Andrew Sullivan
Axia College of University of Phoenix According to the most recent Harris Poll, which took place in 2003, about 15% of all Americans have at least one tattoo. That translates into about 40 million people. Tattoos are becoming much more popular based on comparing those statistics to the results of a 1936 Life magazine estimates of 10 million Americans had at least one tattoo. As for body piercing, no statistics are kept, and it is unknown how many Americans have them, but healthcare providers and dentists say they are seeing more everyday. Even though most tattoos and body piercing were difficult to adorn in the past because of the discrimination against and limitations of individuals who have them, tattoos and body piercing are becoming more accepted in our society as corporate rules against them in the workplace are more relaxed and customers are more comfortable with them.
Several years ago individuals that decorated themselves with body piercing and tattoos consisted but were not limited to, convicts, sailors, servicemen, rock-stars, or tough bikers. Because of this, anyone who decorated themselves with tattoos or piercing were discriminated against and treated unfairly. But this day in age the trend is spreading to ordinary unlikely places and individuals, such as; lawyers, doctors, bankers, and many other white-collar professionals. As new generation of young employees enter the business world, many of them bring their unique self-expression that is displayed by their use of ink and jewelry. With these displays they are forced to make a choice on how much of their ink adorned skin to show or cover them up. Many of these younger professionals do not find much discrimination and are able to maintain their jobs. But another, more subtle result of this new trend, is that tattooed or pierced individuals are making their coworkers become accepting and unconcerned with the fact that