Why is it?????
 

Sorry just need to vent and get some things off my chest and maybe get a few opinions.

Today i went to Walmart and as I am standing there in line at the check out this lady is STARING at me. No idea why. So when I get out to my car I look in the mirror to make sure I dont have anything stuck to my or hanging out my nose or whatever.
I then go to Target and notice a few people staring at me. No idea why but it was really starting to get to me. ( I have issues with people staring at me, Can you tell?? LOL)

After Target i went to the grocery store, same thing. GRRRR

So i go to the gas station for pop and cigarettes and I ask the lady behind the counter if there is anything wierd about me cause of all the people that have stared at me. I know this lady because I go in there all the time. There is a lady behind me that I would say is in her late 50s. She pipes up and tells me that the reason that she was looking at me is because I am a beautiful girl and she doesn't understand why I do what I do with my body. (I got no f-ing clue what she is talking about and I am starting to get annoyed)
So I ask what she is talking about. She tells me that she thinks that I have ruined my beauty by piercing my nose and putting tattoos in certain places. She says that I should have longer hair and try to TONE myself down. I should also wear clothes that cover my body. (I had on a pair of jeans, low rise, nothing revealing my butt crack or anything, and a t-shirt that showed just a little tummy.)

This really bothered me. I dont know why but Im not that unusual looking with my tats and piercings. I mean, right now I have my hair short short so that it spikes up all over. Its a platnum blond color. I have my nose pierced but wear a very small diamond stud in it. I have a tattoo of a fairy very small on the back of my neck, I have a butterfly on the inside of my right wrist, I have the tribal design that means MOTHER on the top of my right foot and a shooting star on my left foot. (I have more tattoos but these are the only ones that this lady would have been able to see). I dress very normal in my opinion. usually in jeans and a tshirt.
I dont really think that I stand out that much but I also dont really want to just blend in with the crowd.

If you were to see me in public would you stare at me? Do you think that I have "ruined" myself by tattooing my body and piercing my nose??

I think people who have many tattoos and piercings do it for the attention. I don't mean to hurt your feelings, because I think you are really neat, but you asked our opinions. E.

You dont have to worry about hurting my feelings. I want opinions. I myself do the tats and piercings because it is what I like. Not for the attention but I do agree with you. I think that there are many people that do it for attention. :)

In my opinion I dont think you do it to get attention but I do think it draws attention. I love to see other people with tatoo's. I think it's interesting. I want to get one, but I'm scared to death and I have been putting it off since I was 18.
I get alot of looks too because I have my belly button pierced and I wear alot of belly shirts (not too reveling) but to were you can see my ring.
I wouldn't worrie about a couple of people staring at you.
I mean I have seen completly the opposit get stared at.

Course sometimes people just stare at anyone who is different. I personally think different is fun. You should get a Yorkie tatoo on your chest....THAT would catch eyes! :p

I think that people are mean and suck. If they don't like you for who you are...then you probally wouldn't like them either. That's my theory. Everyone is so judgemental, I can't stand to be looked at, when I know I am being judged. Don't people realize that we are hard enough on ourselves as people, not to have others doing the same thing? Serisouly, I think be happy with who you are, and the people who count will love and respect you for that.

Kelly --

Next time tell them to take a picture...It lasts longer :)

That is what I tell people when they stare...I too have tattoos and i think when people see them they stare because they are intrigued...I had an argument on the train once with a girl who was with her boyfriend because he was staring at one of my tattoos (a tribal flower on my right wrist) and he turned to her and said, see hun you need one of those they are hot...and the girl looked at me and said ugh all you girls with tattoos...and i said excuse me...It's not my fault your bf is staring, so shut it!! :) LOL! I have a short fuse in the morning...

People look...sometimes I do the Miss America wave cause when they stare i feel famous :)

XoXoXo
Fran

PS - More pics of Preslee please! LOL!!!

I wouldnt stare in a bad way. I might look at your tatoos just to check them out and see what they are of. Maybe thats what people were doing. Just looking to see what the images were. Maybe they were admiring thier beauty or yours :)

I am not really bothered by the fact that people stare. Its more what the lady said about ruining my beauty. I relize that things were different when she was my age but come on, its 2005. People are different now adays. I dont really care what people think of me. I am me, take it or leave it.

Fran, funny you should mention the girl on the train, I amost punched a girl one day cause her boyfriend had asked me where I got most of my tats done so I was diggin out a business card for him, and she came up and gave me attitude because she thought that I was giving him my ##. LOL then she got a big tude with me.

Chin up! I get a lot of looks too. I have my eyebrow and tongue pierced, and I have a tattoo on my back. I did it because I personally like the way that it looks, and actually hate the attention that it draws. The weird thing it that I don't look like the kind of person that would have those things. It really irritates me when people stare and make comments, so I just ignore it or get in their face and make it very clear what I think about them. Just ignore it...you are beautiful because of what you do to your body, not in spite of it :D .

It's my opinion that people just shouldn't be so superficial period!
I am almost 43 and I have no problem with tattoo's or piercings.
Who you are on the inside means much more than anything related
to appearances. As long as you are happy with who you are then
that's all that really matters. Poo on the lady in the store hers is
just one opinion in a million!

Don't let other people getcha down! If you value their opinion, then listen to them, but if it's just some random person, does it matter what they think? If not, then don't mind their opinions or their comments, especially rude ones.

You know you are a good person, and beauty is just personal opinion anyways. Tattoos and piercings are not a big deal around Seattle, and people are pretty accepting of it, maybe if you live in a smaller area, not as many people have 'em and you may stand out? Just a theory...

reconsmom you remind me of cousin. She has all sorts of tattoos 2 on her neck 2 on her leg 1 on her upper back and i forget where else. Everytime we go out and someone gives her the stare she asks "see something you like" but my favorite one was when she asked "omg do I have a buger hanging" Lmao


I love tattoos and if i was not soooooo afraid of needles I would get 1 or 2 and im 36. So the next time you get the stare just look right at them and ask about the buger lol.

I have to admit, I used to be put off by piercings and tatoos but that was a long time age. These days so many people have them, even in my own family. The absolute best thing you can do is show everyone the real person you are so that they can see past their own prejudices. When someone stares, just look at them and smile. Then they are responsible for how they react, either in an ugly way or in a friendly way. Don't get defensive and don't let it get ya down.

I'm from San Francisco,California and I would stare at you only to check out your tats which I have a couple myself but I would never straight out look at people strange no matter how they look because it's just plain RUDE! maybe I would be more used to it because I grew up seeing different looking styles like yours all the time but since I've moved to the subberbs it's totally different out here!! There way or thinking is more close minded! I say your being yourself and your happy so you go girl! :D

i myself do no think you have ruined yourself with your tattoos and your piercing. I am about to get my first tattoo and my husband even has tattoed my name on him.Frankly it is your body and i believe you can do whatever you want with it. I do not think all people that have tattoos do it for attention some people have tattoos that would look like the most conservative person. Overrall I think tattoos are Awesome and people with them are Awesome.

To each his own
 

Okay. This is interesting - the different opinions. I can tell most of you are young. I think that if you want these things - do it. You are your own individual and have the freedom to do so - this is your Consitution right! I say as long as it doesn't hurt anyone else - no problem. People will always want to give you their opinions. I remember when I was in the mall for the first time after having my daughter and she was in her stroller. She had fallen asleep and was bent over the tray in the fron of the stroller. Some lady told me that this was hurting my child and should move her to a more comfortable position. Now remember - my daughter is asleep and not crying. Well, being a mother for the first time - I moved her like the lady said to do. Well, wrong move - my daughter started to cry so much when I moved her I had to leave the mall and go back to the 4 walls of my home. Now, I do what I think is Right. You can listen to others' advice - but then do what you think is right. I am now old and have two grown kids - well, not kids really - youngest is 20. They both have tattoos. I like the one on their back above the butt area, but hate the others. My daughter has a coy (goldfish) on her ankle with Japanesse writing that spells out her name over it. She loves it. I dislike it. To each his own. The reason I dislike it is because it is where everyone can see it - no problem with the design. When she will be in her 50's, 60's, 70's will she like it then? Probably not! My dad spent a lot of money having the tattoo he got in the service removed. I asked him why? He said as he got older he hated it. It also hurt a lot to have it removed. Just remember that what you do - if it will be permanent - will you like it forever? Because forever is a long time. Your hair - don't worry. You can always change your hair -and it grows. That same daughter of mine went to Germany and came back with pink hair! I couldn't believe that she dyed her blond hair. You know how so many people would die for naturally blond hair! Well, she finally stopped dying her hair, she realized that it was drying it out too much and started to feel like straw. But this was something she had to learn for herself. She also had her nose pierced. But took it out after everyone thought it was a zit! People go through changes and have to try out things to find out who they are. People that are older - have already found out about themselves over the years, because they tried out things too. What about Rock n' Roll? Music has changed over the years too. Another freedom of expression. When my grandparents heard my parents listening to rock n' roll, they thought they were going to H ??? Were they right? No. It was just different. Do my parents listen to rock n' roll now? No, not like when they were young. They listen to a lot of different kind of music - soft rock, country, orchestra, big band, etc... So don't worry. Some people will look because they feel for you and in their opinion think you are hurting your looks - while other love your look. We all stare at people. That is the best past time to do at the malls - in my husband's opinion. :rolleyes: It is how we size ourselves up and maybe to see if that would look good on us.
T.

Oh tell them to stuff it....i have my tats and piercings because it helps me express myself i didnt do it for attention i did it because i wanted to.

Piercings
 

Just be careful with the tongue piercings. My daughter's friend came back from PC with his tongue pierced. On the trip back - it fell out! He just put in back in quickly, so the hole would not close up. Well, the next week he woke up one morning and his tongue was so swollen - he could hardly breath. He ended up at the hospital with an infection due to him putting the thing in with his fingers - not cleaned. At the piercing places they tell you or should tell how to keep it clean - follow their directions.

Two words of advice:

1. Wal-Mart sucks. Don't shop there
2. Stare right back at those idiots. Ugh.

Thanks Kristy. LOL



The main reason for me asking opinions is because of the diverse age differences there are here and I wanted to see what everyone had to say. I appreciate all the opinions and comments. I will continue to tattoo and pierce myself and do crazy things with my hair because that is me. Usually when people stare at me I make some sort of comment. Like last night my man and I are eating at the olive garden and this lady was just staring at me. So I looked right at her and asked if she knew me or thought she knew me. She said no, so I told her to keep her eyes on her table or I would make sure that she did. I am rude like that.
I guess the reason why what the lady said about ruining my beauty really bugged me because I am one that TRUELY believes that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Beauty also comes from the inside. If only half of the people that are so quick to judge me really knew me, it would be a whole different story.

:) :) :)

i think you should just ignore the people..i have 3 tats and i had 9 piercings as well but i took most of them out.. and i've had a tattoo removed already .. i think it's just a way of expressing yourself.. it's your body not their's!!! so i say do whatever makes you happy!

Be true to yourself
 

Yes, be true to yourself! Like the song says - "Express Yourself." But also be above others - no need to say anything back. That is just lowering your standards. Many young people do this today and it looks bad. Yes, the staring is wrong two, but 2 wrongs don't make a right. My father use to say - don't open your mouth and remove all doubt that you are smart. It goes another way - but forgot the exact words. I do agree that you have the right to express yourself. We all did when we were young, but also in that same place if others stare - no need to say anything. You know when you do express yourself so differently that it really shows - you know some will stare. That's life! Expect others to stare. I had a so called friend that was stared at due to her really blond hair color at Burger King. We were sitting there with our 2 kids each and she said something back to that person that was staring. Well, one thing lead to another and they started to fight - inside Burger King with the kids watching on. I was shocked! We were both in our 20's. She should have just ignored the stares. I then had a lot of talking to say to my kids. This was the last time I ever went anywhere with her. Act with dignity!
T.

Everyone has a right to be themselves. I have no problem with that. What I have a problem with is people who expect others to accept them as they are and they insist that they are good people but their actions don't prove that.

I think tattoos and piercings are beautiful. It adds character and personality to your outside appearance just like the way you dress. Here in Texas, people have no problems with tattoos or piercings. I see people walking through Target/Wal-Mart/the mall with tattoos all over themselves wearing short shorts and tank tops that rise up to their belly buttons with some flipflops. I think regardless of what you do or who you are, someone is going to judge you or stare at you. So I say, keep on doing what you're doing and if someone stares at you.. that's because they're probably thinking how brave you are to even have a needle touch your skin!

My mom and dad always say.. " beauty is only skin deep" it doesn't matter what you look like on the outside its how you are on the inside and if people can't see that then they aren't worth your time. i think the first thing that lady in the gas station said was nice its how she finished it that was rude!

I just wanted to add something one of my teachers told me. She said if anyone is ever complaining about the way you look or something then turn around look them straight in the face and very seriously say," I'm sorry that i've ruined your day by teh way i look." or something to that affect. my teacher said it will either make people think you are a freak or feel really bad that they were so rude that they cought your attention. i've never had to try it and i hope i never do but it sounds like a good idea.

I dont know why people are the way they are, but i would love to see a picture of you!!!! ;)