國
立 政 治 大 學
‧
N a tio na
l C h engchi U ni ve rs it y
4.4. Andria
Picture 17: Andria in the ocean Picture 18: Andria with Peking opera make-up
Andria is a 20 year old Taiwanese, whom I noticed in a coffee shop with her friend one day. Her tattoos and her short shaved hair caught my attention, she had a very cool and laid back style and seemed approachable. She was open to talking to me and so a few months later we met up again over a drink in the same coffee shop. Her hair was still very short but had grown back a little. She graduated from high school with focus on the arts, but is currently not enrolled in any university. She works at a clothing store in Taoyuan to make some money. Her friends are all very artsy people, she explained to me and most of them have tattoos. She herself got her first tattoo when she was 17 years old and has a total of five pieces now. Andria cares a lot about the environment and animals and we quickly realized we had the same sticker “4 The Turtles” on our laptops, a Taiwanese initiative financing projects for the protection of turtles. She loves all kinds of cultures but is especially fascinated about old traditions and customs from countries, for instance Mongolian culture. Andria also really likes patterns and is into Hippie and Bohemian fashion and style.
‧ 國
立 政 治 大 學
‧
N a tio na
l C h engchi U ni ve rs it y
Intertextualization
R: What made you want to get tattooed?
A: Since I was small I was really interested in arts and tattoos. Then I saw this one movie “Divergent” and really wanted to get a tattoo after watching it.
R: So in this movie someone had a tattoo that you really liked?
A: Yes, exactly. The female actress in the movie had this tattoo and she plays this very courageous character. I was really eager to get a tattoo after seeing her… as I am very much into nature and she had these black hawks… I wanted it, too. That was my first one.
Picture 19 – 21: Andria’s tattoos on her arm arms and her chest
Andria is an example of how someone can get inspired to get tattooed by cultural influences, in her case the American dystopian science fiction movie Divergent. Andria had been thinking about getting tattooed for a while but seeing the female character Beatrice in this movie triggered her into taking the step and even getting the same design. It seems as if this movie had a strong impact on Andria and her identification with Beatrice gave her the courage to tattoo her skin.
Socialization
R: So back then you already had friends with tattoos?
‧
A: Oh yeah, my friends all have tattoos. The majority of my friends are male and had tattoos earlier than I did, but we also went to get tattooed together.
R: Do you think they were a big influence?
A: It’s not because of them that I got the tattoos but more because I myself really like it.
R: Did you talk about it with your family?
A: Oh yes, my parents both have tattoos. Since I was small my family really had an American style of education towards me. They wouldn’t confine or limit me in my decision to get tattooed. Actually, after I got tattoos, they also wanted to get tattooed.
So we went together. My parents, my sister, my cousin… my dad has pretty big ones, my mom only has a small butterfly. My mom does cosmetics, my dad is a deliverer.
R: Do you think this influenced your decision?
A: Yes, for sure. Because they accepted it, I did not need to worry a lot about it and was able to just do it.
R: So in your family there’s no one who is against tattooing?
A: Well, there is no one in my family who will keep you from getting tattoos. Maybe they will say they don’t like it but they won’t hinder you.
Andria grew up in a more non-conservative Taiwanese family and hearing that her parents decided to get tattooed themselves is clearly an exception in the experience of the interviewees I have talked to. Andria’s social circle shows strong admiration for tattoo culture, not just her family members but also her friends and her boss have tattoos. Being surrounded by this supportive network of tattoo-advocates, it is understandable that Andria feels well protected and comfortable with her tattoos. She does believe, however, that the general Taiwanese public shows stronger non-acceptance towards tattoos. “For instance my cousins …”, Andria explained, “people will think they are bad guys because they have tattoos. But I think every person has their good sides. So usually people with tattoos will be associated with bad people…
but there are enough bad people who don’t have tattoos! How can bad people and tattoos always be connected!” Andria hopes that in the future Taiwanese society will become more accepting towards tattoos and realize that it’s something “normal […] a form of art”.
R: In daily life, what kind of responds do you get for your tattoos?
A: From the older folks…they will think “oh, a girl with tattoos”. So what I hear most often is, “What is a girl like you, beautiful and with this nice white skin getting tattoos?”.
And actually I don’t care about what people think about it but what makes me a bit upset is when my family, my parents or grandparents will hear other people say these
‧
things about me. In those moments I will try to talk to my family about it and tell them not to worry about it. But when it comes to younger people, they usually think it’s cool and might want tattoos, too. Generally speaking it is the older generation that has a problem with it, but even there you can find exceptions. It’s not like they really criticize you for it, but they do wonder why you would do such a thing, they can’t really accept it.
R: Do you think it has to do with Confucianism?
A: It’s definitely a traditional way of thinking. It’s from earlier days when criminals and bad people were the ones getting tattooed… But now, it has more to do with arts.
Because it’s often people from the arts who are tattooed. I always tell my grandmother, you know outside of Taiwan it’s not such a big deal, people accept it! They also achieve things. It’s not just bad kids who get tattooed.
R: So for you, tattoo is art.
A: Yes, for me it’s a big form of art.
Personalization
R: After you got your first tattoo, did you feel something changed about you?
A: For me personally, tattoos give me a sense of security. Others might think like, why would you get a tattoo, but for me, even if not every tattoo has a bigger meaning or story, they do give me a feeling of ease…of calmness.
R: Why do you think you feel like this?
A: I am also not really sure but every time I go home and take a shower, I see my tattoos and I don’t regret it, I think of all the different periods in my life. I feel calm, relaxed and have a sense of…yes, I can go forward.
R: Do you think your tattoos give you more self-confidence or make you more beautiful?
A: I think so. I mean I used to be this small girl but growing up, I realize what things I really like, what my own style is. Maybe in Taiwan people can’t easily accept a girl like me, for instance, when I shaved my hair off… I did not have any hair and the guys really found it hard to accept. It’s our culture. Also with the tattoos… it’s more about what I want, what I like. Finding my own style. If you don’t like me, that’s fine because I like myself. I mean…boys in Taiwan, maybe they think it’s cool what I’m doing but they still won’t like it really. But I don’t mind, I like it.
Andria knows that she is not the norm in Taiwanese society. Shaving her hair off, having tattoos and just following her own style is not practiced by everyone in the more conformist Taiwanese environment. But she feels more at ease with her tattoos, they act like a protection shield for
‧
her in a surrounding where a traditional way of thinking is still persistent. Andria also feels more beautiful with her tattoos even though, as she mentioned, Taiwanese society celebrates fair white skin. The fact that Andria does have very white and fine skin and still decides to get it tattooed, shows that she doesn’t let herself be influenced by Taiwanese society’s beauty standards. Also, knowing that her style goes very much against what Taiwanese men would consider beautiful, shows a strong will and self-confidence, that are enhanced through her tattoos.
Social Media
R: Do you think social media’s role is big when it comes to tattoos in Taiwan?
A: Yes, I think the influence of social media is strong. Earlier, Facebook was pretty big but now Instagram is more important for the youth. You can comfortably see stuff from all over the world, also you can really focus on special aspects and search things. For example, myself, I follow many people who post stuff that is my style…or tattoo artists.
Young people like to share a lot. Also, the possibility that you can see posts from people from all over the world really broadens your vision and you realize, oh, others are like this, too. Social media is a big influence. Because when you look at the news, maybe they will still focus on those traditional views and report that criminals and mafia have tattoos….that will influence people’s opinion. But if people see a different view, then people will feel different about it. Media’s influence is big.
R: You follow tattoo artists on social media?
A: Yes, especially a few girls who have the style I like. Maybe some of them have tattoos themselves and I will follow them. I will also follow people who draw to get some inspiration.
R: Will you share your tattoos on IG?
A: No, usually not. I won’t deliberately take a picture of my tattoo and post it. Yeah, usually people who have no tattoos might find it strange if you just post a picture of your tattoo and will comment on it… like “Why would you post this? You want everyone to see your tattoo?”. Yeah, like even when we get tattooed, we will just post it on instastory.
R: So if you share stuff on Instagram, it’s more for your friends?
A: Yeah, to make others happy! Sometimes I will also share some deeper sentiments, moods with my friends or for myself to later look back at. I will share things consciously.
But instastory is for daily stuff.
R: What I often hear is that IG is like a diary.
‧ 國
立 政 治 大 學
‧
N a tio na
l C h engchi U ni ve rs it y
A: Yeah, exactly! It’s like a documentation of things. You can go back in time and see what you did. And it’s a bit more private than Facebook, I think. Facebook is more like watching news now. Or environmental things… I do care about this a lot. And animals.
Andria points something out that I mentioned in the Literature Review section earlier.
Traditional media are still in a way perpetuating old stigma that are attached to tattoos whilst social media has the power to transport personal messages from the individual to the broader public. Social media, especially Instagram now, is having a strong impact on Taiwanese society and the youth love to share their everyday life with their friends. Almost all of my interviewees believe that sharing their tattoos just for the sake of showing off is not something desirable to do. Andria, too, believes that sharing the experience of getting tattooed is something you might want to share on instastory, a post that people can see for 24 hours but not longer. She prefers to post more meaningful things on her Instagram account, that reflect her inner world. Andria is an important example of how people use social media to not just “blindly” post things but how an individual uses an online platform to document their life, their messages and share them with others to perhaps start a meaningful discussion.
In conclusion, Andria is a young individual that finds herself surrounded by tattooed family and friends. Her cultural interests and values are imprinted on her skin, that make her feel safe and beautiful. She knows that especially the elderly Taiwanese usually do not have an understanding about why she would tattoo her fair white skin, something that is very desired in Taiwanese society. However, she feels free to modify her body and uses it as a way to express her style. Andria believes everyone is different and has the right to express themselves the way they want to. Lastly, she hopes that tattoo culture won’t become something that “each and every one gets”, as it would become meaningless.
‧ 國
立 政 治 大 學
‧
N a tio na
l C h engchi U ni ve rs it y
4.5. Jarvis
Picture 22: Jarvis giving a presentation Picture 23: Jarvis standing next to a car
Jarvis is 23 years old and graduated from National Chengchi University in 2017. His major was Economics and together with a few older friends, he now founded a start-up company. Jarvis describes himself as a very busy person as he puts most of his free time into the start-up and is preparing for an exam to get into a Business Administration Master degree at National Taiwan University. Next to reading a lot about business, management and economics, he likes to go to the gym, work out and swim. He usually never goes to concerts but listens a lot to international EDM (Electronic Dance Music), DJs and underground Rap. He classifies his friends into three groups: Friends that he met through his company and the business world – people who want to study in the US and that he describes as hardworking;
then friends who share similar taste in music as him and listen to Hip Hop and Rap and then finally, friends he met at the gym and like to work out. He watches soaps like “Suits” and
“Westworld” on Netflix and prefers American action movies, such as “Iron Man” and
“American Captain”. His clothes are leisurely but business orientated – Jarvis tells me, he cannot stand the Hipster style that so many are following these days.
‧
R: Did you talk about your tattoos with your family?
J: They don’t agree. I discussed it with my mom before and she said she would never speak to me again if I got one. But I know that she was just exaggerating. Her heart is very soft, she just says that but doesn’t mean it. I continued to tell her that I will go get one until the moment she finally accepted it and said “Ok, fine!”.
R: What about your father?
J: I haven’t told him but I think he saw it. He didn’t say anything. My dad is very old school, very traditional. I don’t think my mom talked to him about it because he would get angry. Taiwanese parents are very traditional, I don’t know how it is in other countries but parents here will give their children requirements, they will make them do what they want, not what the children want. Do you know the saying “身體髮膚受 之父母“? Many old people think we have our body because our mom gave it to us and that’s why we can’t hurt our body. But I think this is crazy. I don’t agree. “身體是我 的” (“My body is mine”). I think I can do with it what I want.
Jarvis repeats a very common saying in Taiwanese society that several of my interviewees brought up during the interviews: “身體髮膚受之父母“ (“Our bodies - to every hair and bit of skin - are received by us from our parents”). It does speak for the fact that Confucian thought and values are still rooted in Taiwanese society today and that the youth are still somewhat familiar with these concepts. They do not play a big role to my interviewees however, and in my online survey with more than 120 participants most people said they weren’t really sure in what way these ideas influenced their decision to get tattooed. They are rooted in Taiwanese society but new ways of thinking are incorporated, that contribute to forming a new Taiwanese identity.
R: What do your friends think of your tattoos?
J: Oh, I never asked them. Because my friends are mostly in the business scene, like bankers, consultants… they think tattoos are not good for work. If your boss sees it, it’s not good. So that’s why they won’t get tattoos. But I think… I don’t really have big ones. I just don’t want to support this kind of mind-set. I kind of want to fight against these stereotypes and stigma by having tattoos and working in the business world. It’s a possibility.
R: When you got the tattoos, did you think about it a lot?
‧ 國
立 政 治 大 學
‧
N a tio na
l C h engchi U ni ve rs it y
J: Yes, I thought about it for a long time because I was worried I would regret it. From the first idea to the design and then getting the tattoo it took around a year. I looked on IG, actually my whole Instagram is full with tattoos. I post very seldom (showing me some tattoo designs he likes, they are different styles and artists from different countries, such as Old School, but also very realistic style of European art). Here, I love this one, Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper” on the whole back.
Jarvis sees himself in the position to work against stereotypes and stigma that still prevail in Taiwanese society. Having tattoos but aiming very high in the business world, he wants to show his colleagues that tattoos do not mean you cannot work hard and achieve things. He also contributes to diversifying tattoo culture in the sense that it’s not just criminals, underground people, neither just people from the art scene that have them. Thus, tattoo culture is slowly infiltrating all spheres of Taiwanese society.
Personalization
Picture 24 – 25: Jarvis’ tattoos on his left arm and leg
R: How many tattoos do you have?
J: I have two. One is on my left leg, the other is on the left under arm. It’s a man who takes off a mask that reveals a black hole. The reason why I have this tattoo is because when we start working, everybody starts to wear a mask. Like, maybe I meet you today but I am not like I used to be before. We get more closed up, we put on a mask. We don’t communicate directly anymore. And we might realise we lost ourselves. So even
‧
when we take off the mask we might not really know who we are. It’s because of this society that we have to wear a mask to face other people. Our job, our parents, our clients, our girlfriend. It’s tough.
R: So do you think you yourself are also wearing this mask?
J: With this tattoo I want to remind myself to not wear this mask. And to remind myself
J: With this tattoo I want to remind myself to not wear this mask. And to remind myself