Should Heavily Tattooed People Be Given Good Jobs?

Like smoking or drunkenly starting fights outside of bars, tattoos have that inexplicable ability to make anyone who has them look incredibly cool to strangers. That's about as far as it goes on the positive end of things, though. For whatever reason, employers don't tend to take kindly to people with ink on their skin. I suppose decorating your body makes you a twisted, untrustworthy person.

Vladimir Franz is a bit of an exception, in that he's running to be Czech's president, has a full-face tattoo, and is almost completely covered head to toe in ink. Despite the tats, he's currently third in the polls. That got us wondering if tattoos are NBD in the workplace any more, or if you'd still have a meltdown over a doctor with a teardrop face tattoo operating on you head.

London: Should heavily tattooed people be given good jobs?

Brogan, fashion student: Yeah, definitely. Why not?

So you’d be happy to be seen by a doctor who was heavily tattooed all over their face and hands?
Well, it’s their choice on how they want to look. A good tattoo artist can have no tattoos and be amazing at tattooing, just like a doctor can be covered in tattoos and be a great doctor. Tattoos don't change how your head works.

Do you have any tattoos?
Yeah, but it’s small and not really that visible. Can I be a doctor?

No, you go to fashion school.

Michael, courier: Absolutely not, on grounds of taste alone. They're like cheap human graffiti, tattoos. Disgusting.

What about if they covered them up?
No. Still no. I just think tattoos are awful—it’s the mediocrity of them. The idea you’re going to be something different, when really, you’re not.

You've just crushed the dreams of countless 17-year-old Tumblr guys.

Lee, works in media: Yeah, sure. I don't see why not. YOLO and all that, you know?

Yep. So you wouldn’t be bothered if you were getting a prostate exam and the doctor was covered in tattoos?
Nah. But then again, I haven’t been to many doctors surgeries where tattoos are that popular, so what do I know? Maybe I'd freak out if it actually happened.

Amesta, full-time mom: If that’s the life you want to live, then yeah—everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion. Yes, they should be allowed to in the name of Jesus, our lord and saviour. Do you go to church?

Wow, I wasn't expecting that. No I don't, sorry. Do your children have tattoos?
No, they are God’s pure children.

OK, thank you.
God bless.

Jason, model maker: Yes, of course.

So, you wouldn’t have a problem being sentenced to jail by a judge with a teardrop on his face?
No, not at all. I mean, I'd find it a bit unusual because I haven't done anything wrong, but the tattoo thing wouldn't be an issue.

Have you seen the Czech guy covered in tattoos who's running for president? Would that put you off voting for him?
No, I think it would just make me more interested in him. I'd look closer at his policies and so on before I made any judgements.

Previously - Does Admitting You've Cheated Make it OK?