Why Put a Bumper Sticker on a Ferrari?
Published: Saturday, January 28, 2012
Updated: Monday, November 5, 2012 20:11
 "Photo: Spectrum file photo")
Spectrum file photo
Do you want a tattoo and/or have one already?
DISCLOSURE: THIS LINK WAS POSTED AT 4 p.m. ON 02/02/12
I get it. It's the 21st century. You're cool, you're rebellious, you're cutting edge, you have a point to prove, and you're a woman. Awesome.
Ladies, I know you're at least at the legal age of making your own decisions, but before you decide to get a tattoo, allow me to let you in on a little secret. A secret you may have not fully realized yet thus far in your life. What you must understand is, as women, we are – naturally – beautiful creatures.
Seriously, though. Your body literally has the ability to turn heads. Guys drool over us. We hold some serious power in our hands, because – as corny as this sounds – we hold the world's beauty.
But something girls seem to forget nowadays, or maybe have not been taught, is that women hold the world's class and elegance in their hands, as well. So what's more attractive than a girl with a nice body? I'll tell you what: a girl with class. Looks may not last, but class does. And so do tattoos.
An elegant woman does not vandalize the temple she has been blessed with as her body. She appreciates it. She flaunts it. She's not happy with it? She goes to the gym. She dresses it up in lavish, fun, trendy clothes, enjoying trips to the mall with her girlfriends. She accentuates her legs with high heels. She gets her nails done. She enjoys the finer things in life, all with the body she was blessed with.
But marking it up with ink? That's just not necessary.
I'm not here to say a girl should walk around flaunting her body like it's her job – that's just degrading. Instead of getting a tattoo, a more productive use of your time would be improving and appreciating the body you have been given, not permanently engraving it.
Can you get meaning out of a tattoo? Arguably. If you want to insert ink into your skin as a symbol for something greater than yourself, then maybe you are proving a point to yourself or the rest of the world.
But at the end of the day, are you really a happier person? Has this tattoo, for instance, caused you to learn something new about yourself? Has it challenged you? Has it led you to self-growth? Nothing comes out of getting a tattoo. You get a tattoo, and that's it. You do something productive, though, and you see results. That's a genuine, satisfying change in life. Not ink.
Invest your time, money, and effort into a gym membership, or yoga classes, or new clothes, or experimenting with different hairstyles if you're craving something new with your body, not a tattoo.
I promise, it will be a much more rewarding experience, and you won't find yourself in a rut when your future grandkids ask you what's up with the angel wings on your upper back as you're in the middle of giving them a life lesson on the importance of values and morals.
God knows the last thing this world needs is another generation of kids questioning their basic values and morals.
Email: lisa.khoury@ubspectrum.com
162 comments
Anonymous
Does straightening your hair, painting your nails, putting on lip gloss and pulling on obscenely tight pants challenge you? Do these things make you grow as a person? Your article says little about the irrelevance of tattoos and says more about your own, closed mind and depressing vanity. Get out of Buffalo and go see the world. This is sad.
Anonymous
Lisa,Will you be my date to the next tattoo convention I go to? You would be well received.
Anonymous
"Seriously, though. Your body literally has the ability to turn heads. Guys drool over us. We hold some serious power in our hands..."So apparently we are in the 21st Century and young women are still relating their power to men salivating over them... and telling other women what not to do with their bodies... how disappointing. How paternalistic. How mysogynistic.
CALM DOWN, tatted ones...
94% of survey respondents to this article say they have (or want) tattoos...
(that's not 98% of the population, tatted people, so don't get excited).
98% of the comments on this site, and especially on facebook, are negative, defensive, insulting to the writer, self-promoting, and rude.Do the math. While there are a few respectful posts, one can reasonably conclude that most who have tattoos are immature, thin-skinned, classless idiots who have no manners.Which seems to prove the writer's point exquisitely, like it or not. Disagree?Then post something critical of the piece without being a moron about it and without directly attacking the writer in any way. Criticize her writing if you disagree with her opinion, not her.But wait--she attacking meeeeee, so it's fair game to bash her personally, right?No, it's not, you blind fool. Ms. Koury was critical of a societal trend, especially among the young, who are slaves to pop culture in general. She wasn't critical of you personally. So keep your comments classy, whatever they are. Oh wait, I forgot. You comments prove that you can't be.
(that's not 98% of the population, tatted people, so don't get excited).
98% of the comments on this site, and especially on facebook, are negative, defensive, insulting to the writer, self-promoting, and rude.Do the math. While there are a few respectful posts, one can reasonably conclude that most who have tattoos are immature, thin-skinned, classless idiots who have no manners.Which seems to prove the writer's point exquisitely, like it or not. Disagree?Then post something critical of the piece without being a moron about it and without directly attacking the writer in any way. Criticize her writing if you disagree with her opinion, not her.But wait--she attacking meeeeee, so it's fair game to bash her personally, right?No, it's not, you blind fool. Ms. Koury was critical of a societal trend, especially among the young, who are slaves to pop culture in general. She wasn't critical of you personally. So keep your comments classy, whatever they are. Oh wait, I forgot. You comments prove that you can't be.
Anonymous
Lisa,You look more like a '98 Ford Taurus to me... not a Ferrari
Anonymous
I answered YES to all of your questions at the end of this article.But at the end of the day, are you really a happier person? YES! Has this tattoo, for instance, caused you to learn something new about yourself? YES! Has it challenged you? YES! Has it led you to self-growth? YES! Nothing comes out of getting a tattoo. (Except the wonderful art that I will cherish forever)You are a moron
Anonymous
You have done a real disjust for woman kind... shame on you.
Anonymous
Lisa, I hope these comments have taught you that even if you are writing an opinion piece, you need to use a tone that is as least somewhat respectful of the people you are criticizing. Dismissing folks for choosing to alter their appearance just generates angry responses and your post fails to get anyone who doesn't already agree with you thinking about the issue.As a working journalist (with a tattoo) I'm going to recommend you get a bit of perspective and realize not everyone enjoys going to malls, purchasing trendy clothes, and "flaunting" themselves for the approval of others. Big wide world out here, lots of different ways to live.Finally, you seem to bring some Christian vibes to the table using words like "blessed" and your Facebook profile picture was taken in a church or chapel (sorry for creeping but reporters do research) so try doing the Christian thing: don't judge people for their appearance. It's rude.
Anonymous
Actually a lot of men find tattoos on women attractice, I think as long as youre not obnoxious with your tattoos then you can have them, its your own body, and you can do what you want with it, eric church says in his song "You got that little tattoo playin peekie boo on your back" I personally have 2 tattoos one on my wrist and a big one on my back, you only live once, you make mistakes and regret things in the end but thats liife. GET USED TO IT.
Kara
I think what makes me most sad about this article is that the person who wrote it seems to lump all modified women into one category: classless degenerates. My guess is that you either had a bad experience with a person who is tattooed or you are just basing your opinions on stereotypes. I really wish you would've done your research before expressing an obviously uneducated opinion such as this one. Had you looked around, you would've found many charity organizations full of modified people who do selfless work for the betterment of society. The org that I belong to was founded so modified women would have a place to do volunteer work without judgement and also to erase the stereotypes you so obviously buy into. We're all modified women from around the world who support numerous international charities. Our individual chapters do volunteer work and raise funds in our own communities. I spend countless hours doing volunteer work every year. Right now I'm running a donation drive for overseas troops, raising funds for Special Olympics, teaching art at my kids' school on a volunteer basis because they don't have an art program, planning a poker run for leukemia and lymphoma and supporting my group's charities of the month. If that's not class, then I guess I just don't know what class is. Not to mention, I have a 20 year career, three kind and selfless children and an extremely hard working tattooed husband who owns a successful business. My kids help me with my charity work. In fact, my 8 year old daughter (ya know, part of another generation of kids questioning their basic values and morals) will be shaving her head in March to raise money for children with cancer. I'm very heavily tattooed and I don't think I need to change a thing about myself because I think I'm doing a pretty damn good job at being a productive member of society. One day I'm hoping you'll see that the world needs all different kinds of people, even the tattooed kind. In my opinion, my tattoos have taught me much more than you'll ever have the pleasure of learning. I've learned to let the hurtful opinions of others roll off my back. I've learned that I shouldn't judge based on appearance. I've learned that there are plenty of classless people who are not tattooed. I've also just learned after reading your article that I would never write an article expressing hurtful opinions about those who are not tattooed because I don't discriminate based on the color (or lack thereof) of one's skin.
Anonymous
and why is every one with negitave things to say posting as anonymous, stan up nfor what you belive . thats why were in the spot were in today as a people. grow some back bone people
troy delarosa, tattoo artist ,father and loves his grandmother 1
Troy De La Rosa · Tattoo artist at Dr. Jacks Ink Emporiumreally lady? if you had any class you would not be so quick to judge people. And you want to talk about values , morals, AND GOD what do you think he is going to have to say to you for bashing his children? sounds like you need to re think your association with the man before you start running your mouth. I'm sure he's sick and tired of people deciding what he wants or knows. especially overwhat someones skin looks like. I thought we were trying to do away with predjuse. ma'am I close by saying you are the result of over 4 billion years of evolutionary success , act like it
Anonymous
Ignorance is bliss.... Yes we are given these "temples" but come on it's like going into any temple/church, has anyone been in one that doesn't have some stained glass, paintings, and ornate molding and lamps? The things that makes them amazingly beautiful are the additions to them to emphasize their beauty. The Sistine chapel would not be nearly as beautiful as it is without Michel Angelo's work on the ceiling. So again come on, all churches and temples have their tattoos and piercings. BTW if she really believed what she was saying she wouldn't have talked about adorning our bodies in lavish clothing, by the old school morals that's wrong too.
Anonymous
Easily the dumbest premise for an article I've read on the internet in quite some time, the term educated idiot comes to mind. If I'm to follow the assertion of the author I'm to assume that my wife, mother of my children and a PHD is not elegant or classy. I assure you in no uncertain terms this is far from the case, and based on the assertion of the author I'd venture to guess she could stand to learn quite a bit on the subject of grace by spending some time with my wife. Rest assured when my wife speaks people listen, and when she walks down the street people can't help but take notice of her beauty.
Jesse
Amazing how she uses a stereotypical gender role of shopping and getting nails or hair done, why do you need to improve your beautiful temple with such temporary modification? Where is your nature beauty under makeup and hairspray? Where is this challenge....in making the decision of what color highlights you are doing this month? Tattoos are a form of art, one that may tell a story of a true challenge, like a badge of honor earned in the military or a story of love lost, symbols of new beginnings and strength. Since when did "class" involve lavish clothing? I'd like to read a controversial article, but one with a seemly valid point not blind disgust with a 90s view on what society sees as beautiful. Welcome to the 21st century. Tattoos have be around for a while now and they are beautiful.
Zilla
I am more disgusted by what she thinks it means to be a respectable woman than what she thinks about tattoos. Tattoos didn't keep me out of grad school, keep me out of field research, or keep me from getting a job in a laboratory or classroom. They have had very little impact on my life because my worth is not measured by my appearance.
Ms. Lisa would disagree. Ms. Lisa, like many small people in the world, cannot imagine a woman being anything more useful than a pretty object to be desired.
Pathetic.Which leads me to say this: Those of you ripping on her looks in retaliation to her shallow, sexist article - you are being hypocritical. If you find the emphasis on appearance to be sexist, so are your attacks on her appearances. Insult her because she's naive and shallow. Criticize her character or lack thereof. But don't perpetuate the sexism by attacking her looks.
Ms. Lisa would disagree. Ms. Lisa, like many small people in the world, cannot imagine a woman being anything more useful than a pretty object to be desired.
Pathetic.Which leads me to say this: Those of you ripping on her looks in retaliation to her shallow, sexist article - you are being hypocritical. If you find the emphasis on appearance to be sexist, so are your attacks on her appearances. Insult her because she's naive and shallow. Criticize her character or lack thereof. But don't perpetuate the sexism by attacking her looks.
Anonymous
Did your boyfriend break up with you for a tattooed chick? Is that your reasoning for judging women with tattoos? You are so close minded. It's animals like you that make this world a terrible place. Skank. Filth.
Anonymous
Judging someone because they have tattoos is the same as judging someone based on their skin color. Just because my colors are intentionally put there, doesn't mean it's okay to tell me I'm not a classy woman without any morals. You're telling me to stop being myself (who I love by the way) and to conform to what you think a woman should look and act like. I don't like going to the mall and I don't like getting my nails done, but I'm not demanding that YOU stop doing that just because I don't like it.
Just like every counter-culture in society there are people who poorly represent us with "jail tattoos" that genuinely look bad, but there has been so much progress within the industry and there is a lot of beautiful art being created. I'm just sorry that you're too blind to see it.
Go to the gym? No, I'm happy with my body, I'm not hiding it with tattoos because I think I'm ugly, I'm accentuating my shape. I don't understand how you can think you can look at someone and automatically know their beliefs and morals. Anyone I've ever met tells me I'm the sweetest, most genuine person they know - I don't know about you, but that sounds like an okay person to me. We're not here to live our lives for you.
You'd be surprised by the amount of people you probably interact with that have tattoos. You should stop and listen to what someone has to say instead of imposing stereotypes based on their physical features - which is something I'm sure we've all been victim of in one way or another.
Just like every counter-culture in society there are people who poorly represent us with "jail tattoos" that genuinely look bad, but there has been so much progress within the industry and there is a lot of beautiful art being created. I'm just sorry that you're too blind to see it.
Go to the gym? No, I'm happy with my body, I'm not hiding it with tattoos because I think I'm ugly, I'm accentuating my shape. I don't understand how you can think you can look at someone and automatically know their beliefs and morals. Anyone I've ever met tells me I'm the sweetest, most genuine person they know - I don't know about you, but that sounds like an okay person to me. We're not here to live our lives for you.
You'd be surprised by the amount of people you probably interact with that have tattoos. You should stop and listen to what someone has to say instead of imposing stereotypes based on their physical features - which is something I'm sure we've all been victim of in one way or another.
Anonymous
Mad cause she's an ugly bitch
Anonymous
this girl is genius, i wanna meet her.
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