There are many controversial topics out there today: politics, religion, and marijuana laws are just a few. However, recently, an unexpected topic has become somewhat controversial: tattoos. Okay, maybe not controversial per say, but they are definitely a topic of discussion, whether it be positive or negative.
One day I was scrolling through Facebook, as one does, and I noticed an article that Alternative Press posted. It was titled "Stop Getting Band Logos Tattooed" or something ridiculous like that. As someone who has a band logo tattooed, (Panic! At the Disco) this obviously made me angry. I wasn't aware we still lived in the 1900's. It is 2018, and people are still getting put down for their tattoos. I truly can't believe it.
I have two music related tattoos: my logo tattoo that I mentioned earlier and the lyrics tattoo on my upper inner bicep. And news flash! I got both tattoos for a reason, not just because I thought they looked cool. Panic! has helped me through a lot in the past. Back in high school, my mental health was at an all time low and listening to their music was a form of therapy for me. Now as an adult that actually attends therapy periodically, that has changed, but that doesn't mean their music means any less to me. I still tend to listen to them when I'm upset.
As for my lyrics tattoo, it has more meaning to me. It reads "when you get down, I'm gon lift you up right now." I remember when I first got it, I was terrified to tell anybody. I had been judged when I got my first tattoo, but I tried to remember one thing: this tattoo was for my mom. The lyrics are from Hoodie Allen's song "King to Me," and the lyrics describe her through and through. We heard the song live for the first time together, and Hoodie even sang it the night I saw him without her for the first time. The tattoo is in Hoodie's handwriting. I can't thank him enough for creating such a beautiful song that has helped me through so much, including my mother's passing.
Tattoos are very important to people, including us music fiends. If we get a logo or lyrics tattooed, it obviously means a lot to us. So next time you think about talking down to someone because of their tattoos, think before you speak. We live in 2018 and we need to learn how to appreciate the art and different stories on people's bodies. Let's put an end to this.
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