands of male tattooers shared by women in the last week is testament to this. 

Add a ring of accomplices, who have been enabling behaviors, such as looking the other way, denying wrongdoing, participating, or casting the actions off as “that’s just what he’s like” or “boys will be boys”, allows – and in fact loudly endorses – acts of sexual assault towards clients. Individual unacknowledgement of widespread sexual abuse, victim blaming and trivialising rape also contribute. 

Then combine this with the client.

A female client has booked in to see a professional tattoo artist. They arrive, perhaps having travelled for some time, or having booked in months ago, feeling the thrill of anticipation of new work to be added to their skin. Perhaps they have to be in a level of undress. They will likely be in some degree of pain. They will also likely be in an unknown environment, surrounded by strangers. This may also be the first time they have met the artist, so a new rapport may only begin on the day of the tattoo. The collision between the client’s vulnerability and the normalisation of rape culture can be devestating.

Enough is enough. 

This is not a problem with the industry. This is a problem with the individuals who perpetrate this predatory behaviour. Rape culture must be stamped out in the tattoo world. Clients should never have to be in a position of sexual risk. The predators existing in the industry are a minority, but even one is too many. 

One instance of unwelcome sexual advance is too many. One instance of groping is too many. One instance of forced sexual contact is too many. One degrading tattooer is too many. One unsolicited dick pic is too many. One experience of client humiliation is too many. One client feeling scared and vulnerable is too many. 

Raising awareness, education, new legislation and active allyship are all preventative measures that can be taken. Despite there being stigma and fear around shining a light on perpetrators, we can also encourage and support victims to speak out in ways which are physically and mentally safe to do so; and only if they want to. There can be no pressure here. Your experience is yours. Public naming and shaming artists can be unsafe for victims in many ways, for one due to defamation laws in the UK. TattooMeToo are a support group who have mobilised quickly to support victims in a safe and professional manner.

If last week has proved anything it’s that we can unite together and create change. Justice can be achieved. This is the end of the boys’ club.

A collective of women have set up @TattooMeTooRecoveryArtists you can donate via www.gofundme.com/f/tattoometoorecovery.

For additional support follow @tsass_uk or visit rapecrisis.org.uk.

I also have a charity t-shirt for sale at Mercht. All sales (except for Mercht’s printing cost) will go to TattooMeToo Recovery Artists.

Our inbox at Things & Ink is always open, alice@thingsandink.com

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Tattoo politics: if I could turn back time…

Perhaps you’ve fallen out with the artist, maybe they moved away or it was badly executed, but is it ever, really, okay, to get another tattooer to complete someone else’s work?

This feature was written by Alice Snape, and originally published in Total Tattoo, September 2019.

ALICE BACK BEFORE

I look at my back in the mirror. I try not to regret the huge tattoo that travels from my neck right down to my bum. That butterfly lady now looks at me, mocking. I wish I could rewind to that time, pre tattoo, when my back was bare. Tell myself to wait. The tattoo reminds me of the tattoo artist I would rather forget. But I can’t forget whose hands my tattoo is by, the hours I spent under his needle, and how I felt bullied into getting it in the first place.

I started getting tattooed when I was 22, later than most, I was always overthinking, worrying about what I wanted, where it should go, and who should do it. Since I started writing about tattoos, apparently I have become an expert on them – I have presented documentaries, I even edited a tattoo magazine  – yet I still made a mistake. The advice I gave to others, I didn’t follow myself. The back is that huge piece of canvas that shouldn’t be wasted – or so I tell people. It is prime real estate for a custom piece of art by a tattoo artist that you love, whose work you will forever wear with pride.

However, somehow a quick chat about possible ideas with [the tattoo artist] accelerated at a rapid pace and I was booked in for a backpiece. I travelled all the way to Berlin for my first session. An epic eight hours of linework, travelling back on the plane was agony. And something about the whole experience didn’t feel right. I went with it anyway, ignoring that nagging feeling in my stomach. But then every time he messaged about a follow-up appointment, I felt trapped. I couldn’t bear to spend even an hour being tattooed by him. Knowing what he had said about other girls’ bodies while in my presence, talking about their “saggy tits” while he tattooed my bum. I felt vulnerable and exposed. It made me wonder what he might be saying to other people about my body…

It got to the point where we were no longer speaking, due to a couple of antagonistic emails that made me no longer feel comfortable with the situation. I’d had a total of three sessions with him, and although the linework was mostly done and the shading started, it was nowhere near complete. That huge unfinished tattoo haunted me for years. At times I could forget it was there. But then I’d catch a glimpse while at the gym or naked as I stepped out of the shower. The tattoo I was supposed to love the most was mocking me.

At times I could forget it was there. But then I’d catch a glimpse while at the gym or naked as I stepped out of the shower. The tattoo I was supposed to love the most was mocking me.

So I called on my friend Google. I wanted to know the politics, is it okay to get a tattoo finished by someone else? I typed in: “getting a tattoo finished by another artist” and immediately fell down a Reddit hole, then stumbled across a film, with different tattooists talking about the “tattooist’s moral code”. “For me, it’s disrespectful to the artist,” said tattooist Jess Yen. “Out of respect, I don’t like to finish someone’s work.” And Phil Garcia agrees that you must get permission from the tattoo artist who started it. “A tattoo artist puts their heart and soul into it, and if someone else finishes it, it’s just fucked up.”

So at first, I considered someone else finishing my back with trepidation. I know that tattoo artists have a code, one that can be extremely intimidating for the customer. But a year or so after I first started the journey, a tattoo artist offered to finish it for me and we did a couple of sessions. They fixed her flyaway hair and added some colour to the monarch butterflies, but my heart or my head weren’t in it anymore. But since they did that session, I have been mulling over the issue: who owns the tattoo? And is it really okay for someone else to finish a piece started by the hand of another?

“If you feel uncomfortable with your artist, don’t feel like you need to carry on getting tattooed by them. It’s your tattoo and your body,” my tattoo artist told me reassuringly. “I’ve been there too with my backpiece. Unfortunately, I ended up feeling incredibly uncomfortable getting tattooed by the artist. A few different things happened and I didn’t really want to get it finished by them. It’s a real shame as the tattoo is beautiful – and it’s something I was so excited about at the start – but now I really don’t like talking about it. To the point where I’ve been recently thinking about getting it blasted over. It goes to show that actually your artist plays a huge role in the tattoo, even after it’s finished. It’s made me take extra care in how I treat my customers and also how I can make the experience the best it can be.”

I have sought comfort that others have been there too – started huge tattoos by someone they perhaps wish they hadn’t. Tattoo artist Myra Brodksy started getting tattooed by the same artist that I did, in Berlin in 2015. She had ten sessions with him but stopped getting tattooed for various reasons. “He moved to Birmingham after my tenth session. My back piece was halfway done then. I did not know he was planning on moving and he never told me when we started. Of course, I was not ready to travel to Birmingham to get tattooed. He didn’t even stay there for long. A few months later he moved to California, then to France. It was literally impossible to get the tattoo finished by him. In the beginning, he was very nice to me. But after a couple of sessions he turned into a miserable nervous wreck. While I was getting tattooed I listened to his problems and soon he would take things out on me.” Myra still likes the design and placement of the piece, but is now looking for someone else to finish it for her.

While I was getting tattooed by Dolly at No Friends Tattoo Club in Brighton the other week, she told me she too had to stop a huge back piece after just two sessions. “[The tattooist] started it four years ago,” she told me. “Everything was okay during the first session, but during the second, he climbed on top of me and tried to finger me while he was tattooing me. I yelled at him, gave him no money, left and cried. Now every time I look at it, it makes me angry. I went to him to get his best work, I didn’t get that as he was clearly distracted. I work in the industry, so I am lucky I have tattooer friends who will finish it for me.” She advises anyone in this position to seek out someone else to finish the piece – even if there is only one more session to go. “If I am taking on someone’s work, I always ask why,” continues Dolly. “You can change your perspective on a tattoo if you work with a new tattooist to help you reclaim it. It’s like going back to a city that holds bad memories. If someone came to me with an unfinished tattoo that holds bad feelings, I’d go the extra mile to try to change that for them. It should never feel like it’s your privilege to get tattooed by someone.”

What Dolly said really got me thinking. As customers, we’re often made to feel that the tattoo artist’s vision is sacred, that it would be sacrilege to get someone else to take over. But where does our own bodily autonomy count in that? After all, it is a tattoo on a body – your body. A tattoo that is paid for by you. “At first, I was apprehensive [about working on tattoos by other people] because I had a really traditional apprenticeship and was taught that you should never touch someone else’s work,” Guen Douglas, of Taiko Gallery in Berlin, told me when I asked her about this dilemma. “But the more I thought about body autonomy, I realised that no one owns the tattoo on the body of the client but the client. If you buy a beautiful expensive handmade vase and decide to doodle all over it, take chips out of it or just smash it, the ceramicist is allowed to be sad that you ruined his or her artwork. But ultimately it has been paid for and the object belongs to you. Do what you will with it – but that doesn’t mean that you can replicate it and sell it again.”

“With the rise of the black out bodysuit, I remember the first time I saw a client had blacked out a small piece of mine,” Guen continues. “I was really hurt at first, then I realised I have my photo, I was paid for my work. Surely I wouldn’t prevent a client from evolving and transforming in a way that makes them happy.”

During

And now, I finally feel ready to embark on my journey again – galvanised by words of tattoo artists I admire and respect. I want to turn my backpiece around. I want to own it all over again. Fall back in love with it. Believe it when people tell me how beautiful it is; work with someone I trust implicitly. So I met tattoo artist Tracy D – who works at Modern Classic in west London – to chat about it. She has tattooed me three times already. She’s gentle and understanding and I adore her style.

“I try not to get involved in politics, there are always two sides to a story and at the end of the day, it’s unfortunate that there is an unfinished piece,” Tracy told me when I asked her what she thought about finishing someone else’s work. “I know it’s hard for me to look at an unfinished piece on my own body between sessions, I can’t imagine how it would be to have no finish point in sight.” And so, she agreed to take the reins, bring my butterfly lady back to life. We are one session down, and she has worked magic already. The face has been reworked. And over the coming months, we will add more butterflies and some colour.

IMG_6112

I am now excited again. I am motivated to get it finished, to work with Tracy on our shared vision. Please follow my progress on Instagram @alicecsnape. I was overjoyed to see your comments after my first session, and so many people messaged to say they have been in a similar situation and didn’t know what to do. If that’s you, know that you’re not alone. Get the tattoo you want, by the person you want to do it. Reclaim something that has bad memories. Never, ever, feel like you must continue with an artist you’re not happy with. You are the customer, and the customer – as some say – is always right. Especially when it involves YOUR body.

END NOTE: I contacted the artist who started my back and told him I was writing this piece. He has no hard feelings and wishes me the best with my journey.

In response to tattooing’s growing #metoo movement, we have set up a private group on Facebook to share stories and find support, you must request and be approved to facebook.com/groups/tattoometoo