Tattoos: Vic Garcia

In History and Culture Tattoos mean different things to different people. For some, they are a way permanently inscribe cultural symbols permanently on the body. In some cultures, such as the Maori, they mark people as part of specific social, political or religious groups. Native Americans use them as a symbol of a warrior's status within a tribe. They are a form of artistic expression, as they are in Japan, or a trendy fashion statement. Some honor their heritage. Whatever the case, tattoos have been around for millennia, and in all likelihood will be around for millennia to come.

Olga Meyers, a 49-year-old nurse, was my subject. She lives in Virginia Beach with her husband, and both are avid Harley riders. Their son, a twenty-eight year old member of the Coast Guard, is as well. All three have numerous tattoos. I interviewed her by phone, asking about the meaning behind her tattoos, their impact on her life, and how the Harley culture influenced her decision to get them.

Can you describe your tattoos for me? “I have three tattoos. One, my first, is a small coqui on my left shoulderblade. It’s full color, about three inches by three inches.

My second is a lizard on my right ankle. It is long and thin, blue- green, and wraps around the outside of my ankle. It’s about four inches long.

My last is a butterfly on my inner wrist. It is smaller than the other two, and has brighter colors, with orange wings and spots of bright color all over it.”

Did you have any specific reasons for getting them? “For the first and the last, yes. The frog is native to Puerto Rico. My family is Puerto Rican, and when I was younger we lived there for several years. When I grew up, I got the frog to try and remind myself to stay connected to my culture. The butterfly I got after my son moved out. …it was to remind myself that I was still young at heart. I might have a full- grown child, but I can still be light and beautiful – like the butterfly. There was no real reason for the lizard, I had just been wanting another tattoo for a while and I like lizards. The design was just appealing to me.”

What made you decide to go through with it? “I had been thinking about the first one for a while, you know, trying to decide whether I really wanted to or not. My husband finally got sick of me flip-flopping back and forth. He told e that if I wanted it, I should get it, and that it wasn’t an end- of-the-world thing. I guess I just needed that little push, and I made the appointment the next day. It was all a lot easier than I’d expected.”

…did your involvement in the Harley culture affect your decision? “I’d like to say it didn’t, but in truth it probably did. The thing about being involved in a crowd like that is that tattoos aren’t seen as anything out of the ordinary… It would have been stranger if I didn’t have any. No one pressured me about it, or commented on my lack of body art, but in a space like that there is absolutely no judgment. No one looks at your tattoos and judges anything except your taste in ink… If I didn’t hang with them, I probably wouldn’t have gotten them so easily. I would have been more worried about what other people thought.”

Tattoos and Women For a very long time, tattoos were regarded as something done only by the fringes of society. Women especially were looked down on for having them done. Now, however, tattoos represent something totally different to the women in our Western society. They are a way to regain control over our bodies in a culture that places such emphasis on body image and a single distinct image of beauty. In our culture, there is a certain body type and coloring that is considered beautiful. Tattoos are a way to make yourself feel unique, and to rebel against society in a very minor way.

Do they ever affect your everyday life? “Not really. Sometimes I’ll get complimented on them, but that’s about it. I don’t have any crazy sleeves, so that probably helps, but I don’t think people care so much anymore. It’s really not a big thing for someone to have a tattoo, especially not if they’re as small as mine are. Plus mine are in places that are pretty easy to cover, so even if I do have to hide them from some ultra-conservative boss at the hospital it isn’t a problem. It’s not a bad thing so much anymore.”

Vladimir Franz He’s a composer, professor, and, most recently, politician. He’s completely tattooed – arms, legs, face, everything – but he’s still a highly respected individual, currently polling third in the Czech Republic’s presidential campaigns. Most people don’t have problems with his body art, just his politics. It just goes to show that tattoos aren’t as taboo in civilized culture as they used to be.