‘Covered’ Gender Resistance and Identity Narratives through Tattooing A documentary video project Beverly Yuen Thompson, Ph.D. Women’s Studies Program Texas Woman’s University bevyuen@gmail.com

Tattooing Once Was a Male Domain… (stereotypically considered prevalent in male subcultures such as military/sailors, prisons/gangs, outlaws/bikers, blue collar workers)

Male-tattoo culture represents women as… Shop girl Piercer Girlfriends wives magazines Books

The ‘Chick Spot’ Tattoo: Women’s place in tattooing is gender normative: wives of tattooists and collectors of gender-appropriate tattoos (small, cute, hidden) Tattooing in itself is not rebellious against gender norms, because you can use tattooing to accentuate sexiness and girliness.

Feminist/ visual/ ethnographer Methods: (n= 60) Feminist/ visual/ ethnographer

“heavily tattooed” women crossing the line… Placement Size Design

Tattooed Circus Ladies 1880s -1950s

Contemporary heavily tattooed women expressing themselves Different Interesting Challenging norms Subcultural humor Beautify Self-expression Spiritual Life milestones Unusual hobbies relationships Identities artwork

Redefining Beauty Outside of the Box Normative femininity is abandoned, along with the straightjacket of conformity to impossible ideals. This opens a space to re-create their own terms of beauty, identity, and empowerment. They can establish their own guidelines, outside of mainstream media pressures and thus retain higher self-esteem than those oriented towards achieving normative “beauty.”

Body Image

Rock ‘n Roll Moms: “You’re a mother now…”

Public Reactions: stares, touching, and rude comments.

Family reactions Mom cried Acceptance

Employment discrimination: legal and socially acceptable “Covering” for work or school

“I Wanna Be Covered…” Conform to society True to self