UVU Ink

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Sept. 24, 2012 

 

Traditions, social norms and stereotypes are inevitable wherever we go, and when something goes against the grain, it makes people uncomfortable.

Tattoos - Joselynn Taylor-5UVU has its own social norms, influenced by the dominant religion present in Utah Valley. The stereotypical male in Utah Valley is clean-cut and the stereotypical female is conservatively dressed. So what happens when a guy walks across campus with diamond studs in his ears, or when a girl shows up to class with a tattoo on her neck? Many of these “non-traditional” students feel judged because their appearance goes against the norm in Utah Valley.

Jack Waters, a former student, has the Bob Dylan logo tattooed on his right arm. According to Waters, his tattoo has sparked some interesting behavior across campus.

“I feel like an animal in a zoo,” Waters said as he recalled an instance when a student whom he had never met asked to touch his tattoo. “It’s dehumanizing.”